Danish Hand Axe -Blunt

Description of the Product

The axe was a poor mans weapon during the viking era; an axe for woodwork could be found in every household. However not all axes are best suited for battle, and axes solely for battle use were also in wide circulation. The categorization into a weapon or a tool is not always simple, but this axe is a good example of a viking era axe meant mainly as a weapon. If the axe is to be used as a tool, the blade is often wedged and thick. In weapon use the wedge-shape was of no use, and the excess weight just made the axe more cumbersome and slow. Thin axe blades could be as thin as those of a sword, and they cut with equal sharpness. The lighter weapon was also faster to use both in attacks and in defense. Chopping wood with a thin bladed axe is not as efficient as with thicker wedged versions and the blade also gets stuck very easily.

This one handed viking axe has a blade that is fairly large and wide, so it cut better than a narrower blade. Blades larger than this tended to be attached to two handed shafts.

When practicing with steel weapons it is vitally important to make sure that sufficient and proper protective gear is worn and that all the equipment is in good condition. In order to avoid accidents remember to stay careful and controlled in all circumstances.

The weapon has been made to withstand the strains of battle by martial artists, reenactors and stage performers. Forged of 51CrV4 carbon steel, and tempered to around HRC 50-52. The edges and points are thick and rounded for better nick resistance and safety.

• Total length 59 cm
• Blade length 18 cm
• Blade width 18 cm
• Weight 0.86 kg
• Forged of 51CrV4 carbon steel
• Hardwood shaft
• Sharpness: Blunt
• Made by Victor Berbekucz