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Considering the historical process in its forward movement, we will see that man constantly fought: he fought for cattle and for women, land and money, faith and the Fatherland. It is war that is the constant companion of progress.

Since with the development of civilization the equipment of warriors also developed, the weapons, respectively, also changed rapidly and became more and more perfect and dangerous. Today we will talk about the ax - the weapon of medieval warriors, which has not lost its relevance to this day.

Where does the ax come from

Ax - one of the types of battle axes is distinguished by a special blade in the form of a crescent. Such weapons were common as early as the 1st millennium in Ancient Greece, but from the Iberian Peninsula it quickly spread throughout the mainland and became known not only in Europe, but also in Asia.

At that time, the ax had two blades arranged along the handle like a butterfly. Such a double-sided ax was capable of much in the hands of an experienced warrior, the long handle ended with a point, so it could be both chopped and stabbed.

The two-handed ax was very popular with the infantry, it was intended for attacking horsemen and tearing apart metal armor.

Like a battle ax, the ax is a destructive weapon of great power, but lighter and because of the long handle it holds balance better, which gives the warrior the opportunity to maneuver during battle.

And although in our time there are different kinds weapons of mass destruction, but the popularity of battle axes once again went uphill because of their versatility, size and ability to use in extreme conditions.

Distant ancestor of the battle ax

The ancestor of the battle ax was the two-edged labrys, which originated in ancient Greece, and is a symbol of divine power. The functions of this weapon were both combat, and cult, and ceremonial. Since it was very difficult to make such a weapon, it was only available to kings and priests.

To use an ax with two blades located in the form of a butterfly on both sides of the shaft in battle, tremendous strength and dexterity were required. A warrior armed with a labrys and covering himself with a shield was invincible and, in the eyes of those around him, was endowed with divine strength and power.

Description of the ax

The ax is a melee weapon from the family of battle axes common in the Middle Ages. Its main difference from an ax is the shape of the blade in the form of a crescent. In addition, the ax had a longer shaft, which made it possible to balance in battle and keep the enemy at bay. close quarters.

In addition, the ax could not only chop, but also stab.

Therefore, it can be argued that the ax is an ax and a sword, and a spear at the same time.
The first axes consisted of a shaft, blade and counterweight. Sometimes the shaft was strengthened, and its length varied depending on the functions:

• for infantry it was made from two to two and a half meters;
• for boarders - sea pirates attacking ships, more than three meters in length and large hooks were still welded to the ax for ease of use;
• for cavalry - the shaft was prepared less than a meter.

The length of the ax blade also varied from a few centimeters to a meter, and in the lower part of the blade there were protrusions for a more secure attachment to the shaft.

Such weapons were universal: they were used both for attack and for defense, and for pushing warriors from horses, and for robbing rich merchant ships.

Many European armies had special units armed with these axes to protect the flanks.

Viking legendary weapons

Normans, Vikings, Varangians - words that terrified all the peoples who inhabited Europe, since the world did not know more bloodthirsty and powerful warriors then.

Armed with Scandinavian axes, otherwise they were called Danish or heavy battle axes, the Vikings did not know defeat in battle and always took rich booty and led away captive slaves.

The main difference between this weapon was a wide, heavy blade, which could instantly cut a person’s head or chop off limbs.
Mighty warriors masterfully wielded axes for battle, work, and tournaments.

In Kievan Rus, which had close trade ties, they looked like brothers of the Viking axes. Among the foot Russian army, axes and axes were the main type of weapon.

Most Popular Axes

Since the ax was a fairly common weapon in the Middle Ages, then appearance her was varied depending on the functions that she had to perform.

Since the 10th century, Scandinavian axes, well known in the Scandinavian Peninsula and northern Europe, have become widespread, but at the same time their appearance has also changed.

Since the Scandinavian ax is heavy, and not every warrior will be able to maneuver with an ax in battle, which weighed so much that it was not easy for a weak person to lift it, then he was replaced by halberds and reeds.

And the brodex turned into an executioner's ax, since its wide, heavy blade made it possible to quickly separate the head from the body.

The one-sided ax became a tool of labor, with the help of it, lumberjacks felled hundred-year-old trees and chopped off huge branches. With such a tool, it was easy to turn a log of any size into a beam.

In the 14-15 centuries in Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, the foot army used halberds - cold weapons with a long, up to 3 meters, shaft, which ended in a sharp pike and a small, light crescent-shaped blade.

With such weapons, mercenaries easily coped with mounted knights, pulling them off their horses with the help of hooks specially mounted on weapons, and completed the job with axes and swords.

Some halberds look like axes, others like chases, and sometimes they look like a cross between a spear and.

Berdysh is a special type of ax impaled on a long, up to two meters, shaft and a curved blade resembling an elongated crescent moon.

The berdysh used by mounted warriors were somewhat smaller and lighter, and small holes were made in them along the entire length of the blade, into which rings were threaded.

When in the 16th century the armor of the knights became lighter, then the berdysh fell out of use, since sabers and swords made of hardened metal easily pierced light chain mail.

The Wallachian battle hatchet was called the Wallachka, after the name of the area from which it came to us. Having a long shaft and a relatively small blade, strongly protruding forward, the wall was both a weapon, a staff, and a tool.

This weapon gained immense popularity among the common people during the time of Vlad the Impaler, and in the 14-15 centuries this hatchet was chosen by shepherds and hunters.

In the 17th century, just such a hunter's ax became a symbol of the struggle of the Serbian people for independence from the Turkish yoke. At the same time, the battle hatchet ( brother axes-chasing) became a symbol of peasant uprisings in Russia.

The history of the development of cold development in the world goes back thousands of years, each country can present its favorite models, but even today in almost every home there is a simple hatchet, which, if necessary, can be turned into a terrible military weapon.

Video

An ax is one of the most common types of edged weapons in antiquity. It was much cheaper and more practical than a sword, the manufacture of which took a huge amount of scarce iron, and in terms of combat effectiveness it was in no way inferior to it. An ideal example of this kind of weapon is the Viking axes, which will be discussed in this article.

Where did they go

Where did combat and utility knives come from? Ancient axes were very remotely similar to their modern “descendants”: forget about the pieces of sharpened flint screwed to the shaft with ropes! Much more often they looked like a drilled cobblestone impaled on a stick. Simply put, initially axes were not at all chopping, but crushing weapons.

And it's justified. Imagine a relatively thin, chipped plate of flint: what will happen to it if the owner hits the shield, wood or stone? That's right, it will be possible to say goodbye to weapons, since this mineral is very brittle. And this is in the middle of a fight! So a stone planted on a strong shaft is a much more reliable weapon. And an ax in it modern form could appear only after mankind mastered the basics of metalworking.

Basic information

Contrary to popular belief, Viking axes, even the most menacing ones, were never heavy. Maximum - 600 grams, no more. In addition, the shaft was never bound with iron! First, the metal used to be extremely expensive. Secondly, it made the ax heavier, and a massive weapon in a long battle could lead to the death of the owner.

Another misconception of modernity is "an ax is a weapon of commoners." Like, all the "self-respecting" leaders of the Vikings used swords. This is from the category of Hollywood myths about the Vikings. The ax is much more practical, simpler, it is not so a pity to lose it in the heat of battle. A good sword made of “good” iron was so expensive that archaeologists have so far been able to find only single copies of such weapons.

Confirmation of this is the found graves of military leaders and high-ranking "inhabitants". They sometimes found entire arsenals, among which there were many axes. So this weapon is indeed universal, it was used by both ordinary soldiers and their commanders.

The appearance of two-handed axes

But favorite "toy" northern peoples there was a legendary brodax, aka a two-handed ax on a long shaft (that's what the Viking ax is called, by the way). In periodicals, it is often called the "Danish ax", but the name is not very true, since it does not fully convey the very essence of this weapon. Brodax's "finest hour" came in the 11th century. Then people who are armed with it could be found from Karelia to Britain.

In full accordance with the ancient sagas, the Vikings simply loved to give their weapons sublime and epic names. For example, "Friend of the Shield", "War Witch", "Wound Wound". Of course, only the best and highest quality samples were awarded such an attitude.

What was the difference between two-handed axes?

In appearance, the blades of the brodaxes were very large and massive, but this impression is only partly true. The blade of such axes was significantly thinned during manufacture in order to save precious weight. But the “axe” itself could indeed be large: the distance from one tip of the blade to the other often reached 30 cm, and despite the fact that the “working body” of the Viking ax almost always had a significant bend. Such weapons inflicted terrible wounds.

Handles for a reliable swing had to be large ... and they really were! The “average” brodax, rested on the ground with a shaft, reached the chin of a standing warrior, but more “epic” samples were often encountered. These axes were extremely powerful weapons, but they still had one serious drawback. Since the shaft had to be held with both hands, the warrior was automatically left without the protection of the shield. That is why the “classic” one-handed axes of the Vikings occupied far from the last place in the life of the latter.

Influence on the military affairs of the Slavs

Many similar weapons were found near and on the territory of our country. There are especially many brodaxes, and such finds are most typical for the Leningrad region. Approximately in the XII-XIII century, the situation in those parts becomes less "tense", and the list of standard weapons is gradually changing. Viking axes with wide blades are gradually "transformed" into relatively harmless household equipment.

By the way, according to historians and archaeologists, it was during the period of maximum distribution of brodaks in Russia that a real “boom” in the development of domestic weapons thought of those years occurred. Battle axes in Russia, created under the influence of the Varangians, absorbed all the best from European, Asian and Scythian designs. Why are we paying attention to this? It's simple: the descendants of the Normans will later like the evolved Russian axes.

Combined models

Exactly Kievan Rus gave a second life to combined options, with a striker on the butt. Such weapons were once highly quoted by the Scythians. It is these axes in the 10-11th centuries that the Vikings will “take over”, and from our country this weapon will begin its march through the countries of Western Europe. It should be noted that initially the Vikings used a pick with a simple, round or mushroom-shaped section.

But already in the 12th century, battle axes in Russia acquired a square-shaped coinage. This evolution is quite simple to explain: if initially the military people dressed in chain mail and other light armor, then over time the armor became more and more serious. It was necessary to break through it, and so there were klevtsy and "punches" with a pronounced faceted section. The most prominent representative of the Varangian-Russian axes is the hatchet of Andrei Bogolyubsky. Most likely, it never belonged to the prince himself, but it was made just in the historical period we are describing.

Weapons of the "modern Vikings"

Today, by the way, modern replicas of these weapons are being produced. Where can you buy such an ax? Kizlyar ("Viking" - one of the most popular models) - this is the new "homeland" of excellent weapons. If you are one of the enthusiastic reenactors, then best choice you won't find it anywhere else.

Why not a sword?

As we have already noted, the ax is often perceived by the layman as a weapon of a lumberjack and a master, but not a warrior. Theoretically, this assumption has some logical reasons: firstly, these weapons are much easier to manufacture. Secondly, even a more or less tolerable mastery of the sword required at least ten years, while the ax was with a person at that time all the time, and the improvement in the skills of its use took place, so to speak, “on the job”.

But this point of view is only partly true. Almost the only factor in choosing a weapon was its combat practicality. Many historians believe that the ax was displaced by the sword due to its great weight. And this is also not entirely true. Firstly, the weight of the Viking ax only slightly exceeded the mass of the battle sword (or even less - the mass of the ax itself was no more than 600 grams). Secondly, swinging the sword also required a lot of space.

Most likely, in the historical perspective, the ax gave way due to advances in metallurgy. There was more steel, warriors could be provided with a large number of albeit inferior, but technologically advanced and cheap swords, the technique of combat use of which was much simpler and did not require such significant physical data from the "user". It must be remembered that the fights of that time were by no means elegant fencing, the matter was decided in two or three blows, the better-trained person had the advantage, and therefore both the ax and the sword were equivalent weapons in this regard.

Economic importance

But we should not forget about another reason for the popularity of axes. The Viking ax (whose name is brodax) also had a purely economic value. Simply put, it is unlikely that it will be possible to build a fortified camp with the same sword; Considering that most of their lives the Vikings were on campaigns, and at home they were engaged in quite peaceful affairs, the choice of the ax was more than justified because of its high practicality.

Ax as a weapon of noble warriors

Judging by the annals and finds of archaeologists, this type of weapon was very popular among the Scandinavian warriors. So, notorious in his time, King Olaf the Holy was the owner of a battle ax with the expressive name "Hel". So, by the way, the ancient Scandinavians called Eirik, the son had a respectful nickname "Bloody ax", which quite transparently hints at his preferences in the field of choosing weapons.

There are frequent references to "axes lined with silver" in written sources, and in last years scientists have found many archaeological artifacts that testify to the truth of these words. Such, in particular, was the famous Mamenna ax, on the surface of which amazing and beautiful patterns are visible, formed by a hammered silver thread. Naturally, such weapons were of status and emphasized the high position of the owner in society.

The burial of Sutton Hoo also testifies to the great reverence for battle axes, as many richly decorated axes were found in it. Judging by the luxury of this burial ground, one of the outstanding military leaders of the Angles or Saxons was probably buried there. What is characteristic: the deceased himself was buried "in an embrace" with an ax, on which there are practically no decorations. This is purely so that during his lifetime this man clearly preferred axes.

sacred meaning

There is another circumstance indicating the reverence with which the northerners treated the axes. Archaeological and written sources unambiguously indicate that the Viking "axe" tattoo was extremely common precisely in the period from the 10th to the 15th centuries. This weapon, one way or another, appeared in almost all combat patterns with which professional warriors adorned their bodies.

It is also worth noting that the Viking Ax amulet was no less common. Almost every second neck pendant included a miniature figurine of an axe. It was believed that such an ornament bestows the strength, power and mind of a real warrior.

Self-manufacturing

If you are a professional reenactor, then perfect choice can become an ax "Viking" (production of Kizlyar). But such a “toy” is not too cheap, and therefore many lovers of medieval weapons may have the idea of self-manufacturing this weapon. How realistic is this? Is it possible to make a Viking ax with your own hands?

Yes, it is quite possible. An ordinary ax can serve as the basis for an ancient weapon, from which everything superfluous is simply cut off with the help of a grinder. After that, using the same angle grinder, the entire surface is carefully polished, on which there should not be any burrs and protruding pieces of metal.

Other remarks

As you can see, making a Viking ax with your own hands is relatively easy, and it will not require large expenses. The disadvantage of this method is that the resulting tool will only have a decorative function, since they will no longer be able to perform chores.

To create an authentic sample, you will have to use the help of a professional blacksmith, since only forging will allow you to get a truly fully functional ax, an analogue of those axes that the Vikings once fought with. Here's how to make a Viking Axe.

And it happened that in childhood, even when I didn’t read books myself, but they read them to me, my mother read Jean Olivier’s book “The Viking Campaign” to me and ... my life immediately changed to “before this book” and “after”. I immediately started cutting images of the Vikings from old textbooks, which I had a lot in my house, I made models of their ships from plasticine, rolling thin straws into the oars and masts so that they would not bend, I made myself a Viking helmet from cardboard and an ax from wooden stick and plywood. True, my shield was rectangular, not round, but there was nothing to be done about it - I had to use what I had. This is how the theme of the Vikings entered my life, and books about them were put on the shelf one after another.

The Viking Campaign by Jean Olivier is a book from my childhood.

And then the moment came when the feeling came that “you can write about them yourself!” Because each time has “its own songs”. Some books are “too childish”, some are poorly translated, while others are frankly abstruse and it is best to read them at night in order to fall asleep quickly. So now, you, dear VO visitors, will periodically get acquainted with articles “about the Vikings”, which after some time will become the basis of a new book. I would like to warn you right away that they are not written according to a plan, but according to what material they manage to get first of all. That is, in theory, one should start with historiography and the source base (and this will be necessary!), But ... it doesn’t work out that way. Therefore, do not be surprised that the cycle will be characterized by some fragmentation and inconsistency. Alas, this is the cost of production. Right now, for example, I have at hand a very interesting material about ... Viking axes, and why not start with it, because you still need to start with something ?!

The famous "axe from Mammen". (National History Museum, Copenhagen)

If we turn to Ian Heath’s book “The Vikings” published in Russia (Osprey publishing house, Elite Troops series, 2004), we can read there that before the beginning of the Viking Age, such as an ax in the European military the case was practically forgotten. But with the advent of the Vikings to Europe in the VIII - XI centuries. they came back into use, since it was the ax that was the second most important weapon in their arsenal.

Viking swords and axes in the National Historical Museum in Copenhagen.

According to, for example, Norwegian archaeologists, there are 1,200 axes for every 1,500 finds of swords in the burials of the Viking Age. Moreover, it often happens that an ax and a sword lie together in the same burial. There are three types of axes used by the Vikings. The first is “bearded”, in use since the 8th century, an ax with a relatively short handle and a narrow blade (an example is “an ax from Mammen”), and an ax with a long handle and a wide blade, the so-called. "Danish ax", with a blade width of up to 45 cm and a crescent shape, according to the Lexdale Saga, and bearing the name "breidox" (breidox). It is believed that axes of this type appeared at the end of the 10th century. and gained the greatest popularity among the Anglo-Danish Huscarl warriors. It is known that they were used at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, but then quickly faded away, as if they had worked out their resource, and, most likely, that is exactly what it was. After all, it was a highly specialized type of ax, designed exclusively for battle. He could well compete with the sword as the main symbol of the Viking warrior, but he had to be able to use it and not everyone could do it.

"Ax from Ludwigschar" with a wide slotted blade. (National Historical Museum, Copenhagen).

Interestingly, the Vikings gave axes female names associated with gods or forces of nature, as well as the names of trolls, while King Olaf, for example, gave his ax the name Hel, very meaningfully naming it after the goddess of death!

Ax from Langeid. (Museum of Culture, Oldsaksamling University, Oslo).

In 2011, during an archaeological excavation at Langeid in the Setesdalen valley in Denmark, a burial ground was discovered. As it turned out, it contained several dozen graves from the second half of the Viking Age. Grave No. 8 was one of the most remarkable, although its wooden coffin was almost empty. Of course, this was a big disappointment for the archaeologist. However, when the excavations continued, around the outer part of the coffin, along one of its long sides, a richly decorated sword was found, and on the other, a large and wide ax blade.

Axes have been used in Denmark since the Bronze Age! Image on a stone from Fossum, Bohuslan, Western Sweden.

The blade of the Langeid ax had relatively little damage, and what damage there was was fixed with glue, while rust deposits were removed with micro-sandblasting. It is quite surprising that the remains of a wooden handle 15 cm long were preserved inside the butt. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of wood destruction, it was processed special composition. However, the strip of copper alloy that surrounded the handle in this place helped to preserve the wood. Since copper has antimicrobial properties, this prevented its complete decay. The strip was only half a millimeter thick, it was highly corroded and consisted of several fragments that had to be carefully glued together.

Micro-sandblasting was used to remove rust from the ax blade. (Museum of Cultural History, Oldsaksamling University, Oslo)

It used to be that archaeologists sketched their finds and they had to include professional artists in the expeditions. Then photography came to their aid, and now the finds are completely X-rayed and use the X-ray fluorescence method.

X-ray of the Langeid axe. You can see the thickening of the blade behind the cutting edge and the welding line with the butt. Also visible are the studs securing the brass band to the handle. (Museum of Cultural History, Oldsaksamling University, Oslo)

All of these studies have confirmed that the staffs on the shaft were made of brass, a copper alloy that contains a lot of zinc. Unlike copper and bronze, which are reddish metals, brass has yellow. Raw brass resembles gold, and this apparently had at the time importance. The sagas constantly emphasize the splendor of the weapons that belonged to their heroes and sparkling gold, which was undoubtedly the ideal of the Viking Age. But archeology proves that most of their weapons were actually adorned with copper - a kind of "poor man's gold".

Reconstruction showing the main design features"an ax from Langeid". (Museum of Cultural History, Oldsaksamling University, Oslo)

Unlike powerful landowners who emphasized their social position and used the sword as a weapon, less wealthy people resorted to using axes designed for working with wood as a fighting weapon. Thus, the ax was often identified with a landless worker doing housework. That is, at first the axes were universal. But in the second half of the Viking Age, axes appeared, designed exclusively for battle, the blade of which was finely forged and, therefore, relatively light. The butt was also small and not so massive. This design gave the Vikings a truly deadly weapon worthy of the professional warriors they were.

Almost all of Angus McBride's illustrations for Viking books feature various battle axes.

In the Byzantine Empire, they served as high-ranking mercenaries in the so-called Varangian Guard, and were the bodyguards of the Byzantine emperor himself. In England, these broad bladed axes came to be known as "Danish axes" due to their use by the conquering Danes at the end of the Viking Age.

Viking in long-sleeved chain mail (in the center) and with a wide-bladed battle ax "Breydox". Rice. Angus McBride.

Archaeologist Jan Petersen, in his typology of Viking weapons, classified wide-bladed axes as type M and believed that they appeared in the second half of the 10th century. The "Ax from Langeid" has a slightly later origin, which is associated with the dating of the grave where it was found, the first half of the 11th century. Since the initial weight of the ax itself was at first about 800 grams (now 550 grams), it was clearly a two-handed axe. However, it is lighter than many woodworking axes that were previously used as weapons. It is believed that the length of its handle was about 110 cm, but this is shorter than many people think. The metal band on the handle is unusual among finds in Norway, but at least five other similar finds are known. Three ax handles with brass stripes were found right in London in the Thames.

It is often difficult to distinguish between a working ax and a battle axe, but the Viking Age battle ax was usually smaller and somewhat lighter than a working axe. The butt of the battle ax is also much smaller, and the blade itself is much thinner. But at the same time, it should be remembered that most battle axes, presumably, were held in battle with one hand.

Another Viking battle ax with a relatively narrow blade and one-handed handle. Rice. Angus McBride.

Perhaps the most famous copy of the Viking Age ax was found in the town of Mammen in Denmark, on the Jutland Peninsula, in the burial place of a noble Scandinavian warrior. A dendrological analysis of the logs from which the burial chamber was built revealed that it was built in the winter of 970-971. It is believed that one of the closest associates of King Harald Blue-toothed was buried in the grave.

This year was very eventful for the entire “civilized world”: for example, Prince Svyatoslav fought the Byzantine emperor John Tzimisceus that year, and his son and future baptizer of Russia, Prince Vladimir, became prince in Novgorod. In the same year, a landmark event also happened in Iceland, where the future discoverer of America, Leif Eriksson, nicknamed "Happy", was born in the family of Eric the Red, whose adventures are the subject of Jean Olivier's book "The Viking Campaign".

A page from this book...

The ax itself is not large in size - 175 mm. It is believed that this ax had a ritual purpose, and was never used in battle. And on the other hand, for the people who believed that only those warriors who died in battle get into the Viking paradise - Valhalla, so the war was their most important life ritual and they treated it, and death too, respectively.

"Ax from Mammen". (National History Museum, Copenhagen)

First of all, we note that the "axe from Mammen" was very richly decorated. The blade and butt of the ax were completely covered with a sheet of blackened silver (thanks to which it will remain in such excellent condition), and then finished with inlaid silver thread, laid out in a complex pattern in the style of the "Big Beast". By the way, this Old Norse ornamental pattern, common in Denmark in 960-1020, is called “Mammen” today, and precisely because of this ancient ax.

A tree is depicted on one side of the ax. It can be interpreted as the pagan tree Yggdrasil, but also as the Christian "Tree of Life". The drawing on the other side depicts the Gullinkcambi rooster (Old Norse "golden comb") or the Phoenix bird. The rooster Gullinkambi, like Yggdrasil, belongs to Norse mythology. This rooster sits on top of the Yggdrasil tree. His task is to wake up the Vikings every morning, but when Ragnarok ("end of the world") comes, he will have to turn into a crow. Phoenix is ​​a symbol of rebirth and belongs to Christian mythology. Therefore, the motifs of the images on the ax can be interpreted as both pagan and Christian. The transition from the ax blade to the sleeve is covered with gold. In addition, cuts in the form of an oblique cross were made on both sides of the butt, and although now they are empty, in ancient times they were apparently filled with bronze-zinc foil.

Viking weapons (late era) from the exhibition of the Museum of Cultural History, Oldsaksamling University, Oslo.

Another equally huge ax was found in 2012 during the construction of a freeway. The remains of the owner of this huge ax were also discovered, and the tomb in which they were located was dated to about 950. It is noteworthy that this weapon is the only item buried with this deceased Viking. Based on this fact, scientists conclude that the owner of this weapon, apparently, was very proud of him, as well as his ability to wield it, since there was no sword in the burial.

"Ax from Silkeborg".

The remains of a woman were also found in the tomb, and with her a pair of keys, symbolizing power and her high social position in Viking society. This gave scientists reason to believe that this man and this woman had a very high social status.

Interestingly, as a prop for the costume of "The Varangian Guest" from the opera "Sadko" by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, in which Fyodor Chaliapin himself performed his part at the premiere of 1897, an absolutely huge ax was prepared, clearly supposed to emphasize the commitment of the Vikings to this kind of weapon!

To be continued…

Reading time ≈ 6 minutes

Ax - very useful thing on the farm, if you live in a private house, especially outside the city. But if you agree that a thing should be not only functional and practical, but also stylish, beautiful, with history, we offer you to make a Viking ax from a simple ax with your own hands. Such a product will invariably delight you with its appearance and serve you properly!

Viking axe.

Distinctive features

Among the Vikings, axes were in second place after swords in terms of use. Often this was universal tool, which in peacetime could cut down trees, chop wood, and also be used for combat as an excellent weapon. Axes could be one-handed and two-handed, varied in shape. By the way, this type of ax is similar in design to the domestic taiga:

Viking axes and taiga ax (right).

Necessary materials

To make such an ax yourself, you can use:

• any old ax at your disposal (even if cracks and rust have already appeared on the metal);
• bar for the handle;
• a small piece of leather or a substitute for braiding the handle;
• wooden wedges;
• paper and a simple pencil;
• linseed oil (lacquer) and a brush.

Important! For the manufacture of such a product, you need confident possession of many tools!

Be very responsible when choosing a tree for the handle. For this purpose, it is best to use hardwood only deciduous species trees. The degree of drying of the tree is very important - the amount of moisture should be less than 8-12%. In the future, such a handle will not loosen when it dries out in the event of a change in the humidity of the environment. To achieve the desired moisture content of the wood, dry the workpiece in a very dry and warm place.

Product examples.

The best types of wood for the handle:

1. Ash. The most optimal material is affordable, strong and hard, durable. The handle has a beautiful color and grain pattern. It is most commonly used to make handles.
2. Oak. Strong and durable yet hard.
3. Beech. It has all the advantages of oak, but there is a significant disadvantage - hygroscopicity. Therefore, such a handle requires additional processing to protect it from moisture, since oil impregnation does not completely protect the wood.
4. Maple. Durable, elastic material, the handle has beautiful view and texture.

The following materials and tools will be required in the process of work:

• grinder (grinder);
• welding machine;
• grinding machine;
• boron machine.

An example of a Viking axe.

Manufacturing process

So, when all the materials are ready, we can start making the tool. Step-by-step instruction:

1. 1. Remove the old handle from the axe.
   2. Remove rust from metal with a grinder. Don't forget to remove scale.
   3. If cracks are found in the metal during work, they must be welded.
   4. Give the heel of the ax the desired shape. The stencil can be drawn by eye or any round object can be chosen for this right size, for example, the lid of a jar. Circle the object on the cloth and cut it into shape with a grinder.
   5. The cut must be processed on a grinder.

Manufacturing process.

1. Since an old ax was used for manufacturing, the metal must be hardened. The hardening process is described in detail below. This completes the fabrication of the fabric.
2. Let's start making an ax handle. From a bar (with a cross section of approximately 4 * 4 cm) you need to cut a simple straight handle.
3. To decorate the handle, we transfer any Celtic ornament to the wood with a pencil and show the drawing with a drill.
4. To protect against moisture, the handle must be varnished or oiled.

Handle manufacturing.

You can see examples of Celtic patterns in the photo below:

Celtic ornaments.

Metal hardening

This process consists of three stages, we will consider each of them:

• Annealing. Pre-blunt the point to 1 mm. To do this, the cloth should be heated to a red-burgundy color (about 760 ° C), cool slowly. Removes scale from metal.
• hardening. It is necessary to heat the metal to a temperature of 830°C. This can be done in any way possible, in an oven or even on a fire. Next, you need to prepare two containers: a bucket with warm water and a metal container with oil. You only need to lower the ax blade up to 4 cm into the water for a few seconds. The ax is completely immersed in oil. In case of fire, you need to have a thick cloth on hand to cover the container. Remember fire safety rules!
• Vacation. Necessary in order to reduce the brittleness of steel. The metal must first be cleaned to show the tint color. You can spend holidays in a conventional oven at a temperature of 200-300 ° C for 60 minutes.

Tip: you can check the temperature of the metal by color or using a magnet. The metal ceases to be magnetized at temperatures above 768C.

Video: how to harden metal.

handle braid

First you need to connect the cloth and the handle, drive in the prepared wedge. Now all the main work has been done, it remains only to decorate the handle. But in addition to the decorative function, the braid will also reliably protect the butt.

So, how to make an ax braid:

1. 1. Cut a rectangle from a small piece of leather, wrap it under the butt for trying on. Make the appropriate cutouts to fit the length to the butt as much as possible.
   2. At the edges of the segment, make holes for the seams with an awl or a regular nail.

Braid making.

1. To make it easier to work with leather, treat it with linseed oil - this will soften the material.
2. From the back side, sew a piece along the handle.

Finally, the braid and the entire braid can be oiled again. A wonderful ax is ready!

You can see an example of making a Viking ax in the video clip:

Making a Viking ax from a simple ax with your own hands is easier than it seems, provided that you have the skills to work with the listed tools. This product has a beautiful appearance, and its functionality and practicality is worthy of the highest praise!