What Did Viking Axes Look Like?

Axes were a common tool in the Viking age and were used both in battle and for cutting wood. Viking axe for sale They were less expensive than swords and axe heads were easily made from iron and steel.

Axes had a wide variety of shapes and cross-sections. Some had thin, elegant cross-sections while others were more curved.

Farm Axes

In the Viking age, axes were a common weapon for everyone on a farm. They were useful for hunting, farming and cutting wood. They were also a valuable tool for fighting.

In Scandinavia, axes were used in every type of battle. They were a good weapon for combat, because they were powerful and had a long reach. They were also effective for cutting through armor or shields.

Most of the time, they were made from bog iron, however some were also made from bronze. They were also forged with steel tips on the blades which allowed them to hold an edge longer than normal.

They had different shaped heads on them depending on what they were used for. Some were very thin and elegant while others were thick and heavy. Some axes had diamond shaped heads near the edge that were stronger and more durable.

The head on the axe would be cut to shape with a knife or a saw. This is the most important part of the axe making process because it will determine how well the axe will work.

Once the axe has been cut, it is then put into the sheath which is made of leather or cloth. The sheath is then sewn or pinned together to encompass the axe head and handle.

It can then be given a coat of oil so that it doesn't dry out and crack over time. It will also help to make the handle fit better onto the axe head and keep it from moving around too much.

A scabbard is another important part of the axe making process because this will help to keep the blade from slipping out. The scabbard needs to be made of leather or cloth, and it should be sewn or pinned to the axe handle to keep it in place.

This is a relatively simple step for modern equipment, but it would be very time consuming with axes from the Viking age. It is possible to buy axe sheaths online or at some local shops.

Axes were a vital tool for the Vikings and many of them were made from bog iron. These axes were very durable and had an impressive cutting ability, but they were also expensive to produce.

Battle Axes

The axe was not only used as a weapon in battle, but was also a tool that was common on farms and in Viking ships. It was an efficient, lethal weapon that could shatter shields and cleave through armor as easily as splitting logs.

Most people today envision a large, intimidating weapon when they think of the Viking axe. Often this image is associated with trolls and other horror movie characters, but a well-made battle axe was surprisingly light, fast and balanced.

In the battles between the vikings and the English during the 10th century, a type of axe was used that was known as the Dane Axe. This was a long shafted battle axe that could be carried by warriors in both hands.

It had a large, thin head that was incredibly sharp. It was not as good for cutting through heavy leather armor as a small hand axe, but it was more than sufficient for making quick and effective cuts in a single swing.

When looking at Viking axes, there are two main types: bearded and skeggox (also called a 'bearded axe' in Old Norse). A skeggox head had an asymmetrical shape with the lower edge of the blade extending downwards like a beard. This created a larger cutting surface while also reducing the weight of the weapon, allowing for easier manoeuvrability and making it more powerful than other types of axes.

Another type of axe was the 'flaking axe', which has a thinner blade and a broader cutting edge. This was not as strong as the 'bearded axe', but it was more versatile and was more commonly used in fighting.

The axe head could be engraved with designs that made it easier to identify when attacking. These were often based on the names of viking tribes and their territories.

Some axes had a cap at the end of the haft that protected it from getting damaged. Others had horns at the heel and toe of the blade.

There are some modern axes that look a lot like Viking axes, but they are not authentic nor were they in use during the Viking age. They are mainly replicas of historical axes that were made in Sweden and Scandinavia, but some may be from Central Europe.

Axe Heads

The axe was a popular weapon in the Viking age. They could be used as a tool for daily work or as a combat weapon, and were commonly found in burials. It was a common sight in sagas, and a number of different types of axe heads have been identified.

Axes were generally forged from iron, though some had blades made of hardened steel. These were called breid-ox (broad axes) and had crescent shaped edges that ranged from 22 to 45cm (9-18 inches) long.

Typically, axe heads had an eye that was punched out of the back of the head. It was not always possible to make a completely flat edge for the eye, so some of them had a rounded edge that was wrapped around what would become the eye.

Some axe heads were folded and welded to create a symmetrical or asymmetrical eye. This process was not a very common method of making axe heads in the Viking age, but it is often seen on historical axes that have thinner blades.

Many axes were decorated with norse symbols and imagery. These are usually done by either acid etching, or by a more traditional engraving technique.

The most commonly identified Viking axe design is the bearded axe. This design has the cutting edge of the axe blade extend below the blade bit, known as the beard, which optimised the weight for better manoeuvrability and allowed for a longer cutting edge.

Another axe design that was common among the Vikings is the 'cross' axe. These are partially solid heads with a cross motif, which was a Christian symbol. This design allows the user to grip the haft directly behind the head for planing or shaving wood, which was often necessary in the woodworking trades at the time.

In addition to the 'cross' axe, there were also a number of other axe designs that were unique to the Vikings. These include the bearded axe, which was used as a fighting weapon in battle, and the mammen axe, which was a very useful weapon for everyday tasks such as farming or chopping timber.

Axe Hafts

Viking axes were a crucial part of the Nordic warriors’ combat arsenal. They were a poor man’s weapon but could be deadly if skilled warriors used them properly. Axes were typically made from oak, birch, or walnut wood, and had a long haft that was held in one hand with the handle facing the front.

Axe hafts were designed to be strong enough to withstand the weight of a heavy battle axe head and sharp edge. They were usually hollow in the middle and the end of the shaft was rounded so that it would not damage the blade or cause it to come off during a fight.

The haft was also reinforced by lugs that were bolted to it. These lugs were shaped in such a way that they held the haft in place even when the axe head was broken off.

Some original axe heads have a noticeable weld on the back of the eye, where it meets the haft. This is most likely a weld that was forged in the same process as the rest of the axe head and it was made from a single piece of iron.

Other original axes are so thick that they have a wedge-shaped cross section, which may be welded to the haft. This is because the iron was first shaped into a round head with a Y-shaped cross section, and then that section was split down the middle so that it formed two arms that were then wrapped around each other to shape the eye.

In some cases the axe head and the haft were joined together as a single unit, which may have been very expensive. This was because the head was so thin that it would have been difficult to smith a separate haft for it.

There are many different shapes and designs of axe heads. Some have spurs, which are pointed ends that can be used to cut through metal or wood. Others have blades that are curved, swept back, or crescent shaped.

The blades were primarily a single edged cutting edge, but there were some double edged axe heads, too. They were often used for throwing in fights or to disarm opponents.