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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2010 0:29:49 GMT
Mild steel is normal steel, High carbon steel is not normal, and the Axe is made in the Historical manner, they Just used steel insted of Iron for the body, nothing to do with quality, just a diferent way to make it like they used to back in the old days, I have made knifes the old way because thats what the customer wanted, Yes there are better more modern ways of making knifes, but he wanted it as close as possible to the way they were made back then.....SanMarc.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2010 4:06:28 GMT
Mild steel is normal steel, High carbon steel is not normal, and the Axe is made in the Historical manner, they Just used steel insted of Iron for the body, nothing to do with quality, just a diferent way to make it like they used to back in the old days, I have made knifes the old way because thats what the customer wanted, Yes there are better more modern ways of making knifes, but he wanted it as close as possible to the way they were made back then.....SanMarc. Amen, brother!
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2010 23:00:23 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2010 23:44:07 GMT
Nice Wambo!! Got some patina on it, looks good...SanMarc.
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Avery
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"It's alright little brother... There are more!!!
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Post by Avery on May 3, 2010 0:23:10 GMT
Seeing those pics just makes me want one of my own even more! Thanks Wambo.
Edit: is it me or does it look like it's been polished with an orbital sander? Maybe its just the way the lights hitting it though; I could be mistaken. Don't think it really matters..
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2010 11:27:48 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2010 16:38:39 GMT
Very nice looking axe! It's longer than I expected due to the head rising above the pole. How high to you does it come up? How durable is it? Smack anything hard? How does it handle? Unwieldy? What is the width / thickness of the shaft they use for that axe? I know two places that can make custom hickory 60" shafts. One sizes them 1 5/8" thick, the other 1 1/16" x 7/8" thick. Which thickness would make for a better shaft? Thank you!! Here's a nice place where you can get custom 60" hickory or bamboo shafts for that axe!!!! ;D www.hikstik.com/shafts.html#hickorywww.hikstik.com/order.html
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2010 18:01:44 GMT
Have you ever handled an axe with such a long shaft? In my own experience I find them to be unbalanced with all the weight in the head, unless you counter balance with a butt cap. I'd rather have something that is about 50" shaft and has a counter weighted butt cap, not historically accurate but makes the axe feel more balanced.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2010 18:29:39 GMT
That's how the dane axes were, though. I suspect they made them the way they did for a reason.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2010 19:00:44 GMT
Yes they were made that way for the extreme hitting power that all that leverage gives you. I saw one put a bloody great dent in a viking helmet and just about KO'ed the guy who got hit, they were banned after that with good reason. The length was for striking over a shield wall with impugnity. Axemen in the second rank and sword and board in the first, the axemen strike over the top of the shield men, put a spike on top of the axe and it serves a double purpose (ala polearm).
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2010 21:04:45 GMT
So what would be better? An axe that has a 1" diameter shaft, or a 1.5" diameter shaft?
Which provides a better grip? I would imagine the thicker shaft would be more durable and take the stresses of impact better.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2010 2:00:23 GMT
To answer some of the questions: The shaft is 53 1/2" long The weight is 2lbs 15oz The handle is 1 3/8" by 1" (the sides have been sanded flat for grip alignment) The POB is approx. 11 3/4" below the beginning of the eye. The length in the previous pictures were from the top tip of the blade to the bottom of the shaft. The length is very much like a jo, but with a nasty surprise on the one end. I agrees that a butt cap would be most handy in real combat, which give you the added benefit of striking with the butt (and not splintering). When gripped midway, it is very fast!! You can change your grip by sliding up and down the shaft easily, much like a jo. For a staff choice, I wouldn't think a thicker shaft would necessarily make it better. A good hardwood choice would be the most important consideration, I think. Mine is ash. I'm thinking (and may add) a butt cap would make it an even more effective weapon. Here is a picture for showing proportions to size. I'm 5'11" (old, fat, balding, etc.), and you can see the size in comparison:
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2010 2:36:57 GMT
Thank you very much for the pictures, Wambo.
Here is the info I have on the custom hickory shafts.
"I am getting about 60" long. One has a little chip out of the first inch. This one shows about 1-9/16" x 1-11/16". The other one is about 1-1/2" x 1-5/8". So over 60" they do not look that different. One may have a minor bow to it. For what they are being hickory so far as I can tell they really look pretty good."
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2010 5:28:30 GMT
is it Appalachian hickory? Also what grade of hickory? I wouldn't put low grade hickory on a weapon like that because you will snap the shaft. I think that axe is a perfect size as is, even for someone my height, though I am more inclined towards the axes used by the varangian guard (don't mind me I'm obsessed with anything byzantine) so that axe is a perfect size though the weight is a little bit heavier than I would like.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2010 7:05:17 GMT
Thats one nice looking axe ....... I think I just patina'ed my pants
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2010 12:27:09 GMT
It's very high quality / grade hickory. My only question is if you thick the handle seems too thick or not. Just out of curiosity, how were the Varangian guard's two handed axes different from the dane axe? is it Appalachian hickory? Also what grade of hickory? I wouldn't put low grade hickory on a weapon like that because you will snap the shaft. I think that axe is a perfect size as is, even for someone my height, though I am more inclined towards the axes used by the varangian guard (don't mind me I'm obsessed with anything byzantine) so that axe is a perfect size though the weight is a little bit heavier than I would like.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2010 12:58:07 GMT
The axe heads were a different pattern and had a shaft length more like a woodsman's axe, maybe a bit longer and were used to brutal effect on the battlefield.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2010 13:10:22 GMT
So they were shorter than the Dane axe? And had even less hitting power?
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2010 13:44:35 GMT
They were for the most part heavier in the head so their momentum would have been greater but the shaft was not as long as I understand it.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2010 13:51:50 GMT
Well, with about 450 years of Varangian Guards, you have some axes to pick from
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