Hi all,

I just thought I'd show you my new two-handed axe made by Manning Imperial. The attached pictures were taken earlier today and shows the axe head unhafted. By now, it is hafted, but unfortunately I don't have access to the camera anymore. For you to see the haft, I would have to take the pictures with a cell phone, which I will try later, and if they turn out all right, I will post them here.

It's a Dane axe (listed as 'Norwegian axe' on Manning Imperial's website), made in mild steel and with a carbon steel edge at around 10"/25.5 cm. The haft is ash and 5' 0.6"/154 cm long. I don't know if they used any specific historical piece for inspiration, but I think that you can clearly see the resemblance to the piece below.



Description of the piece above, taken from www.museumoflondonprints.com:

Quote:

This triangular iron axe blade has its edge curved downward. The lower part of the socket has an eared projection and there are traces of wood in the socket. This blade is part of a group of axes, axe blades and spears that were found during building works at the north end of London Bridge in the 1920s. They may have been lost in battle or thrown into the river by the victors in celebration. In the late 900s and early 1000s Scandinavian rulers like Swein Forkbeard of Denmark and Olaf Tryggvason of Norway tried to gain control of the Danelaw and of the rest of England, and eventually Swein’s son Cnut won the English throne. There were a number of battles along the Thames and around London Bridge.

As promised, here's some pictures of it hafted. They actually turned out better than I imagined, but I scaled them down so you don't have to download them to see them.

What do you think? Personally I'm very happy with it, and I think Craig of Manning Imperial did a very great job making it.

Now that the haft has been treated with some tung oil, I thought I'd just show you yet another picture of it.

Very nice axe, very close to the original and the pits in the metal of the reproduction give it a great battle-worn aesthetic. I've seen examples of this type before, and I wonder what would be the difference in performance/purpose of this in comparison to the more familiar Dane-axe design? Perhaps more of a slicing cut than a chop?

I'd love to hear hear how it handles aswell.

I was thinking of ordering one of these and would be interested how it handled as well? Good chopper? Their "Thames Axe" looks nice as well.

I love these big axes and that is a very nice example.

Just out of interest, have you fitted the head from the top of the haft down, or from the bottom up. I only ask because there doesn't seem to be much of a flair at the top of the shaft to keep the head on when it's being swung.

Cheers,
D.

Are they hafted or sold as heads? Looking through your site it seems they're only "heads".

M.