Hey there,

I finally got around to picking up a bronze Irish Palstave from Albion the other day. I found out quick that around my parts finding the proper angled branch is harder than I was expecting! Three tries later, I ended up with what you see here.

Nothing too spectacular, but I've only been able to spend an hour on it so far. I'll post a finished shot once the wood is stained and the handle is done.

Overall thoughts:
Wow, this is a hefty axe head! I keep thinking that I should have sanded a large portion of the weight off, but that could be due to the mounted angle.
Great look, and finish, nice price, quick shipping, ect...
Feel free to post thoughts and questions,
-Alex


Please forgive the foot... I don't know why I always end up with at least ~one~ in the photo shoot.... :blush:

Hey Alex,

Very nice, I wondered how someone would mount that. Looks like it was a challange, but worth it in the end. I wanted to get the Hebriaden circa 1300's but they didn't have any left when I went to order :cry: Well onto the next sword :lol:

Thanks, It was interesting to see how it could be mounted like a spear, or how the head could be rotated 90 degrees to make an adz (sp?) out of it.

Work in progress though... :D

Hi Alex, good to see someone else with an interest in bronze axes :)

Quote:

I finally got around to picking up a bronze Irish Palstave from Albion the other day. I found out quick that around my parts finding the proper angled branch is harder than I was expecting!

Tell me about it. Especially if you want to have it of the right type of wood as well. As I make quite a few axes, I constantly look out for hafts everytime I pass a ash, oak or hazel tree. It's not just the angle that should be perfect, the entire shape and curving of the haft itself is very important for the balance as well. The most ideal haft has a line through the part of the haft where you hold it crossing the center of gravity of the haft. So the haft should be flat in plane, and have a more or less "7" shape. Most original hafts I know had the haft actually cut from a solid tree stem with a side branch. That way they were more free to create the best shape of the haft.

Here's some information on bronze age hafts:

Haft from the Guldhoj, Denmark:

http://membres.lycos.fr/bronzeage/early_and_m...160156.jpg

http://membres.lycos.fr/bronzeage/early_and_m...160154.jpg

Hallristningar (= stone carvings), Norrköping, Sweden:

http://1500bc.com/zweden_VAEE_2005/Hallristni...290107.jpg

http://1500bc.com/zweden_VAEE_2005/Hallristni...290108.jpg

Did you use any form of glue between the axehead and haft, as well as between the wrapping and haft? If not, there is a possibility that the axe will fall out if it were to be used. I also tend to first use wrappings at 45 degree angle to the axis of the side branch, back and forwards and around the back of the haft. This way if you pull out the axehead, it the wrapping will only tighten (similar idea as the thumb trap). To make it grip I'd either use tar or hideglue. I'm still experimenting with the tar though. Only then I add the tightly wrapped outer wrapping to keep everything together and make it look nice.

N.b. if you're interested in more types of bronze axes, I'd highly recommend looking at
http://www.bronzeagefoundry.com
These are very accurate, and cheap too!

Hi Jeroen,

Yea I gave up looking for possible accurate woods. I just started looking for accurate shapes (not that that was easy either!). Getting a "7" shape was the goal, but 45 degree arcs were all I could find. :\ I did use a trunk and branch though. shaping has been unsettlingly easy, so I get the feeling that I'll make another at some point. :blush:

Great links though, thanks! Its interesting to see smaller heads.

As for the mounting, I went ahead and drilled two holes for pins. I figured I might as well make it safer, and with the wrap they are hidden. As I wrapped the head in, I couldn't get the wrap to work with going onto the shaft as you suggested. I tried, but it just wasn't coming out right. The wrap is doubled up and glued secure, but the weight of the bronze itself is what worries me. It kind of feels like duct taping a Basset Hound to the end of a 20' pole.... Awkward & Wrong.