http://www.albion-swords.com/axes/grendel.htm

Does anyone have personal experience with one of these bad boys? How long of a haft would you put on something this monstrous? I'm thinking of ordering one to keep my Gotland company as soon as I can scrounge a spare sixty bucks. I'd love to hear impressions from people who have seen, or swung one.

Has something that size ever been dug up or is it fantasy?

Oversized axe head on a broomstick. :lol:

[ Linked Image ]

Holy crap! :eek:

The site says "This "type M" axe can be seen in Oakeshott's The Archeology of Weapons, pages 153-154," but I don't have the book so I have no idea if they are the same size.

There is a small drawing on page 154 but no measurements or any mention of unusual size.

Is that one you own in the pic?

Can't remember which book, but I remember ONE of this size being found: So these are credible historically as well as incredibly big.

I have the next size down that is also called a type M Viking instead of Grendel: The edge of this one is 12" inches wide and it's really heavy ! I can only guess at the weight of the Grendel with an 18" wide cutting edge ( Well I think Albion has it at around 6 pounds. )

The haft does seem a big anemic compared to the axe head, I would want it as stout as possible and still small enough around to hold in the hand? I am curious about how the haft is mounted and the size of eye of the axe: It looks off centre to me ?

With an axe head this huge everything else just looks out of proportion small.

One use I could imagine for this size would be " intimidation ": A Viking rading party sends a guy with one of these in the middle of the night and leaves it wedged into the door of a rich monastary with a note attached asking for
" Danegeld " ( Protection money ). Just a joke but it might be the axe equivalent to the oversized twohanded bearing swords.

How's it feel on the end of a haft?

I believe that young man's name is Gregory Liebau. He used to post a great deal over at SFI, and I think I've seen him post here as well. He's from California.

Yes, that's Gregory. That's a haft he put on that axe himself, it isn't a stock Albion job.

Reading the dimensions is one thing, but seeing the axe in that picture is quite another. It might cross the line between intimidating, and ridiculous. :D I don't suppose Gregory ever posted his impressions of the axe? My searches here, and over at SFI came up with nothing.

Thanks for the links, Patrick! I did indeed find some posts by Greg, and others about the Grendel over at Axe Forum. It sounds a bit unwieldy to be honest. One of the posters said he broke five hafts with the beast. The regular type M might be more my speed.