Hello all,

I've been reading "Blood Red Roses," which got me thinking that I'd like to add a nice war hammer to my collection. I'd like to find a functional weapon with a fairly long square beak. I've been searching, but thought I could benefit from the wisdom and experience of the members here.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,


David

I had a hammer made by Lutel years ago that featured a square-ish head. It was solid and very nicely made. It was also reasonably priced. Try the "links" section for their webpage.

A few Warhammers on this page at KoA:
http://www.kultofathena.com/maces.asp

What do you mean by " square beak " ? The hammer part or the " Bec the Corbin " part ? Sort of a thick diamonds section with most but could be square also.

This Pole Hammer by A&A has a much longer haft than a War Hammer but it does have a long " Bec ": You could custom order one with a shorter handle or maybe get it customized a bit more changing the hammer part to a different type ?

http://www.arms-n-armor.com/pole232.html

Or getting this one also from A&A as is or have it customized with a longer " Bec " ?

http://www.arms-n-armor.com/pole005.html

Maybe combine some features from each ? Not sure how easy this would be for A&A to combine parts of one with parts of the other, and at what extra cost ? ( E-mailing Craig is always a good idea as he could answer your questions, tell you what is possible, make a semi-custom Warhammer or a completely original design ? ).

Tim & Jean,

Thank you very much for the suggestions. I'm sorry I wasn't clear regarding the "square". What I'm looking for is a "Bec" with a square cross-section.

Thank you Jean for educating me on the correct terminology for the Bec de Corbin.

After reviewing the available options, I think I may need to take a different course. I can't seem to find the "Bec" that I want on a war hammer, but I've seen a few photos of tomahawks that look like they would fit the bill. The challenge will be finding one that is reasonably priced (about $200 or less would be ideal), as the prices I'm seeing are quite high. Perhaps they're being sold as art pieces.

Thank you again for your assistance.


David

I have this one by Ritter Steel. I love the look of this thing, but it is too massive for a guy of average size like me. I have a friend that is 6'6" who has smashed the crap out of a 50 gal steel barrel with it. It was just perfect for him since the guy is pretty massive himself, but he still preferred two hands for this one.

[ Linked Image ]

One thing that I can say about it is that it is super sturdy.

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...War+Hammer

Wow! That is a beast of a weapon!

I've been thinking more about a tomahawk. It might be a nice weapon to carry while camping. With a nice thin sharp blade and a curved square cross-section spike/bec about 4-5" long, it would be an ideal weapon against an unarmored foe, bear, or other such animal. It would certainly be faster than a warhammer and easier to carry.

The trick is finding a good one at a decent price. I don't want an "art" piece, but rather something of 5160, well-tempered, with an oval or flattened octagon haft with a swell or pommel at the butt.

Perhaps I need a new thread...

Hey David Martin
Why dont you go with a 5 or 10 lb sledgehammer-cut the handle down etc?You can stain it any color you want,and have it addorned withe leather etc.Just a idea.
Thank you,
Henry

Hey Jean Thibodeau
You are correct with regard's to the weight etc.I would not want to swing a 5-10 lb neither,lol-only for ceremonial use is what I had in mind.I made one for a buddy that is in to the Vikings in a big way.
Thank you,
Henry

Eric: I have a Cold Steel Kukri as well. They are wonderful tools, but I wouldn't want to use it for self-defense, given that it is primarily a chopping weapon. I actually stopped bringing my kukri camping, as I found the Gransfors Bruks Scandinavian Forest Axe to be a much better tool for cutting wood. It's similar in size/weight to a Hudson Bay axe and is made from exceptional steel (edge RC about 58 if memory serves).

You're absolutely right about bears though: A firearm is probably the best bet. The problem is that New York State, in their infinite wisdom, doesn't allow firearms in the Adirondacks. My solution is a Viking Hewing Spear. 8^ ) I would, however, like to have a tomahawk for up-close-and-personal defense. If I can ever make it to Alaska (I've wanted to do a two-week wilderness canoe trip for some time), I have a .45/70 Marlin lever action and a custom 5-shot .45 Long Colt Ruger Bisley. I also have a Remington 870 12ga. and .45 Long Colt Ruger Redhawk for my camping buddy, so I'm pretty well set in the firearms department.

Henry: I love the idea of cutting down a sledgehammer, but I'm afraid that would be a beast of a weapon to carry and wield. Even a three pound sledge would be terribly unwieldy in a self-defense situation. I'm also guessing that impact weapons would not be the best choice when fighting hungry bears. For ceremonial/decorative use, I'd want a great big black iron monster - as close to Mjollnir as possible.

Jean: Thank you for the link for the Cold Steel spike-hawk. It looks very similar to what I'm hoping for. I'll definitely keep that as a fall-back weapon should other opportunities fail to surface. I'm working on some concept drawings now. My hope is to be able to commission a weapon by one of our resident craftsmen.