[Matthew Harrington]

Share your longaxes and daneaxes here and also your experiences with them! I've been hmm'ing and haww'ing for a while about getting a good custom one as well, so any info on sub $350 axes would be awesome! I don't have one at the moment, but here's probably one of my favorites, a nice type L or M I presume. (It's a Jim Austin)

[Jean Thibodeau]

BKS Bardiche mounted by me on the haft and with a textured lightly stained and pitted patinated and repolished finish.

The Bardiche is a later evolved Dane Axe, or at least fills the same tactical and using characteristics of a Dane Axe popular in Russia in the 16th century and other parts of Eastern Europe.

It does have some limited thrusting ability but a bit more than the Dane Axes top horn: What it lacks in narrow pointiness it makes up in the wide cutting length of even a shallow thrust and the pointy end should be able to make some scary tip cuts passing right through a target where the top part of the blade extends beyond the end of the haft.

No I haven't tried to do test cutting with it due to having no room to set up a test at home with a postage stamp sized back yard, not to mention freaking out neighbors and all the negative attention that might bring in a big city.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Here are some axe heads by BKS available at Kult of Athena at below $350.

They are heat treated and the sharp ones ( Optional ) seem to be well hardened and can take a hair popping edge.

http://www.kultofathena.com/bks.asp

Direct from BKS: Home page, http://imakeswords.com/index.htm

Axe and Pole arm page: http://imakeswords.com/axes.htm

A&A: http://www.arms-n-armor.com/pole024.html

Smaller axes but with hardened edges: http://www.arms-n-armor.com/custom944.html

Scroll down to axe at bottom of page: http://www.arms-n-armor.com/limitededition.html

Some A&A axes also available from Kult of Athena:
http://www.kultofathena.com/armsarmor.asp

[Matthew Harrington]

[Peter Johnsson]

If you want a really good dane axe that incorporates all the volumes, shapes and proportions of original axes you probably need to turn to a skilled smith that has taken the time to study originals enough to know what to strive for and who has the technique to shape the material accordingly.

It is not going to cost 350 USD.

At this price level you will have to look at willing amateurs who can work for nearly free (hit or miss quality-wise) or a good production company that can come at least close to these weapons with modern production methods (very few options: I can only think of A&A that makes something that comes close to decent given the limitations of the production process and the situation of the market).

Since the appreciation of axes is rare today and knowledge about them is generally low, you see little push from consumers for better products on the market. Instead the push is for cheap options. That makes for products that are classified by short cuts and compromise rather than an actual likeness to the real thing.

If you want a good axe, you will not go wrong with Jim Austin. There might well be other potions, but he is really very good at this and has spent a lot of time and effort in getting both forging techniques as well as form and proportions right. I am proud to own two of his axes and find them very inspiring pieces of workmanship.

Quality wins over quantity. If you find yourself fascinated by these weapons, I think you will find it worth saving for a good one. Ask the maker for his best work, not his best price, and you will be more satisfied.

[Matthew Harrington]

[Luka Borscak]

You may find some useful info in this thread I made when I was in a process of ordering a custom Dane axe:
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...highlight=

And here is the result of it:
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...highlight=

[Jeremy V. Krause]