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Boris Bedrosov
Industry Professional
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 Posted: Sat 19 Aug, 2017 7:53 am Post subject: Late 10th Century Gotland Battle-axe |
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Hi everyone!
This is the first axe I've ever made, so some mistakes were inevitable.
For this project I chose to make a battle-axe with opening, forming the cross in the middle. As the community might know, there are several such findings in different stage of preservation, dug across Northern Europe and usually associated with the Vikings.
The only reason I selected the axe from Gotland, Sweden
is very simple actually - somewhere in Pinterest I managed to find very nice drawing with all dimensions required.
Starting with practical skills of "how-to-make-axe" at ZERO Level, it was challenging and interesting simultaneously. The main parts of the body - cutting edge, socket and tapering - were made mainly by forging; the seams of the socket were closed by MIG/MAG welding.
The head is leaf-spring 65G steel, the haft - beech. The last 30 cm (about 12 inches) are wrapped with raw-hide protective cover.
As the axe is intended for re-enactment purposes, I chose to give it a somewhat "raw" finish - as it comes in battle directly from the forge.
The 1.70 m (more than 6 feet) haft is secured via powerful wedge, then oiled with linseed oil.
Despite the mistakes, this axe was a great experience for me - learnt a lot about the choice of steel, socket-making process and the whole step-by-step procedure of axe-making.
"Everyone who has the right to wear a long sword, has to remember that his sword is his soul,
and he has to separate from it when he separates from his life"
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Find my works on Facebook:
Boris Bedrosov's Armoury
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J.D. Crawford
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| Posted: Sat 19 Aug, 2017 9:08 am Post subject: |
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Despite whatever mistakes you might have made, I think that's the coolest axe design I've ever seen. Great choice!
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Mark Moore
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| Posted: Sat 19 Aug, 2017 10:25 am Post subject: |
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Boris, you hit that nail right on the head. Looks like it came through a time machine. Fantastic work! Bravo!.....McM
''Life is like a box of chocolates...'' --- F. Gump
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Ken Speed
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| Posted: Sat 19 Aug, 2017 11:31 am Post subject: |
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The real beauty if this piece is that it looks exactly like what it is, a weapon! Great job, especially for your first axe!
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Bartek Strojek
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| Posted: Wed 23 Aug, 2017 2:43 am Post subject: |
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1.70 m is almost exactly 5.5 feet, so not more than 6 feet. 
Really nice axe anyway. Love the slightly 'raw' look.
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Boris Bedrosov
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Fri 25 Aug, 2017 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Bartek Strojek wrote: | | 1.70 m is almost exactly 5.5 feet, so not more than 6 feet. |
Yep!
Less than 6 feet indeed - don't know why I've mistaken this.
You know, here in Europe we have this problem constantly - to convert metric measurements in non-metric correctly and without using charts
"Everyone who has the right to wear a long sword, has to remember that his sword is his soul,
and he has to separate from it when he separates from his life"
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Find my works on Facebook:
Boris Bedrosov's Armoury
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Mark Moore
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| Posted: Sat 26 Aug, 2017 12:35 pm Post subject: |
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I feel that I must make a second comment. You, sir, are quickly becoming one of my favorite makers. I hope one day to be able to have a piece of your work displayed in my home. Between this axe and your recent Warhammer project...you just blow my mind. Everything of yours that I have seen is absolutely amazing. KEEP IT UP!  .......McM
''Life is like a box of chocolates...'' --- F. Gump
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Boris Bedrosov
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Mon 28 Aug, 2017 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks, Mark
| Mark C. Moore wrote: | | ....I hope one day to be able to have a piece of your work displayed in my home..... |
Whenever you decide to do that - I'm always ready for new challenges.
"Everyone who has the right to wear a long sword, has to remember that his sword is his soul,
and he has to separate from it when he separates from his life"
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Find my works on Facebook:
Boris Bedrosov's Armoury
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Scott Kowalski
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| Posted: Mon 28 Aug, 2017 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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This axe looks really nice Boris. For someone with zero previous experience making axes you have done a superb job of recreating this one. I will echo Mark and say that I hope to add one of your pieces to myArmoury one day.
Chris Landwehr 10/10/49-1/1/09 My Mom
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This is a standard topic