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Boris Bedrosov
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Location: Bourgas, Bulgaria
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PostPosted: Sat 19 Aug, 2017 7:53 am    Post subject: Late 10th Century Gotland Battle-axe         Reply with quote

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

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J.D. Crawford




Location: Toronto
Joined: 25 Dec 2006

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PostPosted: Sat 19 Aug, 2017 9:08 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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




Location: East backwoods-assed Texas
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
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PostPosted: Sat 19 Aug, 2017 10:25 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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





Joined: 09 Oct 2006

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PostPosted: Sat 19 Aug, 2017 11:31 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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




Location: Poland
Joined: 05 Aug 2008
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PostPosted: Wed 23 Aug, 2017 2:43 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

1.70 m is almost exactly 5.5 feet, so not more than 6 feet. Wink

Really nice axe anyway. Love the slightly 'raw' look.
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Boris Bedrosov
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Location: Bourgas, Bulgaria
Joined: 06 Nov 2005

Posts: 700

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PostPosted: Fri 25 Aug, 2017 11:39 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Bartek Strojek wrote:
1.70 m is almost exactly 5.5 feet, so not more than 6 feet. Wink


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




Location: East backwoods-assed Texas
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Likes: 6 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Posts: 2,294

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PostPosted: Sat 26 Aug, 2017 12:35 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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! Big Grin .......McM
''Life is like a box of chocolates...'' --- F. Gump
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Boris Bedrosov
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Location: Bourgas, Bulgaria
Joined: 06 Nov 2005

Posts: 700

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PostPosted: Mon 28 Aug, 2017 1:08 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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




Location: Oak Lawn, IL USA
Joined: 24 Nov 2006

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PostPosted: Mon 28 Aug, 2017 2:55 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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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