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Patrick Kelly
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 Posted: Thu 30 Nov, 2006 7:49 pm Post subject: A teaser photo concerning my new axe. |
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About a year ago Eric McHugh made me a very nice axe that I'm still extremely pleased with. I sold my A&A Dane axe to help pay for that one, with the intention of having Eric make a custom replacement sometime in the future.
Well, the future is now.
During a trip to Sweden he was able to document this original, which he will recreate for me.
The cutting edge is around ten inches when measured in a straight line from tip to tip, so this will give you some sense of the scale. This should be the perfect size for a two-handed axe, ala the 11th century and the saxon housecarl. Imagine what this design will look like all new and pristine. There aren't that many makers who give these types of weapons serious study. Many seem to be more enamoured with the sexiness of the swords mystique, as are many collectors. Eric is doing an outstanding job in this area and in my opinion he's really carving a nitch for himself in the industry with things like this. I'm pretty excited about it and thought I'd share.
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Martin Wilkinson
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| Posted: Fri 01 Dec, 2006 4:04 am Post subject: |
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Should be awesome, i can't wait to see how it turns out.
"A bullet you see may go anywhere, but steel's, almost bound to go somewhere."
Schola Gladiatoria
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Jens A Butler
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| Posted: Fri 01 Dec, 2006 12:19 pm Post subject: |
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Wow Looks like its going to be a beauty ! What type of steel /steels will it be reproduced in ?
Jens
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Max von Bargen
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| Posted: Fri 01 Dec, 2006 12:28 pm Post subject: |
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Wow. That looks like it's going to be great! Can't wait to see the finished product!
Max
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Fri 01 Dec, 2006 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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Should be good with the thickened edge if I understand the pic correctly: A bit like the Danish Axes Albion used to carry that were made in India. BUT BETTER  
The main flaw with the one I have is the eye goes from an oval to the flat plate of the axe head suddenly transitioning to flat plate and seem to be also made with flat stock bent and with welded parts to make it look like it was forged in one piece: Looked at from the top the " taper " from eye to axe blade looks un-aesthetic . ( Patrick if you have seen these you know what I mean. Not a bad piece considering the low price at the time: Under $100. )
I assume the thicker edge might be hardened steel with the rest being mild steel or low carbon iron ?
I look forward to seeing a quality version.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Robert Zamoida
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| Posted: Fri 01 Dec, 2006 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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Nice choice Patrick; that style of axe is one of my favorites.
Rob Zamoida
"When your life is on the line, you want to make use of all your tools. No warrior should be willing to die with his swords at his sides, without having made use of his tools."
-Miyamoto Mushashi, Gorin no Sho
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Ville Vinje
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| Posted: Sat 02 Dec, 2006 3:17 am Post subject: |
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Looks very nice!
Ten inches from tip to tip is quite a lot.
Is it a peterson type M?
If so it's one of the most fearsome weapons known in those times. Enormous yet suprisingly light due to its thin edge.
Congrats on a great choice of weapon!
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Sat 02 Dec, 2006 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Jens A Butler wrote: | Wow Looks like its going to be a beauty ! What type of steel /steels will it be reproduced in ?
Jens |
Thanks.
Eric would have to comment on the types of steels used. I tend to work with makers who I have confidence in so I don't micromanage. I didn't think to ask since Eric will know what appropriate materials to use.
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Sat 02 Dec, 2006 6:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Jean Thibodeau wrote: | Should be good with the thickened edge if I understand the pic correctly: A bit like the Danish Axes Albion used to carry that were made in India. BUT BETTER
The main flaw with the one I have is the eye goes from an oval to the flat plate of the axe head suddenly transitioning to flat plate and seem to be also made with flat stock bent and with welded parts to make it look like it was forged in one piece: Looked at from the top the " taper " from eye to axe blade looks un-aesthetic . ( Patrick if you have seen these you know what I mean. Not a bad piece considering the low price at the time: Under $100. ) |
Yes, I had one of the smaller types of those Indian axes Albion carried for a short time. The main flaw with those axes is they were overall crap. Probably the reason why Albion no longer carries them. I never even put mine on a haft. I just threw it in a box and forgot about it as I didn't think it was worth even that small amount of effort. I later gave it to a young man looking for an axe of that kind but without a lot of money to throw in that direction. I hope he got some use out of it.
| Quote: | | I assume the thicker edge might be hardened steel with the rest being mild steel or low carbon iron ? |
That would be a good guess.
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Sat 02 Dec, 2006 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Ville Vinje wrote: | Looks very nice!
Ten inches from tip to tip is quite a lot.
Is it a peterson type M?
If so it's one of the most fearsome weapons known in those times. Enormous yet suprisingly light due to its thin edge.
Congrats on a great choice of weapon! |
Thanks.
Yes, I believe it is a Type M. It should be an impressive piece when finished and just what I've been looking for in that particular piece of kit.
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K W Kuznak
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| Posted: Sat 02 Dec, 2006 7:47 pm Post subject: |
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Congrats! cant wait to see it!
From what I hear he does amazing work. I was thinking about possibly asking him about an Axe as well.
though I currently don't have the money for it haha. ahh money, always a problem so it seems.
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Sun 03 Dec, 2006 9:10 am Post subject: |
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| K W Kuznak wrote: | I was thinking about possibly asking him about an Axe as well.
though I currently don't have the money for it haha. ahh money, always a problem so it seems. |
Indeed, we all share that pain. Unfortunately, this one was the case of selling something to afford something else. I hate to do that but I am trying to tighten up the focus of my collection so this fits in nicely.
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Jeremy V. Krause
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| Posted: Sun 03 Dec, 2006 9:46 am Post subject: |
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Excellent chioce Patrick,
And one I will make before long, but please go for the polished finish and not the browned. The browned finish looks cool but is not historical- if you are spending the money for the authentic constructio let it SHOW!
I VERY much look forward to seeing this.
Jeremy
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Sun 03 Dec, 2006 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Jeremy V. Krause wrote: | | Excellent chioce Patrick, |
Thanks!
| Quote: | | please go for the polished finish and not the browned. |
I prefer the polished look too.
| Quote: | | The browned finish looks cool but is not historical |
Interesting supposition. Do you have any documentation to support that? If there's a verifiable source for the finish on viking axes I'd very much like to see it, as this is one of my key periods of interest. A browned finish usually reminds me more of weapons from the colonial and early industrial eras but I've never read any claims to its use, or not, during the 10th-11th centuries.
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Jeremy V. Krause
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 7:49 am Post subject: |
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Hi Patrick,
I do not have any verifiable data on this so I must concede that the statement that "it is not historical" is not objective. I have been in conversations with Craig and I have asked this of Eric on another thread and he stated that he used the browned finish for reasons of cost. Period art of the 11 and 12 centuries show metal as gray or white. Helmets, such as on the Bayeux Tapastry are shown with some kind of demarcation of color but with axes and swrds shown as solid gray.
I strongly believe that a polished finish is the safest, most conservative option in terms of authenticity. We can safely say that weapons were left bare of finish during the Viking and Early Middle Ages- we cannot safely say that browning or bluing were used. What we can't say is how much was a given piece polished or left blackened from the forge.
I always shy away from artistic lecense in reproductions and replicas and opt for the most conservative historically viable option and this is reflected in my posts. I don't want people to be left with the impression that browning or bluing was historical because it is used on a high quality piece.
Thanks,
Jeremy
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 8:54 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Jeremy.
Your opinion echos my own. I was just wondering if you knew something I didn't.
Even if there was an historic precedent for browning on something like this axe, I still think I'd want the "in the white" look. In my opinion it compliments the different facets of the design.
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Jeremy V. Krause
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 11:13 am Post subject: |
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It will be a great piece to be sure- really cool stuff. I hate to drag this out but what are you thinking or are you thinking of anything specific as far as treatment for the shaft?
I removed the stain of my iberian mace and applied several coats of linseed oil as A&A uses a modern stain. Really I know this is going a bit far- I just did it because I thought it would be fun. Really I suppose we have absolutely no idea if period pieces were stained or if folks cared about that sort of thing. I know that rennesaince shafts were stained. In my mind linseed oil is a good modern sealer for wood.
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 11:47 am Post subject: |
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Jeremy,
I really have no preference as to the haft. The first axe he made for me has a haft of hickory, which he stained. This looks very nice after I've applied a few coats of linseed oil, as seen here.
Eric and I will probably discuss the length at some point, other that that I'll leave it to him. One of the advantages of working with a maker who is also a friend is that he knows what you like, so a lot of the smaller details don't necessarily need to be dictated. I also prefer to give the maker a bit of creative flexibility, perhaps more so than many collectors. I enjoy letting the maker do their thing creatively rather than trying to micro-manage. I've yet to be disappointed in the results.
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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For half length 4' would be an absolute minimum for a blade this large and something between 5' to 6' maybe!?
Just what I would prefer and just an opinion, but I am curious if you have a range of length in mind?
Really looking forward to seeing this one completed.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Jean Thibodeau wrote: | | For half length 4' would be an absolute minimum for a blade this large and something between 5' to 6' maybe!? |
An axe this size is really more of a polearm than a hand weapon. One of the best indications of their size are the images on the Bayeaux Tapestry, as it probably has more illustrations of this type of axe than anything else. The average length on the BT seems to be at chin level, sometimes a bit longer. In my bare feet I measure around 61 inches from the ground to my chin, roughly five feet, so I'm thinking of something in that range.
I'm really excited about this one too as I've long wanted a top-quality example. We're shooting for a february completion date as Eric needs to put together a new forge set-up to make it due to its size. Very cool.
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