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Stuart Thompson




Location: Walton-on-the-Naze
Joined: 15 Feb 2010

Posts: 118

PostPosted: Sun 05 Sep, 2010 5:46 am    Post subject: Bearded axe         Reply with quote

How accurate are these to a historical impression of a viking between the 900's and mid 10-00's were they common ir not what ones were?

I am not clued in on axes very well. Thanks.

sverð er manni vargr, af bardaga er dýrð, í dauða er dýrð.
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Carl W.




Location: usa
Joined: 07 Aug 2008

Posts: 182

PostPosted: Sun 05 Sep, 2010 8:44 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Here is some info...

http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/manu...ng_axe.htm

Hope others comment, I'd like to learn more about axes too.
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Elling Polden




Location: Bergen, Norway
Joined: 19 Feb 2004
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Posts: 1,576

PostPosted: Sun 05 Sep, 2010 10:26 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

The bearded axe is more typical of the early Viking period. In the late viking age, they where largely replaced by broadaxes as the "main battle axe".
They where still around for more specialized uses, such as naval combat.

"this [fight] looks curious, almost like a game. See, they are looking around them before they fall, to find a dry spot to fall on, or they are falling on their shields. Can you see blood on their cloths and weapons? No. This must be trickery."
-Reidar Sendeman, from King Sverre's Saga, 1201
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Stuart Thompson




Location: Walton-on-the-Naze
Joined: 15 Feb 2010

Posts: 118

PostPosted: Sun 05 Sep, 2010 11:46 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Well, i've used two axes one was what i'd call a war axe as it's huge. comes up to my height and i'm 6ft 1 and the head of the axe is almost perfectly balanced when fighting in either attack or defence. My other axe is a bearded axe but with a sharp blade as I use it for cutting wood and it usually goes camping with me Big Grin

However i've found this to wobble while swinging and wonder if it's the shape of the head compared to the war axe. My friend in sweden taught me how to throw normal viking hand axes and contrary to the link it's really effective!! (I'm rubbish but the results from a trained professional are really something!)

So if anyone know's anything else about these axes and why that design, I mean, someone had to think the bearded axe was a good design but why? what was its purpose other than fighting or was it solely a weapon? slimming the gap between farm tools and weapons.

sverð er manni vargr, af bardaga er dýrð, í dauða er dýrð.
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