[Ken Speed]

I have to agree with William, that smaller axehead looks superb! I see it on a fairly long haft and I think it shouldn't be bright steel but darkened to a grey or very dark grey except for the very edge.

[William P]

i hope its not actually small,thats a 2 handed viking axehead type, with a cutting edge 20cm long. its meant to be BIG.

although he did say he can scale it up to whatever size so im not worried.

and the shape is great overall, having that nice curve and that wickidly pointed horn, that would be a ferocious limb slicer

[Jean Thibodeau]

Matthew: Just a functionallity/strength of assembly question about the Bardiche pinned at the bottom versus the Bardiche using two sockets ? How strong are each when assembled compared to each other ?

The pinned at the bottom Bardiche probably depends more on the socket for most of it's " grip/hold " on the haft, but I assume the pinned bottom gives it a bit more stability than a large Danish axe depending on only it's socket.

It should be strong enough if well fitted and one uses a strong " nail " to fix the bottom of the Bardiche to the haft: The nail shouldn't be so large as to weaken the haft and might be clenched on the other side or short enough to not reach the other side.

The small blade extension in which the nail goes through might be inletted into the haft either half way or completely flush with the haft ...... easy enough to carve a good haft if using an oversized pole to have the material into which to inlet the extension.

I can also see plaining a flat on each side of an oversized haft and reducing it in diameter to fit the socket at the top.

One might leave the tail end of the haft round for it to bulge a bit for a secure grip.

Would probably use a 5' haft for a total length of 6' for a mounted Bardiche.

Sort of doing my DIY planning for when I buy the Bardiche from Kult of Athena later this week.

Although, I might wait for a double socketed version of a Bardiche ..... or eventually buy both.

[Matthew Stagmer]

Let me try to answer the questions here.

If ordered directly from us, you can choose scale and finish. At any of our dealers they will come satin finished as pictured. I can etch them to a grey or blacken them or polish them higher. There are tons of choices that we can do.

Jean, in my opinion both options for the bardiche work just as well. Some people don't like pinning the bottom tab. The thought behind that is that you are making the pole weaker by putting a hole in the shaft, but that option allows you to use a much larger shaft so it kind of evens out.

I am not sure if KOA wants the double socket version of the larger bardiche(type 1). If you request it they will order it from me though

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Jean Thibodeau]

Matthew: Well, I placed the order in at Kult of Athena last night, so I should have it in a week to 10 days.

Looking forward to mounting it on a haft and taking pics with a short review of it.

[Randy W]

Jean,

Would it be possible for you to post a picture with the cording in place? Would you be using rawhide? or ?????

Thanks,

Randy

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Randy W]

Jean - thanks, I was not picturing it, that makes it much clearer

[Jean Thibodeau]

Just got the Bardiche in the mail half an hour ago and here is just observations after unpacking the axe. I will be mounting the head in the next few days on a haft and I will them take some pics and give more details.

But just as a teaser, I like what I see: The axe eye is very robust and curves into the body of the axe head in a nice way.

The tab also looks robust and the part of the axe leading to the tab also.

Out of the box there is a narrow secondary bevel and the edge is very sharp.

The finish is a nice brushed finish without any deep scratch marks or modern tool marks: I may decide to age the finish or just leave it as is for the moment as it's not an overly polished mirror finish I wouldn't have liked.

The piece is quite large and scary impressive.

I'll get into more details in an informal review Topic later, but if all the BKS axe heads are of this quality I would recommend them highly. ( My first purchase of a BKS product and I'm very happy with it ).

Shipping and customer service from Kult of Athena was their usual efficient AAAA+ customer service.

[Matthew Stagmer]

This is a new square socket and langet design that is available on all pole arms if requested. Seen here on a Battle of the Nations Halberd.

Once again the wood slats are 12" wide. Just to give you an idea of size.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Interesting Halberd: I assume that sharp versions or variants are also available where one doesn't want blunted and rounded points and edges for safety reasons.

I assume that these can be sold mounted on a haft or can be purchased for a DIY hafting: Would you also make available period looking mounting nails with each head ? ( With a couple of extra ones in case of a screw up. )

By the way I finished mounting the Bardiche but still oil finishing the haft and should be taking pics of the assembled Bardiche and posting a review soon.

[Matthew Stagmer]

Yes sir. This and every design that we make for BotN and other live steel groups is drawn with the points first, so we have both patterns.

We can do nails and hafts if requested. Also there are piercings choices or lack of one.

I am looking forward to seeing the Bardiche mounted.

[Matthew Stagmer]

A couple more BotN pole weapons.





We have gone to oval sockets for all the single socketed axes now. Seems much stronger!

[Jean Thibodeau]

Mounted Bardiche a few pic as a " teaser ": I took many more pics from different angles and will post those with a review I first have to write.

NOTE: I may later do some pattination ( Campaign aged finish like on my A&A English Bill ) on the blade and socket, not sure yet, also some surface scuff marks are Renaissance wax not perfectly buffed.

The haft also need many more applications of hand rubbed boiled linseed oil to bring out the wood grain.

Also found a very strait grained Ash pole to use as an haft of 1 3/8" diameter ( Nominal diameter as marked at the wood lot but actually slightly smaller in actual diameter, but it fit perfectly with no need to reduce the diameter of the pole or have to find a way to secure a too small diameter pole ).

Very happy with it.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Matthew, additional question(s) about the Bardiche but could be also for most polearms: I would suggest that making butt caps or butt spikes for the Bardiche that are historically credible would be interesting and I would probably be interested in getting these for my polearms and might also use some for my personal walking stick DIY projects.

I can certainly use butt caps made by Windlass for some of their spears but in many cases it would be better to use styles compatible with a specific period weapon.

[William P]

[Larry Bohnham]

You probably have several of these in your design repository, so forgive me if I am covering old ground. Personally, I'd like to see a really nice fancisca that is properly weighted and throws well.

[Matthew Stagmer]

Oh heck yea! I like those. I made a few of them years ago, but I actually don't have a pattern. I will get right on that. Did you have a historical example that you wanted to see or should I just find one I like and work from there?

[Lolke Stelwagen]