[Bart M]

Links to manufacturer's website and youtube reviews:

https://www.arms-n-armor.com/products/danish-axe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L80iiCTTIQ8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_M_FyaBaHM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHRt4nDfknI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJT47UVniBo

Introduction

Some time ago, I got curious about axes. Big two handed Danish axes inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry and various unearthed artefacts looked especially unique and appealing to me. I considered commissioning an axe from Wojciech Szota, but then I saw a pre-owned A&A axe in the classifieds section on the forum and decided to get this one.

Why would I choose a product from a company that mass produces many types of historical weapon replicas over a hand made, more authentic looking axe from a local craftsman, who specializes in axes? That is a good question. There were two reasons. The first one was that it was cheaper, and available, and potentially easier to sell if I disliked it. The second one is more complicated. I have seen a lot of pictures of replica Danish axes and they all seemed overweight to me, including this one. I thought that it would be reasonably easy and painless to modify the A&A axe if I decided to do so.

First impressions

This is a large and imposing weapon. It weighs 1.5kg and the head obviously carries majority of that weight. This is definitely a two-handed weapon and a very specialized one. The shaft is elliptical which aids in keeping the edge aligned with your target. It is also polished and oiled to help with adjusting your grip, which is something I imagine you do a lot when using a weapon like this.

Expected use


I like to imagine a probable usage of a weapon in ancient times when I handle it. Sometimes a sword, an axe or another weapon 'tells' you how it wants to be used. Below is what handling the Danish axe inspired me to imagine.

The first thing I realized after spending some time with the axe, is that it is not like I had imagined. I used to think that this is a versatile weapon for a trained warrior wearing solid maille. I thought that this would be a cutting weapon with more 'oomph' than a sword. It is completely different. Because of the mass being on one end only, and the edge which is not in line with the handle, like on a sword, the way it feels and works is very different. It is a weapon that crushes first and cuts second. The only way to make it cut and not 'crush' is to hold it with both hands very close to the axe-head, in a very close distance with your opponent.

This is definitely a weapon to use against heavy targets. My experience with handling it has led me to speculate that this kind of an axe could have been used in two main ways.

The first one is standard - when fighting in formation, to destroy shields (or move them out of the way) and deliver head trauma to your opponents from the second row.

The second, more interesting way I imagine it might have been used, is as an anti-cavalry weapon, in skirmishes and individual fights somewhere on the edge of a battlefield. This is one of a few hand-held weapons which, when swung with full power and at maximum range, could generate enough force to cut & break legs and skulls of war horses, rendering them useless and making the knight on top helpless after the fall. A wide edge would definitely help with aiming at moving targets. Of course, you wouldn't be able to do so against a cavalryman with a lance, but in case of a cavalryman with a sword, I can imagine it being doable by a skilled and fearless psychopath That psychopath obviously needed good armour to survive trading blows this way with a mounted opponent.

Handling

Handling of this axe strongly depends on the way you grip it. It can feel light and quick when you hold it close to the head or with your hands spread wide apart. But it is a heavy weapon which requires good technique and a lot of strength and agility to use efficiently, especially if you want to make good use of its reach.

It can be held close to the head to deliver scary cuts and quick thrusts in close range. It can be used to thrust to incapacitate or displace enemies with the weight of the user behind it. It can be used like a later halberd from medium distance with your hands spread apart. Last but not least, it can be swung above your head to deliver massive vertical, diagonal or horizontal blows, extremely powerful and dangerous, but almost impossible to control. In which ways was it actually used on battlefields a thousand years ago, I have absolutely no idea, but it's fun to imagine such things.

Build quality

Overall, it is a well made weapon and I can't imagine anyone being straight up disappointed with its quality. But it has some shortcomings typical for mass manufactured weapons in this price range. And for a simple axe that has a retail price of 370usd plus 50usd shipping (and a lot more if you import to Europe), this is not exactly cheap for what you get.

1. Haft - Made from ash wood, this is a strong point of this product and it is hard to find any faults in it. It is perfectly straight and has straight grain lines along the narrower side. Perfect. It is polished and oiled and can be safely used without gloves without fear of splinters. One flaw it has, is that it is not attached to the head with necessary attention. There are visible gaps and I would strongly recommend using wedges to fill those gaps before doing any serious test cutting. It does not move in any way and feels solidly attached, but better safe than sorry.

2. Head - I like the shape, it is quite similar to historical examples. It is also properly thin (but could be thinner) and not too heavy to use (though I would like it to be around 200g lighter). The thickness behind the edge is appropriate for an axe of this type. One flaw is that it has a 'v-edge' and not a convex edge from the factory. This should be an easy fix as the metal does not seem overly hard.

Summary


It's a unique weapon, and owning it gave me some interesting insights into what it might have felt like to use one in the past. I also think that, besides being a scary weapon, it would be a very efficient gardening tool for felling young saplings and such.

I believe that it would benefit from removing some material from the sides and the hammer part of the head. I would also thin the axe part significantly, which would naturally result with a slightly reinforced edge. The edge itself needs to be convexed to fully shine in any test cutting. I spent a lot of time planning and preparing to do these modifications, but decided against it. This axe does not give me as much joy as I thought it would.

In the end, I feel that this is not my type of weapon, and I think it might be a better fit in someone else's collection.
Shameless plug - it is available to buy and should be a good deal for any axe fan living in Europe.

Here are some pictures, the only ones I have right now. Please ignore the knife: