Yikes-"broken arrow"

I am new to this part of BladeForums, and at first thought like 300six, but after reading and thinking about it, might be nice to have one in the truck!
 
Alocksly said:
Well, to be honest I've never seen a Viking axe with both a beard that long AND a blade that thin. I can't speak to this specific manufacturer as I've never handled their tools but I know there's only so much a bit of unsupported steel can take, even good steel. The original post mentioned that the blade only bent as a result of the initial "abuse" and that the break happened when the owner tried to straighten it out himself. Here I'm only guessing but if the straightening method was to hit it with a hammer I don't think the beard stood a chance.
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Anyone can find many examples of long bearded axes on the net in actual Viking museums. What always puzzled me more than the strength of the unsupported beards, are the very small cheeks on these real Viking fighting axes. Some of these thinner waterjet or plasma cut, one-piece tomahawks are probably made a bit too thin to be able to handle the pounding that many of them are subject to. But then again, I really don't see very many of them on the forums that have been broken. The hawk in this thread was probably a bit too hard and thin. That beard would need to be kept somewhat springy I'd think.

Our current wartime hand weapon industry has rekindled the romance of the fighting tomahawk. These light hawks, with this type of beard, are a very good close range fighting tool. There's no reason to think that it shouldn't also pull duty as a light chopper.
 
saxon said:
So, I guess those stupid Vikings had utterly no concept of good axe design. We should just write them out of history altogether. Up to and including today, what with all the Scandinavian wood carvers using a bearded hatchet. ...... There are many very good reasons to have such a beard on a small tomahawk or hatchet. The fact that this particular example had a flaw is not really an indication of its suitability as a tool. I don't necessarily like these one piece tomahawk like objects but they are an answer to a modern need.
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Got any suggestions on such a bearded axe?
 
saxon said:
Anyone can find many examples of long bearded axes on the net in actual Viking museums. What always puzzled me more than the strength of the unsupported beards, are the very small cheeks on these real Viking fighting axes. Some of these thinner waterjet or plasma cut, one-piece tomahawks are probably made a bit too thin to be able to handle the pounding that many of them are subject to. But then again, I really don't see very many of them on the forums that have been broken. The hawk in this thread was probably a bit too hard and thin. That beard would need to be kept somewhat springy I'd think.

Our current wartime hand weapon industry has rekindled the romance of the fighting tomahawk. These light hawks, with this type of beard, are a very good close range fighting tool. There's no reason to think that it shouldn't also pull duty as a light chopper.
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Although I'm an RMJ owner in defense of the broken Hawk shown -those hawks historically handle abuse quite well. That broken one is more of a fluke. the modern pointy beards are used as can openers for light skinned metal.
 
jac_solar said:
Got any suggestions on such a bearded axe?
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For use as a weapon or as a tool? RMJ is the benchmark in my opinion. For general use I'd go with an RMJ Berserker, ... http://www.rmjtactical.com/berserker/
It has a more reinforced beard and looks like a good wood working hatchet too. If pure weapon use was my concern, most of the one piece combat style hawks from the better makers should work. RMJ, Winkler, Helm (Stormcrow)
As a dedicated woodworking tool, and for a traditional design, Gransfors Viking axes are real classy, but pricey. Most Viking axes were working tools when not serving as weapons.
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/gransforsbruksancientcollection11thcenturybroadaxe.aspx
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/gransforsbruksancientcollectiontwo-luggedbeardedaxe.aspx

Many Japanese woodworking axes have this long beard style and can be bought much cheaper.
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/Japaneseonocarpenterbroadaxe.aspx
 
Busse kin blades are definitely designed to be tacticool... but after slicing 200+ feet of cardboard and than shaving my arm without resharpening, I can assure you they are also extremely functional.

And thats why they are fun :D
 
300Six said:
These fantasy things are decorative only. What was the owner thinking when he figured he'd try to chop wood with it? Ya gotta buy the right tool if it's actually gonna be put to work.
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Well, I have chopped frozen, sap filled maple with mine. No ill effects. It got a bit dirtier. At the end, it was still shaving. I've seen them cut down and limb trees handily. I've seen them thrown, and bounced. They are not wood axes. You don't have a use for one? That's fine. Mine is not "work" related. I use it for smiles. I don't have a real use for quite a few of my knives, or guns for that matter.

I grew up cutting down trees all my life. We used wood to heat our home. I grew up with chain saws, and axes. My father still heats with wood.

A tactical hawk with a sharpened beard is not a woodsman's tool. I don't need some crotchety old codger to tell me that, but your inability to see a use for them does not make them fantasy or decorative. Some of my swords and battle axes may well indeed qualify as much less useless than that hawk. In fact, most of my knives, both big and small, folding and fixed, are overkill. More expensive than I need. Better steel than I need. Higher tolerance than I need. You might as well tell me my stereo is too loud. Or my TV is too big, or my motorcycle too fast or loud.

There are a series of 13 video's titled "kill devil cutting a car part" numbered 1-13 where a guy takes a "fantasy" hawk from the same company Swamprat, made of the same steel, with the same heat treat, only thinner steel, and cuts a car in half. Top to bottom, all the way in half. He literally halves the car. Here is the first of the 13 video's. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCPvSkfWzpA)

I could link them for you, but you won't watch them, because you have made up your mind. Yes, a massive saw would have done the same job in 1/100 of the time, but it would not fit on your pack, or belt. You could also bust a padlock with one, without carrying bolt cutters too, but that discussion has already been had too.

Puncture tires, gas tanks, cut through a hardened door, cut around a strike plate on a door you can't kick in. But, again, for me it is just a smile inducing fun design.

I throw hawks and axes for entertainment. I don't "need" a full tang high end, super steel hawk. I have basic traditional designs that work fine, and cost a heck of a lot less.


The tip on the beard on that hawk is thin. It is nasty pointy, and if used for hooking some one's arm, or neck, or leg, is going to do exactly what it is supposed to do. Cause a big ripping wound. The back spike is also much pointier than it needs to be, but I can tell you it penetrates even frozen hard wood with ease. It would do the same against modern body armor, and likely a modern ballistic helmet too. After owning one, and using one, I don't find it to be fantasy or decorative only. I'm not planning on using to build a cabin, or heat a home, but after actual experience I like mine just fine.



I can also say, after years of use, and over 15 different models used, Busse, Swamprat, and Scrapyard make fantastic hard use tools, with a great warranty, and excellent steels.

They hold their value extremely well. I would be hard pressed to think of another brand of knife that retains its value as well after use. They also have a fantastic warranty. If you manage to break one on accident, they will replace it.

Good stuff.
 
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