An axe ... what type ?

Gavin Nugent · 2nd January 2016, 01:11 AM

I think you can discount it as a fighting axe.

Looking at the long reach, the thickness, and the narrow cutting edge, I'd think it has a specific wood working task. The back looks flat for a purpose too.

I do not know the country of manufacture but have noted Germanic axes often have that long integral socket.

Gavin

Shakethetrees · 2nd January 2016, 02:23 AM

I have an axe very similar to yours that I posted a while back.

http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread...ight=Matchlock

It can be seen as number 19 in the attached thread. Two or three postings down from this our dear departed friend Matchlock has something relevant to this discussion. He states it is not a woodworking tool, but a battle axe. Go to the link I pasted to get the full story.

Shakethetrees · 2nd January 2016, 02:24 AM

One more thing. Is the blade very thin?

Pukka Bundook · 2nd January 2016, 04:33 AM

Shake,

Not visited your link yet, but in this case, it would seem strange for a fighting axe to have a name /brand stamped on it.
However, it Does look the part! Now I will go to your link. :-)

kronckew · 2nd January 2016, 12:12 PM

woodworking and battle axe boundary lines blur as many soldiers, especially archers & engineers took their trusty home and/or work axes with them to perform camp chores as well as assisting in fortifications and in battle. archers especially use their axes to cut , drive and sharpen the anti-cavalry stakes they preferred (one of the axes pictured in the ref. link, is shown carried over the shoulder, by an archer - he has his longbow with him.) to me it looks like a smaller version of a headsman's axe. germans especially were fond of using the axe as a multipurpose tool. they issued the same axe to the wehrmacht and the kriegsmarine for entrenching and boarding axes respectively in the 19c-20c. it did not look like this one

Lee · 2nd January 2016, 01:15 PM

It is somewhat reminiscent of a French coupe marc or 'vineyard' axe which is a tool for clearing up what is left in a wine or cider press. Those often cross into the antique arms market as 'executioner's axes.'

kronckew · 2nd January 2016, 01:25 PM

the coup marc axe seems to be quite a bit larger and with a VERY short haft

google image find: looks rather ungainly...the haft ends just off camera

2nd January 2016, 01:25 PM	#7
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,278	the coup marc axe seems to be quite a bit larger and with a VERY short haft google image find: looks rather ungainly...the haft ends just off camera Attached Images

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2nd January 2016, 01:11 AM	#1
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	I think you can discount it as a fighting axe. Looking at the long reach, the thickness, and the narrow cutting edge, I'd think it has a specific wood working task. The back looks flat for a purpose too. I do not know the country of manufacture but have noted Germanic axes often have that long integral socket. Gavin

2nd January 2016, 02:23 AM	#2
Shakethetrees Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Louisiana Posts: 363	I have an axe very similar to yours that I posted a while back. http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread...ight=Matchlock It can be seen as number 19 in the attached thread. Two or three postings down from this our dear departed friend Matchlock has something relevant to this discussion. He states it is not a woodworking tool, but a battle axe. Go to the link I pasted to get the full story.

2nd January 2016, 02:24 AM	#3
Shakethetrees Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Louisiana Posts: 363	One more thing. Is the blade very thin?

2nd January 2016, 04:33 AM	#4
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Shake, Not visited your link yet, but in this case, it would seem strange for a fighting axe to have a name /brand stamped on it. However, it Does look the part! Now I will go to your link. :-)

2nd January 2016, 12:12 PM	#5
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,278	woodworking and battle axe boundary lines blur as many soldiers, especially archers & engineers took their trusty home and/or work axes with them to perform camp chores as well as assisting in fortifications and in battle. archers especially use their axes to cut , drive and sharpen the anti-cavalry stakes they preferred (one of the axes pictured in the ref. link, is shown carried over the shoulder, by an archer - he has his longbow with him.) to me it looks like a smaller version of a headsman's axe. germans especially were fond of using the axe as a multipurpose tool. they issued the same axe to the wehrmacht and the kriegsmarine for entrenching and boarding axes respectively in the 19c-20c. it did not look like this one

2nd January 2016, 01:15 PM	#6
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 991	It is somewhat reminiscent of a French coupe marc or 'vineyard' axe which is a tool for clearing up what is left in a wine or cider press. Those often cross into the antique arms market as 'executioner's axes.'