How Heavy Were Viking Axes?

Vikings used axes as both a weapon and a tool. However, there was a difference between axes that were designed for battle and those used for wood chopping.

Axes made for battle were light and fast so that they could be thrown and used to attack quickly. They also had pointed horns that Viking axe
created vicious wounds.
Weight

Axes were a common weapon among Vikings, even though they also used swords and spears. Axes are much cheaper to produce than swords, and they also require less training to use. They are also easier to wield, especially for one-handed combat. The curved edge of the axe concentrates all of the force of the blow into a smaller area, and this can easily break through helmets and mail. Axes are also capable of dismembering limbs, and they can be used to decapitate an opponent.

A viking axe was usually made from high-quality iron, which is quite light in weight. A typical axe weighed between 1 and 2 kg. The haft was made from a type of wood, and some were decorated with silver inlays or other embellishments. These were often placed in the graves of warriors as trophies.

Some axes had shorter hafts, which made them easy to hide. In one battle in the Fostbraedra saga, Thorgeirr used this trick to surprise Snorri by pulling an axe out from behind his shield. In other cases, a viking would use the short haft to hook an opponent’s weapon or to pull down their shield, which allowed him to strike at them unprotected.

In addition to being a fighting weapon, the axe was also an important tool for hunting and for farming. It was not uncommon for a Viking to begin handling an axe as a child, and they would continue to use it throughout their lives. In fact, most people who handled an axe could chop down a tree in a matter of minutes.

Vikings were not all as big and rugged as they are portrayed in movies, and many people could easily handle an axe. In general, a fighting axe was lighter than a lumber axe because it needed to be nimble and quick to use. However, a chopping axe did not need to be as light. In fact, some chopping axes were as heavy as a Daneaxe. The average viking axe, including the head, was around a meter long and had an edge that was similar to a modern meat cleaver in terms of strength and cutting ability.
Length

The Viking axe was a main weapon in the hands of many warriors. It was cheap to make, relatively easy to use and had more general applications than a sword, which required expensive materials. It also required less skill to wield than a spear. Axes were also a symbol of status and could be used as a display of wealth or power.

Axes were often engraved with a variety of symbols. On the axe from Mammen, for example, there is a tree motif that can be interpreted as either pagan Yggdrasil or Christian the Tree of Life. Some axes had cross motifs on the head, which is indicative of the strong Christian currents in the Viking Age.

In a battle, Vikings would often throw their axes, rather than using them as close-range weapons. They did this in order to surprise their opponent and take them by surprise, which is an important part of a battle strategy.

However, an axe thrown from a great distance can be difficult to control. The haft can slip or break under the impact. This is known as a haft failure and was a common problem with the axes of the Viking Age. It is believed that a failure in the haft could be caused by overheating, stress, or even an accident such as a blow to the head.

Smaller axes with shorter hafts are easier to handle and can be hidden for a sneak attack. This is the technique demonstrated in chapter 12 of Fostbraedra saga, where Thorgeirr unexpectedly pulled out an axe from under his cloak during a fight and killed Lodinn with it.

The haft of a viking axe is usually made from wood, with the exception of some examples that have a bronze hilt or a steel blade. Axes with wooden hafts were often painted or decorated, while those with metal hilts were mostly unadorned. The axes that had a bronze hilt were probably used by high-ranking warriors, such as chieftains. The axes with a steel blade were most likely used by common warriors.
Design

The axe was the weapon of choice for Viking warriors in close combat. It could dismember an armored limb, perforate a helmet and shatter a shield. Axes were also handy in chopping wood and building structures.

The blade of a fighting axe was relatively thin and light, so it could be wielded with one hand. In addition, it was often forged from steel that had been hardened by heat and welding. This process made the blade more resilient than softer iron, and less likely to break.

Axes were used from an early age and were a common part of a boy’s tool kit. They were easier to handle than swords and required much less training. They were also cheaper than swords and were not as expensive to produce. The axe was not as deadly as the sword, but it was still effective in killing an opponent.

Most period illustrations and extant artifacts have a type L or type M axe head, based on the Petersen axe typology. These heads are generally wider and thinner than a wooden axe head, with pronounced “horns” on each end of the bit. The horns on these axes can be sharpened to create a stabbing attack.

Some axes had very thin cross-sections, allowing them to penetrate the skull without breaking or bending. Other axe heads, such as the one shown here, have thick, wedge-shaped edges that were ideal for cutting skulls. The historic axe head seen here has evidence that it was folded around the eye, and then welded together with a steel bit for the edge.

The haft (haut) of an axe was sometimes wrapped in iron, but not to add weight. This was done to reduce the chance of the haft breaking when used to parry edged weapons or in other stressful situations. Brennu-Njals saga (chapter 87) tells the story of Hrappr Orgumleidason, who carried an axe with a wrapped shaft (vafinskepta). Hrappr used this axe to cut in two Asvardr’s backbone, killing him.

The axe was a versatile weapon that allowed the Vikings to conquer a wide area of Europe. Their success was due to their hardened Norse mindset, fierce fighting style and elite combat skills. The axe was their main weapon of choice in battle, but they were also adept at using a bow and arrow.
Function

Viking axes were used for both fighting and farming. The heads could be used to hook opponents’ weapons, shields or limbs, or they could be swung in backswings for a devastating blow. The axe also had the added advantage of being easier to handle than a sword, which required much more training to use effectively.

Axe heads were often decorated with a range of motives. These could be of either Christian or pagan origin. On the axe from Mammen, for example, there is a bird that may represent either the Gullinkambi rooster from Norse mythology or the Phoenix. The other side of the axe head shows a tree, which may be either the pagan tree Yggdrasil or the Christian tree of life, the cross.

The axe head had a wide, curved cutting edge and could be used for both slashing and chopping attacks. The pointed “horns” at each end of the axe (oxarhyrna) were sharp enough to cut through leather armour, and they could inflict severe wounds. They were also able to penetrate deep into the opponent’s body, as described in chapter 5 of the Graenlendinga thattur, when Kolbeinn drove an axe head into Thord’s throat and killed him.

In order to be effective, the axe needed to be properly sharpened. This would require a skilled craftsman, since the angle of the axe head had to be just right in order to achieve the best results. In the Viking era, this would have been a time consuming process since there was no industrial machinery.

In addition to the axe head, the haft was also made of wood. The wood was treated with a coating of oil, which helped to protect it from rotting and shrinking. The treatment also helped to provide a tight fit between the axe head and the handle, ensuring that it was solid and not likely to come loose easily. This was especially important, as the sagas mention many instances of axe heads that came off the haft in battle. This was usually due to the axe being hit on a stone or other hard object.