Incredible Axes

Incredible Axes The most powerful tool, the Axe. Exploring the tool that built the world and shaped mankind.

In Scandinavia, the Battle axe rose in popularity during the Viking Age (c. 800–1100 AD), when the axe became the battle...
29/02/2020

In Scandinavia, the Battle axe rose in popularity during the Viking Age (c. 800–1100 AD), when the axe became the battle weapon of choice. During this time, improvements in iron smelting techniques allowed the Nordic smiths to develop axes with longer handles and thinner blades, making it lighter and stronger for use in battle.
This type of axe was wielded by foot soldiers at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, as documented in the Bayeux tapestry (shown above). The picture of the axe heads and chainmail displayed on the table were actual axes and armor used during the pivotal Battle of Hastings.
During the Middle Ages and Renaissance (around the 11th–16th centuries), European armies often had two different types of battle axe: a small axe with a short handle that was carried on the belt, and a larger axe with a long handle. The knights often fought on foot, in fierce hand to hand combat with battle axes and swords. A battle axe design favored by knights had an iron spike on the handle end that could be used for punching through bone and armor. During the 15th century, knights in Germany and France in particular used special battle axes that were intended to crush the opponent’s metal armor. These axes were heavier, with a shorter handle and a dull edge that wouldn’t chip or bend when striking metal.
In Central Europe, throwing axes made entirely of iron were used in the late Middle Ages. The handle was usually 25–30 centimeters (about 10 to 12 inches long) and ended in a point. The butt also had a sharp spike and the cutting edge was around 16 (about 6 inches) centimeters long.

(Fun fact) The primary reason axes became extremely popular in battle is simply economics. Axe heads could be efficiently made from iron, rather than hard to produce steel for a sword. If the axe handle broke, it could easily be replaced and used again and again.

(Question for thought) Would you rather be armed with an axe or a sword? An axe can crush plate armor, but a sword is more agile and quick.

Medieval Archers always carried a sidearm in case the battle turned and close fighting became necessary, and so was born...
25/02/2020

Medieval Archers always carried a sidearm in case the battle turned and close fighting became necessary, and so was born a specific axe design called The Archers Axe. A short straight wood handle with a steel blade and flat hammer head on the end that doubled as the perfect weapon and tool. The archers would use the axe head to quickly sharpen long pikes, and use the hammer head to drive them deep into the ground around their firing position so mounted calvary couldn’t charge the archers. If their position was overrun by infantry, the axe became the archers last defense.⁠
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(Question for thought) Do you think that one of the reasons archers chose axes is that they spent their military careers training as archers - not swordsmen, and the axe is an easy to wield deadly weapon that’s instinctive to use?⁠
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(Fun fact) Unfortunately The Archers Axe was seen as such a simple and practical weapon that it’s hard to find good quality pictures of actual axes that were once used in battle. The pictures shown are replicas, and are all made with a small hole in the blade. That small hole is made for pulling nails - but it’s unlikely that the Archers Axes in the middle ages were forged with nail holes since nails were expensive and not widely used until much later.⁠
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The Epsilon AxeThis odd shaped was recently popularized by the video game Assassins Creed. This otherwise mostly unheard...
21/02/2020

The Epsilon Axe
This odd shaped was recently popularized by the video game Assassins Creed. This otherwise mostly unheard of axe is named for its similarity to the Greek letter “Epsilon”, and was used for battle during the end of the Middle Kingdom period of ancient Egypt (the Bronze Age). They are characterized by an elongated “E” shaped bronze metal blade attached to a wooden shaft with rudimentary lugs. Historians theorize that the hollowed out E shape of the blade was designed to make it light weight yet durable for slicing and striking in close quarters during battle. The blade shape served an additional purpose of gaining added rigidity from the wood handle - bronze was not nearly as strong as steel and a long blade made solely of bronze would dull quickly or break under heavy use. The light weight of the blade was also thought to have made it easier for foot soldiers to carry a larger weapon for longer distances, and maintain agility on the battlefield.

(Interesting fact) Historians believe that bronze was accidentally discovered when Egyptian artisans mixed tin and copper ores, which were used separately mostly to make jewelry and small rudimentary tools.

(Question for thought) Do you think this is a practical design? (aside from looking cool on-screen in Assassins Creed). Some historians argue that these axes were mostly for show to intimate the enemy, because refining metal ores enough to make bronze sturdy enough for battle-use is a feat even with today’s technology.

Franziska Axe(Interesting fact:) The Franziska Axe was used as a psychological weapon as much as a physical one in battl...
19/02/2020

Franziska Axe
(Interesting fact:) The Franziska Axe was used as a psychological weapon as much as a physical one in battle. When thrown, usually prior to the first charge in battle, even if the axe missed its target the axe would ricochet off the ground causing potential damage to the enemies legs and feet.

(Question for thought:) The Franks threw their axes before an all-out infantry charge - similar to how the Roman Legionnaires hurled their Pilum spears prior to the first charge. Would you rather enter battle with a throwing axe, or a throwing spear…?

Excavations of Central European graves from the period 500–750 AD uncovered a special axe that has been named the Franziska Axe. This axe was initially used by the Franks, before spreading to the Teutons, Burgundians, Lombards and finally the Goths.

The Franziska axe has an unusual shape and was designed to be an effective close quarters combat throwing weapon, rather than a tool for felling trees. A short straight handle with a heavily weighted and sharp head, a Franziska axe rotates a number of times in the air before the axe blade strikes its target. The head was heavy enough to shatter a wooden shield when thrown, and could cause severe damage even if the blade didn’t strike its target. The maximum effective throwing range was about 40 feet.

The Byzantine historian Procopius (c. 500–565) described the Franks and their use of throwing axes:..each man carried a sword and shield and an axe. Now the iron head of this weapon was thick and exceedingly sharp on both sides while the wooden handle was very short. And they are accustomed always to throw these axes at one signal in the first charge and thus shatter the shields of the enemy and kill the men.[2]

Historians believe that the axe was only used for battle, and possibly setting camp while armies were on the move.

(Interesting fact): The last two recorded ex*****ons by axe took place at Plötzensee Prison, Berlin, 1935. The two femal...
18/02/2020

(Interesting fact): The last two recorded ex*****ons by axe took place at Plötzensee Prison, Berlin, 1935. The two female accomplices were charged with espionage and high treason against N**i Germany for obtaining secret documents concerning the preparations for a German invasion of Poland. One of the executed women was of noble birth, Baroness Benita von Falkenhayn, who grew up at her family castle in Switzerland that still stands today.⁠⠀
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The Executioners Axe - A sinister tool used in our recent history. ⁠⠀
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Shown in the pictures above, tucked away in the Tower of London is the axe once used to execute high-profile prisoners. In the armory of the White Tower at the Tower of London, you’ll find an ax leaning against a thick wooden block. This sinister pair is the original ax and block used during the ex*****on of high-profile prisoners.⁠⠀
In England, the practice of beheading by ax and occasionally by sword was considered to be the most humane method of ex*****on. As such, it was thus typically reserved for prisoners of noble birth who had been sentenced to death.⁠⠀
This particular ax was last recorded as being used in 1747 for the ex*****on of the Scottish Baron and Jacobite Lord Simon Fraser of Lovat, who, as a Highlander, fought against the English during the battle of Culloden. Fraser, upon surrendering, was imprisoned at the Tower of London, where he was later sentenced to death for treason.⁠⠀
Fraser apparently took the death sentence in stride and was even able to maintain a dark sense of humor about the whole situation right up until the moment of his death. While standing on the public platform waiting for his ex*****on, he apparently mocked the ex*****oner and laughed heartily at the irony of a commotion that had broken out among the crowd below as a wooden viewing stand collapsed, killing nine of the hundreds of spectators who had gathered to jeer and watch his own death.⁠⠀
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(Question for thought): Does knowing that a form of this tool has played a dark role in our recent history change the way you think of the axe you use today?⁠⠀
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@ Tower of London

The Acheulean Handaxe - the oldest Axe⁠⠀⠀⁠⠀⠀Question for thought: If you were surviving in the wild and all you had was ...
18/02/2020

The Acheulean Handaxe - the oldest Axe⁠⠀⠀
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Question for thought: If you were surviving in the wild and all you had was an Acheulean handaxe, how would you use or improve upon this tool using your knowledge and skills today! ⁠⠀⠀
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Named after the site of Saint‐Acheul in the Sommes valley of France, where they were first discovered in the 1840s, the oldest Acheulean handaxes date to approximately 1.76 million years ago. Acheulean handaxes are large, chipped stone objects which represent the oldest and most common hand-shaped working tool made by our ancestors. ⁠⠀⠀
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The discovery of Acheulean handaxes spanned several millions of square kilometers, multiple ecological regions, and roughly one hundred thousand generations of our human ancestors. Acheulean handaxes have been recovered from sites in many regions of the Old World including North, South, and East Africa; Europe; and Western, South, and East Asia.⁠⠀⠀
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Back in the day, Acheulean handaxes were produced by “the bifacial reduction of a block or large flake blank around a single, long axis.” That’s a helluva fancy way of saying that the axe was shaped from stone (typically flint, a hard glassy stone is often found in mountains or river beds) by gently tapping it with another stone to splinter off near precise pieces. These ancient axes had a sharp cutting edge that would be resharpened by splintering off more chips when the axe became dull from hunting or waging ware. Even today the strength and sustainability of the Acheulean handaxe continues to impress researchers and experts globally. �⁠⠀⠀
Most researchers believe that such handaxes were regularly used for hunting and skinning wild game, but there’s evidence from skeletons that they were also used as throwing weapons and general warfare amongst tribes. ⁠⠀⠀
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(Fun Fact): Acheulean handaxes have always been found in the same shape across the world, even though there were no means of communication thousands or millions of years ago. This likely is due to the fact that sharpening the axe (by chipping the edges down with another stone) would eventually form a very similar shape regardless of what shape the stone started in, or where it was created

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