Forging a Viking Age Broad Axe

Blacksmith Darrell Markewitz of the Wareham Forge illustrates some of the forging steps undertaken to reproduce the large Norse broad axe seen in the Bayeux Tapestry. For more information, check the web site www.warehamforge.ca or my blog 'Hammered Out Bits'

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Viking
• Norse
• blacksmith
• forge
• axe

[impavitus]

how clean does the metal need to be to accomplish the forge weld? I was tempting that today but did not get fusion. Also, do you use borax as a flux? Thanks

[DarrellatWareham]

@impavitus

There are a number of things that can screw up a forge weld. NOT CLEAN is the easiest to provide for - and one thing that certainly can result in a failed weld. Personally, I will put the faces to join on to the belt sander and rough grind all the fire scale off to bare metal. I use cheaper 'washing' borax - and plenty of it. It does mess up the fire, but I find it better to have too much - than not enough!

[DarrellatWareham]

'Rich'

What I mean is specifically a 'slitting chisel'. Two 1/8" dia pilot holes were drilled. The chisel I used is made of air hardening tool steel, 1" wide by 3/16" thick. It was driven down from both sides, using the holes as a guide.

I consider a 'hot set' to be a narrow wedge *on a handle*. I think this is also what you are referring to? (We learn in isolation, language is slippery some times!)

[DarrellatWareham]

warehamforgeblog.blogspot.com/­2008/07/t-shaped-broadaxe-new-­details.html

Provides some more details on the archaeology of this type of ship building tool.

[chialeux514]

Very nice work !

However, I'm just wondering how practical such an axe might be in real use. The axe seems to me a bit cartoony. You said the Bayeux tapestry was your reference. Keep in mind these were all very stylized and simplified, representations. If you wanted to reproduce, say, a spear as depicted on the same tapestry and you had never seen one, the piece you might end up with would be no more than a quarter-inch thick or so.

Thanks for posting !

[DarrellatWareham]

@chialeux514

In the research, and later, I found at least three existing artifact samples. I must admit that I did not specifically ask about the practicality of this tool at the Viking Ship Museum. We did talk generally about the use of broadaxes (yes) against adzes (no) based on tool marks on the original ship timbers.

Does make this seem like a real working tool in the Viking Age

[karlsefni01]

Damn! you are an awesome smith!

[usernamedoamaral]

Very nice. I really want to start blacksmithing - can't right now, though. : /

Your explanations were very clear, thanks a bunch (though the hammering garbled some words in the middle). : )

[TheKordox]

Hello Today I will forge weld a three-pronged blade length of 500 mm head. Your video is an inspiration to do it. Keep your fingers crossed. I'll know how it went.

[shawtyshawts]

Was this recorded on a cell phone? But that is great work, very impressive

[Arelak]

How hot does it have to be to make an iron or steel axe (forge). 

[MrZeus232]

He looks like viking even without axe.

[Antiks72]

epic beard is epic.

[TheGarcia350]

he made an axe...wow!

[lsk300mag]

like to see clearer video but cool thanks for making it

[deathofkindness]

massive respect...

[ConorC96]

Could a fire pit be used as a forge?