Grimfrost's Viking Broad Axe Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- A review of Grimfrost's new Viking Broad Axe. Some might call this a Dane axe or a Viking Great axe, but Grimfrost calls it a broad axe, so too shall we. Please see below for a link to this weapon at Grimfrost as well as the weapon stats. Thanks for watching!
grimfrost.com/...
Petersen Type M axe
Time period: 940 - 1040 CE
Total length: 5’5" (165 cm)
Length of shaft: 5' (152 cm)
Width of blade: 9.5" (24 cm)
Cast forged in tempered EN45 carbon steel
HRC 55-58
Head wedged to the shaft.
Sharp edge
Handmade shaft from ash
Handstitched leather protector
Good to hear that you like the look and feel of the axe!
Sorry to hear that the head came loose. That is an ancient issue with axes. We suspect that thermal conditions during shipping could be reason behind it feeling slightly loose upon arrival. Packages are at times left outside in absolutely freezing conditions, sometimes in rain and then moved inside where it is warm, or even hot. There are times when a package goes through all those conditions during shipping. Those rapid changes could possibly have the wood swell/shrink enough to have it feel loose. In either case, it is not recommended starting to use an axe that feels loose. It should be secured first - a process that is detailed in the care instructions that come with each piece.
If there is the slightest of room to move around, then every impact will worsen the condition - especially if using it on a more or less immovable object, such as the log where the axe was struck against the grains in the video. It is one thing to split wood, and another to chop wood in that direction. It needs a woodcutting axe that is wedge-shaped and made for the purpose. Also, worth noting is that ash handles are not high impact handles. They are today mainly used on shovels, rakes etc. We have chosen ash because it is historically accurate. Axes, hammers, mauls etc. usually have hickory wood handles, which is more suitable for high impact usage.
With that said, we have cut down trees with the axe (as seen in our video). The key feature is to cut in a slight angle, and for the tree to be thin enough and not "immovable" so that the strike can be executed and followed through with full force. This is because a Viking Age war axe is basically just a thin meat cleaver with an ash shaft - not a heavy wood chopping axe with a hickory handle.
Finally. Just as everyone else, we love to test axes, swords etc. However, it is important to remember that such testing would have raised eyebrows back in the day. Weapons were cared for and kept in mint conditon till the day they had to be used. Each battle was then surely followed by lot of maintenance to restore them. But, the only way to get to use them in today's world is through hitting stuff that aren't people. The question is, however, if weapons from Viking Age Scandinavia would have held up better in tests than their modern-day counterparts. Probably not.
We look forward to seeing more videos from you! You are a great presenter, as well as easy and entertaining to listen to.
Keep safe and stay strong!
I appreciate you posting this, it's nice to know that some people actually realize that things in life happen and its best deal with them and not complain over them!
Thank you for taking the time to make such a detailed post. It alleviates some concerns from the video and just makes sense that wood will change during shipping. I assume these are correctable issues for the average person? Listing the weights on your website would be really beneficial for your customers and help them make a more informed decision.
Also, a collaboration or advertising with Bjorn Andreas Bull-Hansen would likely be a good endeavor. While looking up reviews of your products, I was happily surprised to see his video come up for one of your seaxs. He had only fond things to say about it.
This is what I suspect as well - that in reality, actual viking axes probably DID have the head come off or walk up and come close to falling off in battle. I'll bet it happened a lot, actually, because unless you literally screw the metal into the wood itself, frictional forces are the only thing keeping the head on the thing. Now, what comes to mind is a solution that is not historically accurate but which would still be a potential solution to the problem and make this a pretty unlikely thing to happen: actually DO drill a hole or two through the metal and bolt the head straight onto the handle. You could still grind it down after doing so, so that it was a flat surface again and everything was flush, or you could even with a bit of soldiering of the metal around the bolt really secure it together and grind THAT until it's nice and smooth, so you'd effectively have the head bolted on without it LOOKING like it was bolted on. Just a thought - I know that's probably more difficult than I'd think but perhaps if it can be done, it'd solve that issue - albeit at the cost of historical accuracy in terms of the exact production method (but at least the APPEARANCE would still be historically accurate, which is all most people really care about if the thing can actually function).
Personally, for me to buy an axe, I want to KNOW that if I had to - not that I plan to but theoretically IF I had to kill a few men with it in battle, I could do that without the head flying off. I suspect if ancient vikings HAD the ability to, they'd happily bolt the head straight onto the handle like I suggested, because it'd make the whole thing a lot more sturdy. The only reason they didn't was because they lacked the ability to drill the needed holes through the metal, I'd wager. But at any rate, PERSONALLY I'd want to know an axe I buy CAN be used for some pretty heavy duty work if I want to. I'd LOVE to bring a nice viking axe out into the wilderness with me and chop down some firewood with it! That said I also know that logically the form and function of the viking axe is NOT for wood cutting but for cutting into people.
Maybe it'd be cool to have a viking axe inspired woodcutting axe ;) After all...nobody today is ACTUALLY going to really cut down enemies in the field with one so wood is the more likely thing that they're going to be swinging the thing at!
Any info on where the axe heads are cast?
I would like one, but I do not want to purchase from China or India due to quality control inconsistencies.
@@theobserver6579 everything grim Frost makes is from Sweden
Pam's husband Bob here. The brass collar looks like the problem here. Too slick and not the kind of compression you want with a good axe head. Cut that off, re hang it with the correct wedges, or better yet see if you can get a tomahawk style fit somewhere on the shaft ( that's where the shaft gets thicker towards the end and you slide the head on from the bottom and jam it into the thick part so it absolutely can't come off).
I agree that the brass collar is the problem, but with how the shaft is made, you can't do a tomahawk fit
You should do videos more often
Glad to so you making videos again!
Hah, I just found and ordered this axe last night before you posted. It looks good for the money I think.
I have viking hand axes and broad axes from different companies. The only ones that I have not had to rehaft or put another wedge in is Arms and Armor. The rest I have had to do something to at least one of their axes.
This includes Windlass, Cold Steel, Wulfland, Hanwei, B&G from Viking Shield and Albion. And all were even before I used them, if I did. Wood will shrink and swell so it will need maintenance, as I am sure the Viking Age warriors were well aware of. So I see this as a bit of charm that axes bring to the table.
Love your videos.
Thanks. I agree, the head coming loose happens. Maybe not as fast as this one did though. I think the issue lies in the fact that the haft tapers at the head and with that brass wrap, it naturally pushes it up a bit and naturally slides up on the brass. The original doesn’t really have enough haft left to show whether or not it also tapered, but the taper, I think, is the cause. Let me know if you have issues with yours. Regardless, it looks amazing.
@@TheTwilightEmporium
Yeah, I wonder if they didn't get the brass on the haft tight there will be too much play until it gets beat down.
@@gregoryengberg2878 possible
This is awesome! You deserve many more subscribers and viewers
I was considering buying that particular axe from Grimfrost but after that video i'm not sure i will.That axe head coming loose at test cutting is pretty serious issue.Thanks for the very informative video.Cheers from Greece...
The one thing I can see 'off the cuff' is what many Viking period forging examples lack and that is exact templating i.e. if you take a square orthographic view piccy of one of the many museum axe heads the shape was absolutely crafted with precision relative to the haft of the axe and I have had the privilege of studying with such weaponry via an authentic lineage so I can testify to use of an axe created precisely from such a template. The arc of the blade edge if you follow it down to where it meets the haft is intrinsic to the usage and effectiveness of the weapon. MATH was of key consideration i.e. there was no arbitrariness to the designs (these were usually designs created for elite warrior 'herse' nobles certainly not for barbarian Neanderthals). Hence many of these replicas lack the accuracy necessary to truly understand just how complex these weapons were (just as sophisticated as the Ulfberht sword or samurai katana relative to the smithery).
excellent review, Buddy, thank you. - i did not know that the head was cast, not forged...
You should do a review on one of their swords next. But great video definitely earned a sub.
My Grimfrost Seax type II wood handle BROKE immediately after using it the first time to cut small twigs for campfire. Grimfrost offered me 50 percent as compensation or to switch it for another one, but I wouldn't want it to break too. The Grimfrost Seax that Bjorn made a video about is a great solid knife, but the one offered now on the Grimfrost is different, not as nice shape as Bjorn's version. Most Grimfrost stuff is pretty good quality, not every item is perfect though.
I've always had an infatuation with Germanic and Nordic axes, ever since I saw Gimli using an axe in the LOTR movies as a kid, but as I grew up, and started learning of my German heritage my infatuation was only strengthened.
They are indeed amazing
Soak the axe head in a bucket of water overnight… The axe will stay tight and not loosen… Old trick from Tennessee…
Yea......head coming loose is a deal breaker for me. I bought the cold steel "Viking axe", put it through hell, and everything is totally fine with it.
Nice review. Have you ever been to the great lakes medieval faire? I'm from that area.
Don’t for get that those axes were used for fighting and not chopping wood just flesh. It’s a great looking ax.
They were certainly used for chopping wood. Axes were a staple in "stand-off" weaponry. They were used to break through wooden shields. I'm sure they had plenty of flesh cutting, but they had to be able to make it through the shields first.
This is awesome 👏
Thanks
had no idea that it was cast iron
maybe I missed it in the video, but what is the weight?
Every dane axe I've bought has been a disappointment/needed A lot of work. Is there anything out there that is actually usable?
tall are pipe 6/7 inches 2:22
What is the weight of the axe? Didn't see it in the description or on their website? Does it feel good in the hand? Not too heavy?
How tall are you? You look about 6 foot on camera
5’9” I look taller cause I’m fat 🤷🏻
@@TheTwilightEmporium I am also 5' 9" tall and I am fat but I just look Fat and not tall! 😁
@@worldtraveler930 I'm 5,11 and I just look fat
just smach a nother wedge in at the end, no more loos aex head
ffs upload more
This is en45 steel. Cheap steel from India . No way worth the price.
Hmmm...I suspect that axe made from "Cheap steel from India" will do exactly what it's original inventors wanted it to do, which is to cleave l!mbz and he@dz from bod-deez. AND it would probably do it just as well, or even better, than it's historical counterparts.
I bought mine last year and noticed the head was very loose. i put in the extra metal wedges they supplied and that made it worse. Ive had better experiences with budget indian weapons than this. Extremely disappointed
Also, with just a bit of testing (felling a small tree, the blade chipped just a bit.) I've held off from even thinking about using this axe for any task.
You still smoking a pipe?
Nah... High Blood Pressure