nschmuc1 Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 my friend wants me to make him a double headed battle axe and i was wondering if anyone has made one before, if so can i get some advice on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 almost unheard of in medieval and renaissance Europe; look for examples in India and the middle east. My suggestion is instead of the "bow-tie" for regular single edged axes make two pieces and forge weld them together leaving room for the eye and if possible at the ends to allow the bits to be welded in. I once met a smith who made them for the radical feminist movement, (the Amazons of ancient greek myth were supposed to have used them and so pretty much the only mention of them in Western Europe in early times...) She liked to buy worn out double bitted axes and then forge weld the large semi-lunar bits to them give her the eye as a freebie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Special Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Maybe ya could take a engineers hammer and draw out both sides like making a ball pein tomahawk? I think polearms often have a strip welded on below the eyes to attach to the shaft for protection on da cutting end and/or more attachment points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 I think polearms often have a strip welded on below the eyes to attach to the shaft Langets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arcc Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 In the two I've made, I made a hardy swage in the shape of half the eye and then sunk the two sides and welded them together. One had a file for both sides of the bit and the other was completely high carbon steel(tested tractor mower blade) for both sides. Getting the files in both sides and welding them was a bit of a pain and just using high carbon steel for each side was much easier. If you are like me, expect to have to try it several times before you get a good result. I lost count on my failures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 In the two I've made, I made a hardy swage in the shape of half the eye and then sunk the two sides and welded them together. One had a file for both sides of the bit and the other was completely high carbon steel(tested tractor mower blade) for both sides. Getting the files in both sides and welding them was a bit of a pain and just using high carbon steel for each side was much easier. If you are like me, expect to have to try it several times before you get a good result. I lost count on my failures. That sounds like a good idea, especially to keep the stock for each blade even. Do you have any pictures of finished products? I'd like to try a double bit down the road, and haven't decided if I want to weld two pieces or slit and drift one yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 one other point: battlefield weapons are often LIGHTER than their tool analogs as heavy=slow and slow==dead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arcc Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 That sounds like a good idea, especially to keep the stock for each blade even. Do you have any pictures of finished products? I'd like to try a double bit down the road, and haven't decided if I want to weld two pieces or slit and drift one yet. The first one is in my closet and is a bit embaressing as i didn't get it welded up as good as I would have liked. Ill get a pic up later. The second was far superior but it is no longer with me and dumb me only got one pic of it which ill have to find. The blades i used were about 1/4" thick and cut to 8" long. The axes were about 2lbs each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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