November 7, 20169 yr Recently I got to attend a Viking axe class with Jim Austin. I am super stoked with the results. I have made a few small hawks before, wrap and weld and welded bit but nothing this big. ended up over 1-1/4lbs. This featured a traditional asymmetric weld on the eye and a 1075 bit welded in a mild body. Did I mention I am stoked?
November 7, 20169 yr Author 11 minutes ago, Daswulf said: Wow. I haven't seen them welded like that. Nice work. thank you. I am told that there are tons of examples of them welding the eye this way. I like it myself a lot better than wrap and welds for sure. He had some tricks that made it easier as well.
November 7, 20169 yr Perhaps it's an artifact of the machine age; but I've noticed so many people expecting that there is only 1 way to do something. Back when everything was handmade and by different hands at different times and different places a number of ways may have been "common". "Knives and Scabbards, Museum of London" lists one form of classification of medieval knives just based on how the high C edge is welded to the wrought iron body of the knife, (lap, butt, cleft, reverse cleft,....etc and so on) (BTW if you are interested in the using knives of medieval times this is one of the great sources: Archaeological drawings to exact scale, dates, information on metallurgy for several HUNDRED blades!
November 7, 20169 yr Author 14 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: Perhaps it's an artifact of the machine age; but I've noticed so many people expecting that there is only 1 way to do something. Back when everything was handmade and by different hands at different times and different places a number of ways may have been "common". I think you are correct in that. we get black and white thinking while there is lots of grey out there. sounds like a great resource BTW.
November 7, 20169 yr Author 1 minute ago, Tubalcain2 said: nice work. i'm guessing you used a power hammer? is this the tubalcain from youtube fame? there was a power hammer used to do the initial prep from bar stock as that is all grunt and not much learning.
November 7, 20169 yr one other thing about that book is the "scabbards" part. If you want to know how they really did tool their leather for knife sheathes this book has a bunch of examples
November 7, 20169 yr 14 minutes ago, teenylittlemetalguy said: there was a power hammer used to do the initial prep from bar stock as that is all grunt and not much learning. Not sure where you got the "not much learning" from. I took James's Viking axe class as well, admittedly at a different location, and learned quite a bit about axe forging as well as some good group forging procedures. Perhaps you were just too advanced a smith for the class, but I found Jim to be quite expert and very willing to share his techniques.
November 7, 20169 yr I don't read his comment like you do. I read ...Powerhammer, short cut, not Vikinglike, only used for the initial menial task. 5 hours ago, teenylittlemetalguy said: Very nice job mate.
November 7, 20169 yr I also took the same Viking Axe class as Latticino this past summer, we were teamed up together .Great Class, Jim was an excellent instructor and well prepared for the class Nice job on your Viking ax
November 7, 20169 yr Author 1 hour ago, Tubalcain2 said: no thats tubalcain. i'm tubalcain2. i have no fame that i know of. its never too late. 8-) 1 hour ago, Latticino said: Not sure where you got the "not much learning" from. I took James's Viking axe class as well, admittedly at a different location, and learned quite a bit about axe forging as well as some good group forging procedures. Perhaps you were just too advanced a smith for the class, but I found Jim to be quite expert and very willing to share his techniques. I meant not much to learn in going from bar stock to the start of the axe, it would have taken a lot of time for not much knowlege. the class however was FANTASTIC. Jim is a great teacher, I couldn't have asked for better. 35 minutes ago, Marc1 said: I don't read his comment like you do. I read ...Powerhammer, short cut, not Vikinglike, only used for the initial menial task. Very nice job mate. yep thank you! only used the power hammer as a short cut. Most all of what you see was my hand work, and a little striking help here and there.
November 8, 20169 yr Yes, traditional work vs "modern" ... a fine line. Does it matter if you make a Damascus blade by hand or use a press? I suppose your Chiropractor will miss out if you use a press. The blade will be just as good if not better.
November 8, 20169 yr Of course the earliest water powered tilt hammer I've had good documentation on was in the 900's A bit late for Viking though many folk consider 1066 as the cut off. (Shoot I knew one professor who claimed the middle ages didn't officially end till the late 19th century with the freeing of the serfs in Russia) The big thing about working in a traditional manner is that your shop should have at least 5 trained strikers in it. Any show with just 1 smith in it is working in the MODERN way.
November 8, 20169 yr 5 hours ago, Tubalcain2 said: no thats tubalcain. i'm tubalcain2. i have no fame that i know of. TubalCain2 is more famous than he's letting on to. In fact, he's so rich that he has a servant that does his typing for him!
November 8, 20169 yr Author 2 hours ago, C-1ToolSteel said: TubalCain2 is more famous than he's letting on to. In fact, he's so rich that he has a servant that does his typing for him! Bad um ta Ching!
November 8, 20169 yr Tristan: You ARE bringing the axe to the Nov meeting. Yes? Looking good, really good. Frosty The Lucky.
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