Info Favorites Register Log in
myArmoury.com Discussion Forums

Forum index Memberlist Usergroups Spotlight Topics Search


myArmoury.com is now completely member-supported. Please contribute to our efforts with a donation. Your donations will go towards updating our site, modernizing it, and keeping it viable long-term.
Last 10 Donors: Anonymous, Daniel Sullivan, Chad Arnow, Jonathan Dean, M. Oroszlany, Sam Arwas, Barry C. Hutchins, Dan Kary, Oskar Gessler, Dave Tonge (View All Donors)

Forum Index > Historical Arms Talk > Saxon Huscarl Axe by Eric McHugh Reply to topic
This is a standard topic Go to page 1, 2  Next 
Author Message
Greg Griggs




Location: Houston, TX
Joined: 31 Aug 2005

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 214

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 8:45 am    Post subject: Saxon Huscarl Axe by Eric McHugh         Reply with quote

After many hair-raising hours, Eric finally finished Patrick Kelly's Huscarl Axe. Think everyone will agree that it's a monster, but an absolutely beautiful monster. Big Grin
Only have one pic at this time, but I'm sure PK will have more in short order. Here are the stats as he describs them:

Haft five feet in length, about ten inches across the edge, traditional three-piece construction consisting of a mild steel socket and body, with a higher carbon steel edge.

I'll let Eric put his thoughts in on this one, if he has a mind to, but from what PK describes, it is as close a re-creation as possible to the available references.


Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 9:05 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Looks great. Big Grin Cool The axe I mean. Razz Wink

Oh, Patrick seems to have lost weight and in great shape: Good thing with the size of that axe. Eek!

Teasing aside, I'm looking forward to seeing more pics of this one from various angles and a few statistics.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Jeremy V. Krause




Location: Buffalo, NY.
Joined: 20 Oct 2003
Likes: 1 page
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,717

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 10:12 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I think that axe is probably the coolest thing put on this website in months. I want one, bad. . .
Jeremy
View user's profile Send private message
Jeremy V. Krause




Location: Buffalo, NY.
Joined: 20 Oct 2003
Likes: 1 page
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,717

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 1:18 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

No comments on this spectacular axe? This may well be one of the first authentically produced war axes in centuries.
View user's profile Send private message
Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team


myArmoury Team

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 2:09 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Jeremy V. Krause wrote:
No comments on this spectacular axe? This may well be one of the first authentically produced war axes in centuries.


You might need to wait more than 6 hours for more commentary....

Happy

Happy

ChadA

http://chadarnow.com/
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Eric McHugh
Industry Professional



Location: Crown Point, IN
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Likes: 1 page

Posts: 427

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 2:40 pm    Post subject: Thanks.         Reply with quote

Thanks. I appreciate it.

This is a reproduction of an axe that I documented in Uppsala in 2004 with Peter Johnsson. We had the privilege of holding this axe and documenting every mm of it.

I need to make small correction. I fully intended to make this a three part axe, but I'm just not skilled enough to do the welding on the blade. After a pile of mistakes, I forged the eye out of mild steel and then forged a blade section that is shaped exactly like the original, and then forge welded those two sections together. So, I guess it is a two part axe that is shaped like the original.

I appreciate Patrick for his patience. Delivery was delayed because of numerous mistakes and attempts. This project was a bear; it is not easy to move that size piece of steel at welding temperature around your smithy. It gets a bit hairy at times, but overall, it was a good experience.

Find me on Facebook, or check out my blog. Contact me at eric@crownforge.net or ericmycue374@comcast.net if you want to talk about a commission or discuss an available piece.
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Jeremy V. Krause




Location: Buffalo, NY.
Joined: 20 Oct 2003
Likes: 1 page
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,717

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 2:58 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Eric,

I appreciate your forthcoming nature regarding your comments with the construction of this piece. It is really nice and I hope that you are committed to pursuing an absolutely authentic construction. How do you feel about the use of iron in the socket/blade body portion? Would straight up iron be dramatically different than mild steel to forge?

thanks very much,
Jeremy[/i]
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 3:36 pm    Post subject: Re: Thanks.         Reply with quote

Eric McHugh wrote:
Thanks. I appreciate it.

This is a reproduction of an axe that I documented in Uppsala in 2004 with Peter Johnsson. We had the privilege of holding this axe and documenting every mm of it.

I need to make small correction. I fully intended to make this a three part axe, but I'm just not skilled enough to do the welding on the blade. After a pile of mistakes, I forged the eye out of mild steel and then forged a blade section that is shaped exactly like the original, and then forge welded those two sections together. So, I guess it is a two part axe that is shaped like the original.

I appreciate Patrick for his patience. Delivery was delayed because of numerous mistakes and attempts. This project was a bear; it is not easy to move that size piece of steel at welding temperature around your smithy. It gets a bit hairy at times, but overall, it was a good experience.


Congratulations on the 2 part axe that looks like a 3 part axe. Wink

Is the edge heat treated harder than the rest of the axe ? Edge hardening only ?

Sort of reminds me of the axes Albion used to sell that were made in India: I have one of those and it looks reasonably good but yours inspires more confidence in the overall quality and the way it is put together.

It's even more desirable being based on precise measurements of a period original.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Thomas Watt




Location: Metrowest Boston
Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Reading list: 7 books

Posts: 159

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 3:47 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Oh, that thing is just beautiful!

I really, really like it.
Looking at the photo makes me want to hold/have it...
Looks like a good whack with that would really ruin the other fella's day!

Have 11 swords, 2 dirks, half a dozen tomahawks and 2 Jeeps - seem to be a magnet for more of all.
View user's profile Send private message
Hugo Voisine





Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Reading list: 7 books

Posts: 336

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 3:48 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Very nice axe. I would like to see more pics, including full-length shots and some close-up of the head... Happy
« Que dites-vous ?... C'est inutile ?... Je le sais !
Mais on ne se bat pas dans l'espoir du succès !
Oh ! non, c'est bien plus beau lorsque c'est inutile ! »
View user's profile Send private message
Bryce Felperin




Location: San Jose, CA
Joined: 16 Feb 2006

Posts: 552

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 4:18 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Heck, I'd like to see a shot of that monster chopping through something! That is one fearsome weapon!
View user's profile Send private message
Greyson Brown




Location: Windsor, Colorado
Joined: 22 Nov 2004
Reading list: 15 books

Posts: 813

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 4:23 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Very scary looking. And the axe is impressive, too. If you talk to Patrick before I do, tell him congratulations for me. I know he was really looking forward to this piece.

Jeremy - I'm not Eric, so he may have different opinions on the matter, but it is my understanding that true wrought iron is very easy to forge weld (the lower carbon conent avoids the problem of burning your material). There would still be a couple of down sides to using iron, though. One is that the piece will still be the same size. I think Eric has mentioned before that he uses a gas forge, and those can be a bit restricting. If he wants to come use my coal forge, he can, but the conditions will probably be less than idea for welding, as I do not have a real shop. Either way, he'll still have the problem that, " it is not easy to move that size piece of steel at welding temperature around your smithy."

The other serious issue with using true iron is that it has been quite some time (at least to the best of my knowledge) since anyone in this country has commercially produced wrought in any kind of real quantity. That means that, even if you can find it, it ain't-a-gonna be cheap.

-Grey

"So long as I can keep the path of honor I am well content."
-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The White Company
View user's profile Send private message
Eric McHugh
Industry Professional



Location: Crown Point, IN
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Likes: 1 page

Posts: 427

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 5:08 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Jean Thibodeau wrote:
Is the edge heat treated harder than the rest of the axe ? Edge hardening only ?


Yes, that is correct Jean, the edge is hardened and the body and socket are soft.

Jeremy V. Krause wrote:
It is really nice and I hope that you are committed to pursuing an absolutely authentic construction. How do you feel about the use of iron in the socket/blade body portion? Would straight up iron be dramatically different than mild steel to forge?


Not to sound defensive, but I AM committed to making an authentic axe. I mean the market is filled with axes that are simply metal plates arc welded to pieces of pipe. With this axes, I was striving to use original construction methods within the scope of my abilities, but more significantly, the axe has the shape and character of the original. To me, this is more important than the construction method. I mean if I hadn't mentioned that it was a two part axe, no one would have known the difference. Visually, however, it looks like the original, and as far as handling...well it feels and handles authentically.

As far as using iron, it is a bit difficult to find iron in large quantities. I have a small supply but nothing large enough to make an axe eye. Modern mild steel is good steel and not bad to forge weld. In addition, its characteristics are close enough to iron for my purposes. Hope this helps

Find me on Facebook, or check out my blog. Contact me at eric@crownforge.net or ericmycue374@comcast.net if you want to talk about a commission or discuss an available piece.
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Steve Maly




Location: OKC, OK
Joined: 23 Aug 2003
Reading list: 23 books

Posts: 257

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 5:53 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

To borrow a lyric from The Tubes: "She's a Beauty!"
"When the only tool you own is a hammer, every problem begins to resemble a nail." ~A. Maslow
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
J. D. Carter




Location: Az.
Joined: 09 May 2007

Posts: 79

PostPosted: Fri 17 Aug, 2007 11:49 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Just the thing for striking an offensive blow from behind the shield wall or slinging over ones shoulder for that long trek to Byzantium & the new Varangian gig. Congratulations to both the creator and its new caretaker. What a beautiful beast.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Robin Smith




Location: Louisiana
Joined: 23 Dec 2006
Likes: 4 pages
Reading list: 17 books

Posts: 746

PostPosted: Sat 18 Aug, 2007 7:34 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Greg, tell P he needs to get it engraved "Souvenier du Senlac" Wink Laughing Out Loud Razz ? No but seriously, its been hard to reach P as often these days since he started the new gig, so if you talk to him first tell him it looks great...

Rob

A furore Normannorum libera nos, Domine
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger
Jeremy V. Krause




Location: Buffalo, NY.
Joined: 20 Oct 2003
Likes: 1 page
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,717

PostPosted: Sun 19 Aug, 2007 10:34 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Eric McHugh wrote:
[
Not to sound defensive, but I AM committed to making an authentic axe. I mean the market is filled with axes that are simply metal plates arc welded to pieces of pipe. With this axes, I was striving to use original construction methods within the scope of my abilities, but more significantly, the axe has the shape and character of the original. To me, this is more important than the construction method. I mean if I hadn't mentioned that it was a two part axe, no one would have known the difference. Visually, however, it looks like the original, and as far as handling...well it feels and handles authentically.


Hello Eric,

I certainly respect the work you are doing with your axes and I understand your committment to historical accuracy. My comment above was not phrased correctly. What I meant to ask is are you going to attempt to reproduce the three part construction.

I do own the fact that I tend to be kind of anal (I couldn't think of a better term sorry) with the construction of historical weapons. If it is possible I will always want to spend my money on the most authentic piece featuring both exacting reproduction of construction and completely authentic handling characteristics.

But as I have written previously- this is an absolutely stunning axe.
Jeremy
View user's profile Send private message
Vegard Stomsvik Pedersen




Location: Norway
Joined: 11 Dec 2006
Reading list: 4 books

Posts: 14

PostPosted: Sun 19 Aug, 2007 1:00 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Beautiful axe! Happy
Wish I had one...
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
Peter Törlind





Joined: 19 Nov 2006

Posts: 23

PostPosted: Sun 19 Aug, 2007 1:37 pm    Post subject: Axe...         Reply with quote

Nice one

I was planning to buy a Gränsfor replica http://www.gransfors.com/htm_eng/produkter/index.html "The battle axe" (a bit smaller only 1,2 kg and 85 cm) but this one is much nicer...

Gränsfors is a Swedish company that creates the best axes in Sweden today, they also manufacture a replica series that are really nice, see more info here http://www.gransfors.com/downloads/pdf/GNY-eng.pdf I have a couple of their normal axes and the Broad Axe and they are nice choppers!
View user's profile Send private message
Stephen S. Han




Location: Westminster, CA
Joined: 21 Aug 2003

Posts: 211

PostPosted: Sun 19 Aug, 2007 1:57 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I didn't think it was possible for Patrick to look anymore intimidating...

Nice axe. I'm a just a wee fella, so it wouldn't look good on me, but it's quite appropriate for someone of Patrick's size.
View user's profile Send private message


Display posts from previous:   
Forum Index > Historical Arms Talk > Saxon Huscarl Axe by Eric McHugh
Page 1 of 2 Reply to topic
Go to page 1, 2  Next All times are GMT - 8 Hours

View previous topic :: View next topic
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum






All contents © Copyright 2003-2024 myArmoury.com — All rights reserved
Discussion forums powered by phpBB © The phpBB Group
Switch to the Basic Low-bandwidth Version of the forum