Features of Swedish axes

What are the axes and what are they used for?

The etymological dictionary gives several versions of the origin of the word, starting from the Bulgarian "ax", Slovenian "topor", Czech, Polish, etc. Experts consider ax to be an Orthodox word and associate it with "trample", otherwise "beat" if it is about the heart, from the Ukrainian "teporiti" - to drag with difficulty, from the Bulgarian "teptya" - to mesh, trample.

A wooden handle is called a hatchet, a metal part that has a blunt rounded end on one side - a butt. Choosing a stick with a circular cross-section is not the best option. It is much more convenient if the section is oval and the handle consists of straight and curved sections. The tail section folds down for a comfortable grip.

On the other side there is a blade with a sharpened working blade. Sometimes products have a beard-protrusion on the blades next to the mount, which protects the ax from impacts on metal and strengthens the fastening of the tree to the metal part of the product. It is believed that such axes are descendants of battle axes from Northern Europe. Most often, carpentry tools have barbs, they are indispensable when working with wood.

Axes were used as cold fighting weapons, chopping and throwing.

Appointment of axes

Depending on the application, axes are:

1. carpentry - with a sharp toe and a wide thin blade;
2. butcher's - heavy, weighty axes, they are the largest, with a wide blade, made of alloy steel with high density;
3. one-handed small artisans and carpentry, the weight of which allows one-handed operation;
4. taiga;
5. lathe: it is smaller than carpentry, another name is backlash or cut-off, convenient for cutting down small objects or grooves;
6. foresters, logging, lumbering;
7. cleavers, for which you do not need to have a sharpened blade;
8. axes;
9. tourist hatchets in covers, comfortable and light, however, rusting in a cover and not intended for felling trees, their price is higher than other products, they require frequent sharpening.

Another type is double-sided. The blades can be sharpened in different ways and are designed to perform a wide range of work. They can be used as throwing weapons as they are well balanced. Products are made from high-carbon steel. The other side of the coin is in their injury risk, high price, inconvenient handle, lack of shock function.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing of blades from grades of high-carbon steels protects axes from mechanical damage and allows them to withstand temperature extremes. The blade does not require periodic sharpening, during operation it is not damaged with the appearance of notches and scratches. The head is stamped with the metal grade. Forged products are more durable and heavy, you should give your preference to this type of metal processing.

According to the width of the cutting part, tools are:

1. wide;
2. medium;
3. narrow.

If the blade of a metal blade is sharpened at an angle of less than forty degrees, the tool penetrates deeper into the wood, but also quickly dulls. Combined sharpening allows you to save the blade from damage if the impact falls on the edge of the metal, with this method the central part is sharpened at a sharper angle than the edges.

The blades are straight and rounded. The latter, due to a decrease in the area and an increase in pressure on the contact points, acquire better cutting qualities.

Axes with plastic shafts are as strong as wood, but lighter. Sometimes wooden axes are made with a rubberized grip to absorb shock and protect the wrist.

Choosing the right tool

1. the optimal length of the ax is from the wrist to the shoulder joint;
2. the handle of the ax must be completely covered by the hand to avoid injury.

When choosing a short handle, you will have to make too much range of motion in order to increase the force of the blow, the recoil to the hand will also increase. This will interfere with long and productive work with the tool.

If you intend to constantly work with the tool, you should give preference to an expensive quality product. If the work falls out from time to time, get a cheaper option. A product from one manufacturer can have large price differences depending on the sale in the market or in a large store.

Views

The axes are classified based on weight, handle length, blade material and shape.

The main types of battle axes

In the 9-11 century, the armies of Europe began to arm themselves with axes of the following types:

• Scandinavian. They had a wide trapezoidal blade that strikes to death. Initially used by the Vikings and Varangians, then by the European infantry (from the 9th century);
• axes. They were distinguished by their lightness and a downward beard. They were popular from the 10th century. in Eastern Europe. Sweden even exported axes;
• narrow for throwing. They were used by cavalry troops, characterized by a sharp blade with a short blade and a long butt.

Combat models were distinguished by their weight, which provided a great power of the chopping blow. However, they were not suitable for repelling an attack directed at a person.

Forged hunting axes

The depth of entry is 8 cm, which allows you to quickly fell trees or protect yourself from the attack of a predator. Maneuverable forged hunting axes are equipped with a safety groove, thanks to which the handle does not break. The average weight of the product is from 600 to 800 g, so it is easy to carry. The blade is narrow.

Forged hunting axes

For taiga

The weight of the model is the same as a hunter's hatchet. The blade is rounded but long. The front end is wider than the back - the tool is used as a cleaver. The high density of the metal ensures operation in any climatic zone.

Taiga options differ from the standard ones in several ways:

• light weight - the gun can be carried over long distances;
• small area of ​​the piercing part - deep penetration into the wood;
• unique sharpening of the cutting part - different widths.

Handmade forged carpentry axes

A massive forged carpenter's ax weighs from 1 to 1.5 kg. The edge is rounded, which makes it easier to handle the logs. The blades are sharpened at an angle of 30 degrees, so they do not get stuck in hard wood, they can be easily removed from deep crevices.

Forged carpenter's axes

Ural products

Forged Ural axes are produced by the manufacturers Uralskaya Kuznitsa (a branch of Izhstal) and Uralsky Masterovoy.

Uralskaya Kuznitsa products

Large Russian manufacturer of stamped goods. The tool is also made by forging and special heat treatment. Steel grade 60G with a hardness of 48-57 HRC is used for it.

The specificity of the guns:

• weight from 980 g to 1.2 kg;
• suitable for trimming, felling, felling;
• convenient geometry of the hatchet;
• the possibility of regrinding the cutting part;
• handle 50 cm long.

Goods of the "Uralskiy masterovy"

They make tourist, hunting models, knives, tomahawks and axes. Product Features:

• steel grade U10A or U8A with hardness 57-58 HRC;
• Elite wood handle is impregnated with oil for durability;
• the set includes accessories (holster, winding, cover);
• the length of the edge of the hatchet - from 85 cm, of the hatchet - from 350 to 500 mm;
• weight 800 g - 1 kg;
• use of piercing technology, cryo-hardening of metal.

What qualities should a taiga ax possess?

It should be relatively light for one simple reason - it will take a lot of time and kilometers to carry on its back, it is also much better to swing a lighter ax than a heavy half-hammer.The main weight should be in the metal part, that is, in its head. Figure 1 shows its parts:

Rice. 1. Parts of the taiga ax

The ax of a taiga ax should be much longer than a carpenter's ax. This is due to the best swing for hitting wood. The long ax allows for the best possible blow. In my opinion, the optimal length of the ax is about 50 cm, or even more. The hatchet should not be heavy, and all the weight should be concentrated on the head, otherwise you will not achieve the desired result from your specimen - and just rewrite there, in the taiga.

If we compare the heads of the two types, then the obvious difference immediately catches the eye: the upper part of the blade is missing in the taiga head. Some people saw off a piece of this part from a simple carpenter's ax, turning it into a taiga ax. (See Figure 2).

The blade of a carpenter's ax should be straight, and that of a taiga ax should be rounded (see Fig. 3). This is due to the type of work that the taiga does in the forest.

Rice. 2. The head of a taiga ax against the background of a carpenter's

Rice. 3. Blade of a taiga ax.

The beard allows you to firmly fix the hatchet with the head.

The butt can be used as a hammer for any purpose. Often a hunter-fisherman, who, for example, is going to repair his winter quarters in the summer, does not take a heavy extra hammer into the taiga, but uses a butt as it.

The eyelet is used to put the head on the hatchet. Next, a wooden wedge is hammered into the hatchet so that the head fits snugly on it.

The fungus protects the hands from slipping and fixes them on the ax.

Rice. 4. Wedge

Rice. 5. Driving a wedge into a hatchet

In Figure 4, we see three options. The number 1 denotes a metal wedge that is driven in last. This is a control wedge. Number 2 is the ax. Number 3 is a wooden wedge, which is hammered into a special hole in the hatchet so that the hatchet does not start cracking. Many people drive a wedge right between the fibers, but this is fraught with cracking of the ax. Therefore, it is recommended to saw through a small recess, into which you can then drive a wooden wedge. It is better to set the wedge on glue, for example, epoxy. Number 4 denotes the head of the ax, worn on the ax.

The metal wedge is hammered in at the very end, note that it is driven diagonally to the main wood wedge. You can also hammer it at a 90 degree angle

Instead of a metal wedge, you can use a wooden one, preferably from a harder wood. Figure 5 shows the same process, but without the control second wedge. 1 - a hatchet, 2 - a notch, a cut for a wedge, 3 - a head, 4 - a wedge.

In the domestic market, it is extremely difficult to find a high-quality ax that will serve you faithfully for many years until you lose it in the forest or it is stolen from you. Axes made in Russia today are usually of very poor quality. The axes do not fit under the head and almost always begin to slip off. The blade of the head is overheated almost to the state of cast iron, and at the first frost the blade crumbles, or a large piece simply breaks off from it, after which the tool becomes completely unusable. Such axes always have to be modified by yourself in order to turn them into something bearable. They are cheap but change very often.

The good quality of the axes was given by the Soviet production of Stalin's times, but those grandfather's axes cannot be found now, now such samples of the 50s are sold on the Internet from 3 to 5 thousand rubles. Steel for them was used, as a rule, of the U7 grade. In our garages, if we come across an ax, it will most likely be a production of the times of the 80s, that is, a "perestroika ax", and at this time, as you know, production was declining. However, the specimens of the Brezhnev era (70s), which are not as rare as the Stalinist ones, are of rather good quality.Therefore, a good tool can be purchased only from foreign companies, or ordered from a blacksmith. A blacksmith's ax will cost a lot, because this is only for an amateur. A working ax can now be purchased from foreign firms: Gransfors Bruks, Husquarna, Fiskars, Hultafors. Domestic serial manufacturers cannot yet boast of such a quality tool.

Cutting technique

Splitting logs 15-20 cm thick is done with a small carpentry model as follows:

1. A wooden log is prepared, which will be located under the cut.
2. Wood fibers are cut along the markings with a sheer blow.
3. To deepen into the middle, oblique and vertical movements alternate. To better go to the center, turn the workpiece.
4. The cut is done at an angle, holding the right hand higher.
5. Planks and logs for obtyas are fixed. The leg is taken to the side and a little back, the second is pressed against the log.
6. The workpiece is marked out from the narrow end, working with a cord, plumb line and studs.
7. The logs are hewn from the top to the butt.
8. For undercutting, the material is cut, moving to the opposite side.
9. Chips fly out during felling, therefore they protect hands and face.

Husqvarna ax of my dreams

Once I set out to get myself some kind of ax for constant use in the car. Either picnics, or some traffic accidents in which you have to chop branches or cut down small trees, cut down bushes on the side of the road ... But you never know when you have to rejoice in the presence of a comfortable ax? As a result, after a long search, I came across a Husqvarna representative in our city and studied what a well-known Swedish manufacturer can offer to solve my problems. A simple classification on the official website, positive reviews and the ability to hold axes in my hands did the trick and I became the owner of a universal ax, which in English is called "forest ax".

My very first impressions after purchase in this author's video:

In practice, the ax has a very comfortable and well-processed handle and sufficient weight for comfortable work. Only its cutting edge caused questions, since from the factory it was sharpened with such a noticeable burr that after suffering a couple of days with my perfectionist sufferings, I decided to correct the factory sharpening.

The result of the correction, I would call an expression from school geometry, is necessary and sufficient. The ax became sharp enough to go into the paper and even, albeit a little hesitantly, cut it. My subsequent practice of working with this ax showed that dressing with a diamond bar is sufficient for the ax to confidently perform all the work for which it is intended. However, after hearing a lot of advice on why you need to polish the blades, I decided to polish the edge of the ax with sandpaper.

It is curious that after such a correction, the ax stopped going into the paper, but the subsequent felling of a pine tree with a diameter of about 50 centimeters did not affect its edge. At all. So, in general, I think this sharpening is correct. At least Husqvarna axes, with their forged steel, make sense to sharpen in this way, since the wear of the polished edge during operation is significantly reduced due to the elimination of surface stresses of the metal.

Sharpening rules

A good hunter or forester always has an ax sharpened, because there is nothing worse than being in the forest with a blunt tool. As mentioned above, the sharpening of the blade in the taiga species is distinguished by its rounded, steep shape. This already allows the blade to not only more efficiently carry out woodwork, but also less likely to dull.

Manual method

Quite a laborious process, but for those who like to take care of their tools, on the contrary, it can come to their liking. To begin with, a special template is made, according to the size of the tool. They make it from a piece of tin, having determined the correct sharpening angle. The ax is applied to the finished template.And if there is a deflection angle, then mark and process.

For manual sharpening, they often take a wooden block and glue it with sandpaper. It must be coarse and fine-grained. Sharpening is done with a blade away from you. It is noted that one such bar can be enough for the entire season.

Mechanical

With a special machine, the process will go much faster and easier. But there are also some nuances here.

Sharpening the ax mechanically

Mechanical sharpening is carried out as follows:

1. Place the machine on a flat surface;
2. Marks are made using a marker to change the angle of the blade. This step is done when necessary;
3. Sharpening at low speed, holding the ax with the blade away from you;
4. At the end of the process, the grinding wheel of the device is lubricated with a finishing paste. Then the tool is polished on it;
5. The sharpened tool is treated with an anti-corrosion agent.

In order not to dull the ax quickly, it should be stored in a special protective case. You should never throw an ax to the ground. And in order to protect yourself from possible injuries, it is imperative to sharpen the tool in protective gloves.

The ax will delight for a long time with its efficiency, if you do not try to chop stones and too hard objects with it. And also when cutting, it is best to put a little forest under the wood.

Operating rules

Cleaver with reverse attachment on the handle

The application technique depends on its purpose. Short handled tools are designed for small swings. Cleavers and axes for felling - on the contrary, for wide movements.

The cutting itself is provided by the weight and sharpness of the tool. The chopper applies force only during the initial swing, then the inertia of the movement is taken into account. At this stage, you only need to monitor the accuracy of the hit.

The correct felling technique is designed for precise strikes without additional effort. One swing diagonally cuts off the chip, the second horizontally cuts it off. When chopping due to inertia, the chopper can work for a long time without getting tired.

When working with an ax, safety precautions should also be taken into account. In addition to checking the serviceability of the tool, the direction of the blow is taken into account - it must come from the chopping

With insufficient experience, it is important to take into account the likelihood of a miss, as well as the fact that a branch, especially a small one, will be felled immediately, after which the ax will continue to move

It is also important to consider the position of the legs. The stance should be stable, if the ax slid further, the chopper should not "go away" after him

When chopping wood, the legs are wide apart, which is especially important with a short handle. In this case, the tool will not fit into the leg by inertia.

Peculiarities

The taiga ax is used for various tasks.

• Felling of trees - this includes logging, sanitary felling, and felling at the sawmill. The taiga ax successfully copes with all these functions.
• Working with large logs - this refers to rough work, such as delimbing, removing dense bark, making grooves and some other types of work.
• For survival - such a tool can be used by hunters to quickly create kulemoks, as well as traps for wild animals.
• Erection of huts, various flooring or “quick cooking” huts - it is obvious that it is impossible to build a hut without an ax. At the same time, the use of the taiga version allows you to carry out all the necessary work 3-4 times faster than using the carpentry.

Axes

Despite the development of technologies for the production and processing of metals, the ax forged by a master blacksmith still remains unsurpassed in quality. The point is that free forging frees the metal from internal defects and changes the structure of the metal, making it fibrous and directional, relieves internal stresses and strengthens the product.

Advantages of hand forged axes

In the mass production of axes, casting and stamping are used - fast and cheap methods, but they do not change the structure of the metal, so you have to change the shape and increase the weight of the workpiece. Unlike cast and stamped axes, the hand-forged ax has a steel structure devoid of imperfections. Its advantages:

• made from the best grades of steel, 9ХС and ШХ15;
• works like a universal ax;
• the warranty period for a forged ax is 10 years, instead of 2 years for mass models;

The only drawback of forged axes is the price, but its value is due to the large amount of manual work of a qualified master blacksmith. Considering that hand-made axes are even inherited, the high price becomes justified.

Differences between forged and mass axes

High-quality foreign-made axes are made using casting technology. The process uses high-quality steel, but crystal lattice defects and internal stresses are not eliminated.

Manufacturers solve the problems of strength traditionally - by simplifying the form and making it heavier. This leads to the fact that most foreign mass axes and even small tourist hatchets gradually take the form of a lumberjack ax, which is intended only for one type of work, and is not universal, like a forged ax. that the forged ax is lightweight, strong and well thought out. Handcrafted axes are mounted on axes made from carefully selected and processed blanks of special types of wood. For the manufacture of axes, hard varieties are used - ash, oak and beech, maple, hickory and jatoba. The minimum warranty period provided on the handle is 2 years, while the back-thrust handle is very easy to replace.

Design

The curved shape of the short handle prevents the tool from slipping out of the hand

Any ax consists of two key aspects - the attachment and the handle. The first is divided into:

• blade, which is often hardened separately;
• firing pin, also called a blade;
• eyelet (eyelet) - a hole for a hatchet;
• butt is the reverse side, which in certain cases can be hammered into nails.

The design of both the handle and the attachment will differ depending on the purpose of the product. There are the following options for axes:

• carpentry - light tool, sharpened at 20 degrees;
• carpenter's ax - a massive sample for working with logs;
• cleaver - a tool with a narrow blade and a long handle, designed for splitting firewood;
• hunting - a universal light product, focused on a long stay in the forest; tourist samples are also distinguished separately;
• butcher's for cutting meat.

Lever

The ax handle differs in length and shape depending on the purpose of the tool. Joinery and carpentry products have a short handle with a curved shape and a fungus at the end, which prevents slipping out of the hands. The shape of the profile of the handle should resemble an egg - this option gives a better grip and does not burden the hands.

Cleavers have a long, straight handle designed for a wide swing. In the event of a miss, the blade will go into the ground instead of hitting the leg. In a similar manner, the handle is selected for work in the taiga. If you have to chop wood a lot, a long handle will do. For small branches and tilting work, a short haft is better.

Nozzle

Fixation with five wedges

The attachment on the handle is made with the expectation of reliable fixation of the ax. In case of insufficient strength, it can slip off when swinging. If the felling is carried out in the taiga, it will be difficult to find the lost tool. Also, an unsecured tool poses a danger to both the chopper and those close to him.

Grip attachment is a simple process but requires attention to detail.The tool must sit completely on the handle, after which it is fixed with metal or wooden wedges. They are pre-lubricated with glue or resin, and they are also filled with it.

There is a reverse attachment method, especially suitable for long, straight-armed cleavers. The principle of operation consists in a significant thickening of the handle at the place of fixation. The ax itself is put on from the bottom and pushed into place.

Thickening at the end prevents slipping and does not require tamping wedges

In this case, it is important that the thickened part of the handle sticks out over the ax by at least 5 cm.In this case, during operation, it will only sit more tightly on it

Components of the ax

When asking questions over the phone, it often turns out that now many do not know what the components of the ax are called.
The main question is that the most important, forged from metal, part of the ax, which nowadays, as soon as they try to name it: head, firing pin, blade, blade, is called very simply: an ax.
The blacksmith forged an ax and sold it for quite a lot of money, and the owner was already planting it on a wooden ax, which he planted himself or bought if he had not stocked up with a suitable dried tree. Even in late Soviet times, in the extreme rows of the market, one could find old people selling hand-carved hatchets to replace worn-out ones. The ax head did not require special tools or special skills.
The wooden handle of an ax is called a hatchet. If the ax is forged under a straight thrust - this is how joiner's and lightweight carpenter's axes are usually put on, then the ax is fixed with a wooden wedge or several wedges. The wedge is the third and final piece of the ax.

Repairing a Loose Ax

On our axes, we use a reverse thrust and do without wedges. This method of attachment does not allow the ax to loosen and fly off, and the repair is very simple.
If you have to fit a carpenter's ax onto a Dutch hatchet, then I prefer to fit using only wooden wedges. The metal wedge remains in reserve, it can be used to repair the ax if it dries up or, after several years of work, the ax is worn out in the place of the nozzle.
If you do not bring to excessive wear, working with a loosened ax, or, moreover, do not try to "cure" it by lowering it into the water, then the repair with the help of a metal wedge will take several minutes, and the ax will last for many more years. Of metal wedges, tubular wedges are much better, they evenly expand the handle in the eyelet and do not fall out.
However, on most of the industrially produced axes, even of good foreign brands, a metal wedge is driven in immediately at production - this way it is easier and cheaper to wedge the ax, but wood shrinkage and wear are inevitable, and repair becomes difficult - you have to change the ax.

Cold weapons these days

Today, no one is fighting with the help of such medieval weapons, but such a universal instrument of labor has not lost its significance.

And today, not a single hunter will go into the taiga without a reliable taiga forged hatchet, which will help chop dry wood, and, on occasion, will protect it from a dangerous animal. Every household man in the house will surely have this tool, and maybe more than one.

There are lightweight and durable hiking axes and ice axes for climbers, i.e. and in the 21st century, this weapon has not lost its significance for humans. The main disadvantage of such a product is the high price, so there is no point in buying it for simple household chores.

In addition, in stores such a product is not often found, and not everyone can order it from a blacksmith, and not everyone can afford it.

When choosing a forged ax, pay attention to the weight (1.8 kg), and also click on the blade with your fingers: a properly hardened metal will make a long ringing sound. The high value of the product will justify its impeccable service and save your strength

Making an ax

An ax, in particular, hand-forged models, is made from a certain type of metal. After preparation, the holder is welded to the workpieces, the material is forged several times to displace the slag and fill the voids.

After heat treatment, the metal becomes high-quality and durable, but only the blade is hardened. The eyelet and butt end remain relatively soft, making it easier to hammer in nails or pins.

The shape of the cutting part is formed by drawing the blade, drawing and bending the eyelet. This part is fixed by forge welding. At the end of the process of finishing, sharpening and grinding the blade, the master makes the shaft. Deciduous sawn timber (beech, ash, birch, acacia) is suitable for it.

The appearance of the handle depends on the purpose of the tool and the wishes of the blacksmith. The standard carpentry version is slightly curved, has an extension of the end relative to the butt pad. The length of the handle is from the shoulder to the wrist of the customer.

Ax forging technique

Choosing how best to forge an original ax, craftsmen resort to two technologies - blacksmith welding and solid forging.

Features of forge welding technology

The method involves the creation of a hatchet from two elements - a body and a blade. For the first part, you will need a steel billet 17 cm long, separated from the strip with a section of 60 × 75 mm. The blade is made of U7 grade tool steel. The works are as follows:

1. The workpiece is heated in a furnace and 2 indentations are made in it. In the middle there should be a ledge for the butt.
2. The workpiece is pulled to the desired size and accelerated.
3. The part is bent on the anvil horn or straightened so that the "fit" fits the mandrel to the size of the handle.
4. The tool steel is formed into the desired wedge shape.
5. The finished element is placed between the drawn parts of the workpiece.
6. The part in the assembly is welded, put on a mandrel.
7. Then, the notching and bending of the protective beard of the ax handle, fine-tuning of the dimensions, and sharpening of the edge are performed.

Craft a Solid Ax

For work, carbon or alloy steel grade 45G or 35G is suitable. The blacksmith in the process increases the mass of the workpiece to the size of the wedge part. The stages of forging prior to the formation of the “thrust” are similar to those of the welded technology.

Upon completion of the operations, the striker jaws are welded and forged to the required parameters. The cutting part is chopped off, sharpened on an emery wheel and hardened.

Handmade forged carpentry axes

Ax components

1. Hatchet. The optimal length of the ax is approximately 50 cm, and in some cases even more. It should not be heavy or too thick;
2. Head. The main working part of the ax;
3. Blade. For effective work, it is sometimes specially rounded. This blade has a wide range of applications;
4. Goatee. This part fixes the ax and the head;
5. Butt. It happens that you need not only an ax, but also a hammer. This part will easily replace it;
6. Eye. This part allows you to put the head on the hatchet. For the reliability of the entire structure, a wooden wedge or an ordinary thick nail must be driven into the lugs. This will prevent the head from jumping off;
7. Fungus. This part is for safe use only. Hands are fixed on it in a comfortable position and do not slip.

Forged ax handle

Ax handle Any handle for an ax is made with a slight bend, in the form of an arc with an oval section.

For the manufacture of the handle, the following wood is used:

1. Oak;
2. Ash;
3. Maple;
4. Birch.

The choice on these types of wood is not accidental. They are the ones that best withstand maximum vibrations and, as a result, do not crack or break.

The wood for the handle is specially prepared.

The peculiarities of making the handle are: wood aging and a special plumbness during formation. Wood is harvested, as a rule, in autumn - this is due to the wintering of trees. And the already felled tree is kept for about 12-14 months.To let it dry and take on a permanent form.

The handle is cut parallel to the fibers to maintain the strength and integrity of the wood. Thus, the maximum hardness and durability of the future ax is achieved.

The history of the forged ax

In the classical form, axes appeared about 30 thousand years ago. They consisted of two elements - a blade and a handle, held together by animal veins or strips of leather. From the beginning of copper smelting, the hatchet was made of metal.

Depending on the region, its cultural characteristics, forging the point of the ax provided for a different shape of the blade. The first "models" were picks with a rectangular, slightly elongated along the handle, sharp part. Separate peoples of Mesopotamia and the Middle East in the 4th millennium BC made a tool that looked like a hoe and a pickaxe at the same time. The beard-shaped form was also in use, which made it possible to use the ax as a weapon.

The popularization of the product fell on the 8-9 centuries. AD when settling in Europe. It was then that forests were massively cut down for the construction of settlements.

The most common weapon of the Slavs

In the 9th century, an ax was adopted by the Slavic princes. It was as popular as a sword or broadsword. In Ancient Russia, princes, their warriors, foot and horse units fought with a product. The infantry chose large, massive models, and, having honed their combat skills, easily cut them through the shield or chain mail rings. The cavalry used a small short forged hatchet, that is, an ax.

Fairy tales, legends, epics and chronicles broadcast about heroes with huge weapons in their hands. Historians claim that the combat variants weighed at least 0.5 kg. They did more in mass, of course, but exclusively as a psychological effect on the adversary. A formidable warrior with a huge weapon in his hands - and panic is assured.

The Slavs made hatchets on their own or bought them in Asia or Europe. Archaeologists find oriental mints, Scandinavian axes and brodexes - fearsome models with two handles.

Sword and ax

The average warrior of the 9-16th century, according to the logic of things, had to skillfully handle a sword. But various military forged axes were in use. With the development of blacksmithing, these weapons were not supplanted by axes, reeds, halberds or the same swords. It was cheap in terms of manufacture and cost.

For forging a sword, shapes are needed, a certain type of steel, and decor will not be superfluous. Converting a tool for a warrior's work is as easy as shelling pears. The sword was taught to wield exclusively nobles, while every second peasant was easily controlled with hatchets.

Cold weapons these days

Currently, the ax is made from forged hardened steel, but it is not used as a weapon. It remains the lot of the hunter - it is used for cutting dry forests or protecting against predators. As a household inventory, the tool is irreplaceable. There are tourist models or climbing ice axes.

In the 21st century, such goods are made to order exclusively by blacksmiths. Moreover, the metal of the correct hardening rings if you click on the blade with your fingers.