Middle Earth Ranger Forum

You may have seen this ax in some of my pics before. It has never caused a firestorm of comments and I personally think it needs more work. Anyway, I have some pics and I want some opinions about the changes I am proposing. Do you have any ideas? Please share.

Now, the pics:
http://www.ranger.budgetauthenticity.or ... itemId=399

So, tell me what you think.

Hmm, and now I start playing with the gallery to see if I can get thumbnails instead of addresses.

Ummm I like it, the only thing I thought was alittle off was that it is tilted up some what. The flat back hammer side could come in handy. I think it would look good if you edge come to more of a point at the bottom (kinda like this)
https://www.museumreplicas.com/p-544-ba ... e-axe.aspx


It really reminds me of this https://www.museumreplicas.com/p-1145-m ... s-axe.aspx


Sorry I'm not much help I like it and I don't know how I never noticed it before.

You're right about the upward tilt. I noticed it when I was reviewing the pics. It mush have happened when I cut on that mimosa tree in the back yard just before the photos were taken. I haven't checked yet to see how secure the head is since I did that little bit of cutting, but I will definitely have to check it out. Flying axe heads are no fun.

As for bringing the head to more of a point, I have two other axe heads in my line of sight as we speak that I never did anything with. Perhaps one of those could be made to look like what you are talking about.

Eric, I think it looks fine. I actually messed around in photoshop with it, but my ideas didn't improve it. I think if I were going to do anything to it, I would try etching some Celtic and/or Elvish patterns into the metal, or else carving some patterning into the handle. That is, if I actually knew how to etch metal! I do agree though, that the head looks loose. Wilrett has a point about the flat back coming in handy, both for crushing orc heads and pounding in stakes, but the spike back would definitely make it look more wicked!

I'm all about the hammer poll, man. Panday's axe is still my fav of all time, certainly, and the hammer poll is precisely why I love it so much. Since you've got a cutting edge on one end, I'm not sure how useful a chisel on the other end of this axe would be. However, if you wanted to make it into a point for punching through plate, I could justify that alteration in my head.

Greg: It would be a point. Unfortunately, my drawing isn't 3-dimensional.

Kaelln: Etching, hmm. That's an option. I need to play around with etching since my bladesmithing is taking me toward pattern welding anyway. That axe head would be a good test piece.

Where did you get that axe in the first place? I like the shape and it is definitely what I would like to add to my equipment.

It is a regular woodcutting axe from Ace Hardware. It was used at the mill where I work and the handle broke. It was just as cheap to replace the whole axe as it was to replace a handle. So it was about to be thrown away. I grabbed it up. I used an angle grinder to cut it to its current shape.

I have two more here that I have yet to do anything with. All three have a different starting shape.

Y'all have encouraged me to go to work on them and see what I can come up with.