The things you do for research, episode 144...

[yakalskovich]

Here is me at the medieval Christmas market today, testing the leverage of an 80 cm battle axe (single-bladed). The bloke didn't have a longer one, but promised he'd have more on the weekend so I can come back, lift them, and swing them around.

Danish Viking axes with 80 cm shafts are for girls; light and with little enough leverage so even I can swing them over my head and look fierce with them. cracicotus actually fled, and nazgulwears seriously considered immediate acquisition of a shield. But I swear, I was harmless! I had perfect control of that thing all the time, even when swinging it. Now, the Frankish francisca, that is something completely different -- much heavier and harder to handle as it was for throwing, even though the francisca they had there had an 80 cm shaft as well. So, my research concludes: the weight of the blade has much more influence on the way an axe handles than the length of the shaft.

More research will follow on Sunday.-

Comments

[anghara13.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that head looks way too small on that shaft...

I thought throwing axes were more balanced so they would fly right and land blade first, although I suspect that had more to do with how you throw them, possibly similar to, but not the same as, throwing knives?

Of course, the only time I used anything remotely axe-like was a hatchet to chop firewood on girl guide camp..... so, um, hardly an informed source here, no...

*grins* but the first line, well, I had to put something in with that right?

[ostro_goth]

Sorry for replying with charrie journal; I'm logged into it at the baker's on the way to work...

The axe isn't even the francisca; it's the Danish all-purpose axe of which I said it was for girls.

And the throwing axe doesn't need balance so much as weight, so when you swing it, it gets hich momentum and flies far...

[anghara13.livejournal.com]

Well, it wouldn't be a good day if I didn't learn something would it?

I'm not entirely sure what I shall do with this new found knowledge, but I certainly shan't go around throwing axes, although, there are some tree sized weeds in my garden that might benefit from me swinging one though....

And I don't mind which journal you reply from hun, it's just nice to hear from you!

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

James was surprised, because he'd thought that a throwing axe would be lighter than a hand axe. I don't know enough to say one way or the other.

You look SERIOUSLY bad-ass in that pic. Woot!

[ostro_goth]

Sorry for pup journal; see reply to Sam above.-

No, it is apparently heavier. And the axe is serious business. Really; but for that, surprisingly easy to handle. Well, I will see on Sunday what the others are like.-