14th C Axes

[Stonedog]

I am looking for information on plain axes of the mid-14th C England.

I am not looking for something that is a "war axe". What I am looking for is something that is handy in the woods for shelter building, camp fire wood and butchering deer.

I want a quality axe that is not just something for show. This is a tool that will see actual period use...

I also want an overall length of 19-20" or so....even if it is just the head and I need to re-helve.

I am also willing to take a modern axe and modify it to shape...I also carry a buck saw blade wound up in a belt pouch....I can make a buck saw in the field if I need to cut a lot of wood...

Ideas?

 

[gabrielsdad]

Speak to Dave budd on here or someone with similar skills.

 

[Toddy]

I agree, talk to Dave Budd ( a member on here, and an archaeologist who specialises in blacksmithing) or Geoffrey Pietters (eceniron)
https://www.armamentaria.com/store/...ath=22&zenid=6fb70cfe4e48ab97c875f12fb428ba85

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Jomo]

did they have polls on the 14th century Axes? i thought this was a relatively new concept that greatly improved the efficiency of the Ax and I wouldn't want one without it

 

[robin wood]

I am looking for information on plain axes of the mid-14th C England.

I am not looking for something that is a "war axe". What I am looking for is something that is handy in the woods for shelter building, camp fire wood and butchering deer.

I want a quality axe that is not just something for show. This is a tool that will see actual period use...

I also want an overall length of 19-20" or so....even if it is just the head and I need to re-helve.

I am also willing to take a modern axe and modify it to shape...I also carry a buck saw blade wound up in a belt pouch....I can make a buck saw in the field if I need to cut a lot of wood...

Ideas?

Out of interest how much do you want to spend and how bothered by authenticity are you? I doubt you'll find any "modern axe" that is anywhere near a decent replica of a 14th c axe and did they have buck saws then? As others have said Dave Budd would help or Hector Cole but don't expect a good period replica to be cheap.

 

[Stonedog]

Buck Saws are definitely period...that I am sure of.....shows up in a lot of period carpentry pictures and inventories...

 

[abominable_scouse_monster]

Another vote for Dave, his work is astounding.

 

[robin wood]

Buck Saws are definitely period...that I am sure of.....shows up in a lot of period carpentry pictures and inventories...

My impression though I could be well off was that saws of all kinds became common after rolling mills came in. Without flat plate it is a sod making a saw. I'd be interested to see some pics or inventory refs if you had them to hand.

 

[JAG009]

My impression though I could be well off was that saws of all kinds became common after rolling mills came in. Without flat plate it is a sod making a saw. I'd be interested to see some pics or inventory refs if you had them to hand.

Saws have been used as far back as 3000 bc

 

[robin wood]

Saws have been used as far back as 3000 bc

It is true that the Egyptians had copper saws but that does not mean that saws have been in continuous common usage everywhere ever since. As an example in 1998 I visited excavations at Novgorod in Russia which has the largest assemblage of worked medieval wood from any European site dating from 975ad through to 1600 I did not see a single saw cut. All the cross cuts on the log cabin style buildings and all the smaller woodware were done with axes not saws.

 

[JAG009]

It is true that the Egyptians had copper saws but that does not mean that saws have been in continuous common usage everywhere ever since. As an example in 1998 I visited excavations at Novgorod in Russia which has the largest assemblage of worked medieval wood from any European site dating from 975ad through to 1600 I did not see a single saw cut. All the cross cuts on the log cabin style buildings and all the smaller woodware were done with axes not saws.

Most of the early saws were used to rip wood as cross cutting was to hard on the teeth of the saws of the time ,and cuts were still finished of with axes as a smother finish was given with an edge tool

 

[robin wood]

Most of the early saws were used to rip wood as cross cutting was to hard on the teeth of the saws of the time ,and cuts were still finished of with axes as a smother finish was given with an edge tool

I think we will have to agree to disagree on that one. Apologies for thread diversion.

 

[JAG009]

I think we will have to agree to disagree on that one. Apologies for thread diversion.

Eh! ok

 

[Toddy]

We have finds of saws from Egyptian, Roman, Viking and Medieval sites.
How common they were I don't know. I suspect that as useable metal most were simply used for other things once past their functional life.

In lands where timber is abundant there's a different kind of architecture....like the huge wooden farm buildings of the continent. In the UK though we have buildings like the Cruck frame and wattle and daub hurdle infills, with the homes of the wealthy lined with panel moulding....the original trade of the joiner

In effect I'm saying that you are both right, but it's case specific.

The Romans had water powered sawmills (they cut both marble and timber with them) and by the late 1200's we know of them working in Europe, so certainly predating the rolling mills, but again, how common they were, or how available to the ordinary working man, I don't know.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Stonedog]

So.....as to my original question......ideas?

 

[Toddy]

Sorry to take your thread on a detour, Stonedog.

Our best advice is to contact at least one of the three gentlemen we mentioned.

Dave Budd
http://www.davebudd.com/ironageblacksmith.html

Geoffrey Pietters
https://www.armamentaria.com/store/i...75f12fb428ba85

Hector Cole
www.hectorcoleironwork.com/

 

[Stonedog]

NO Worries! The by play was well worth it!