One of our most popular items has an upgrade for 2022. It still has the classic lines of the original axe excavated in the Norwegian province of Nordland and the custom made hickory haft with a kick out at the base of the grip. Now it is made with a higher carbon steel and will have the edge hardened on each axe. This norse tool and weapon has been a mainstay for many reenactors for years, especially useful around the camp. But we have had others tell us how much they love the axe for not only camping but yard work, throwing and even some that have been used for trail maintenance in National parks.
Check out our original spotlight video on the excellent axe here.
Our axe is a Peterson Type C style head with a pronounced hanging beard, fairly flat top, and slightly curved cutting edge. This form of axe is seen from pre Roman times through the entire middle ages and beyond. It is a sturdy design that takes quite a bit of abuse. The head is coated in a very tough black paint to combat corrosion and facilitates use in rough conditions.
Nordland Axe in use in Hurstwic Viking research and training
The best part of this improvement is the price is the same for the Nordland Viking Axe from Arms & Armor Inc. While we make several axes and they have many fans this is our most popular axe. It might be time to get your axe on.
Nathan Clough, Ph.D. is Vice President of Arms and Armor and a member of the governing board of The Oakeshott Institute. He is a historical martial artist and a former university professor of cultural geography. He has given presentations on historical arms at events including Longpoint and Combatcon, and presented scholarly papers at, among others, The International Congress on Medieval Studies.
Craig Johnson is the Production Manager of Arms and Armor and Secretary of The Oakeshott Institute. He has taught and published on the history of arms, armor and western martial arts for over 30 years. He has lectured at several schools and Universities, WMAW, HEMAC, 4W, and ICMS at Kalamazoo. His experiences include iron smelting, jousting, theatrical combat instruction and choreography, historical research, European martial arts and crafting weapons and armor since 1985.