Hi,
I 've been pondering the question of whether the axe head is upside down or not. I have come to several observations that may suggest that perhaps for some horsemen the 'inverted' axe head may be an advantage. If this was an axe used by a foot soldier, he would need all the advantages of the design to aid function and penetration, so without a doubt the head would be set the other way round. However a horseman wielding an axe would have a number of advantages....first of all the forward momentum of the horse travelling at , say 20 -25 mph ...if the horseman just held out the axe it would strike a foot soldier at the same speed ..... without any effort other than the 'effort' to hold the axe. It would be similar to an 3 to 4lbs of sharp steel flying through the air at 20 mph or so...not something I would want to be on the receiving end of. Secondly as the horseman is elevated above head level of the 'ground troops' the arc of the axe strike is longer and can therefore generate more power before it strikes its target (usually the head). Thinking along those lines ... the penetration of the blade edge would be deeper.....making retrieval more difficult for the horseman...perhaps to the extent that the rider may have to 'let go' the axe for fear of being pulled from his mount. If the axe head was fitted 'upside down' ...I think the retrieval of the axe might be easier.
Regards David
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