A fictional axe: is it real-world based?

lordraphael · 2nd September 2005, 02:15 PM

I'm sorry I'm still bothering everybody...

About the (fictional) axe shown in picture (link somewhere above), I'm trying to translate a piece of Japanese text which literally appears to say it's a "ONE-something AXE", or a "SINGLE-something AXE"... or a "ONE FOLD -something AXE", or even more literally a "ONE/SINGLE/ONE-FOLD STRIKE AXE"... All of which doesn't really make any sense to me.
I thought it might just mean "one-edged", but then I discovered the Japanese usually say it another way.
The way it says "one" is a word normally reserved for counting thin, sheet-like items (such as paper, leaves, etc.)
The wording is similar to an expression which means "carved from a single piece" (of wood, etc) - an expression also used when speaking of knives, but I don't know what it really means about a knife.

Help me out and get a free cup of coffee (next time you get by my place, here in Italy)!

____
Raffaele

Mark · 2nd September 2005, 02:29 PM

Hi Raffaele,

I doubt that I can help, but I tried the link anyway, and it appears to be dead.

Mark

VANDOO · 2nd September 2005, 03:29 PM

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA AS TO THE SIZE OF THIS AXE? IF IT IS FAIRLY LARGE IT WOULD APPEAR TO HAVE A GRIP DESIGNED FOR TWO HANDS. THE ONE SIDE WOULD ACT AS A BLADE WITH THE SIMULAR TYPE STRIKE AS A PHILIPPINE PANABAS OR IF STRIKING WITH THE PICK LIKE END THE STRIKE WOULD PIERCE ARMOR OR PERHAPS COULD BE USED TO PULL SOMEONE OFF BALANCE OR HOOK A SHIELD. THE BACK EDGE COULD BE USED FOR A MACE OR CLUB TYPE OF STRIKE. THE HANDLE FORM ALSO LOOKS MORE PRIMATIVE THAN NORMAL JAPANESE WEAPONS, REMINDS ME OF SOME HANDLES MADE FROM A HUMAN FEMUR.

PERSONALLY I DOUBT THAT IT IS BASED ON A TYPE OF JAPANESE WEAPON UNLESS IT WAS SOME TYPE OF TOOL MODIFIED INTO A MAKESHIFT WEAPON. IF THAT IT IS THE CASE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE ONE OF A KIND, WHICH IS A DEVICE OFTEN USED IN STORY TELLING THE HERO ALWAYS HAS SOME STRANGE WEAPON DIFFERENT THAN EVERYONE ELSE AND CANNOT BE DEFEATED. THESE KIND OF THINGS ARE INTERESTING BUT MANY TIMES WERE NOT REAL BUT LEGENDARY WEAPONS.
THE SECOND LINK HE PUT IN IS STILL WORKING IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT MARK.

fearn · 2nd September 2005, 04:09 PM

Hi Raffaele,

Another possibility is that the term "ONE/SINGLE/ONE-FOLD STRIKE AXE" refers to how it was made. As we know, katanas were made from folded steel, and there are articles elsewhere on the vikingsword site that discuss the various types of folded/patterned steel.

Under this interpretation, the axe was simply forged from a single piece of (presumably perfect) steel, without the complex composition seen in many blades (or for that matter, in other axes). In real life, single-piece forging is not necessarily a good thing. European axes, for instance were often made by mating a hard steel edge (to cut with) to a soft steel back (to take the force of impact without shattering).

Does this help?

F

lordraphael · 2nd September 2005, 05:14 PM

Vandoo:
it states the axe is "not large, but quite heavy". I see the character wields it(mostly) as a one-handed weapon. It's longer than the wielder's shoulders are wide (he's not a large man) and longer than his forearm, but shorter than his arm. And yes, the "scythe-like" seems to be its (primary or only?) striking edge - as you people pointed out about the Nepalese kora.
And I agree it's not a Japanese weapon at all...
Man, this really looks like a clumsy weapon... I guess the only reason its been drawn that way is to show how cool the character is, defeating swordsmen DESPITE that terrible weapon he wields...

Fearn:
of course this helps, a lot. "Axe made from a single piece of steel"? BTW, it doesn't matter whether it's a good thing or not, as long as it makes it stand out as different from Japanese swords or other weapons in the comic (most of which are more sophisticated).
Now I wonder about the real-life knife-makers... Would "single-piece forged" be a good thing to say about a kitchen knife?

R.

2nd September 2005, 02:15 PM	#1
lordraphael Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Italy Posts: 7	I still need help with the axe... I'm sorry I'm still bothering everybody... About the (fictional) axe shown in picture (link somewhere above), I'm trying to translate a piece of Japanese text which literally appears to say it's a "ONE-something AXE", or a "SINGLE-something AXE"... or a "ONE FOLD -something AXE", or even more literally a "ONE/SINGLE/ONE-FOLD STRIKE AXE"... All of which doesn't really make any sense to me. I thought it might just mean "one-edged", but then I discovered the Japanese usually say it another way. The way it says "one" is a word normally reserved for counting thin, sheet-like items (such as paper, leaves, etc.) The wording is similar to an expression which means "carved from a single piece" (of wood, etc) - an expression also used when speaking of knives, but I don't know what it really means about a knife. Help me out and get a free cup of coffee (next time you get by my place, here in Italy)! ____ Raffaele

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2nd September 2005, 02:29 PM	#2
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Hi Raffaele, I doubt that I can help, but I tried the link anyway, and it appears to be dead. Mark

2nd September 2005, 03:29 PM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA AS TO THE SIZE OF THIS AXE? IF IT IS FAIRLY LARGE IT WOULD APPEAR TO HAVE A GRIP DESIGNED FOR TWO HANDS. THE ONE SIDE WOULD ACT AS A BLADE WITH THE SIMULAR TYPE STRIKE AS A PHILIPPINE PANABAS OR IF STRIKING WITH THE PICK LIKE END THE STRIKE WOULD PIERCE ARMOR OR PERHAPS COULD BE USED TO PULL SOMEONE OFF BALANCE OR HOOK A SHIELD. THE BACK EDGE COULD BE USED FOR A MACE OR CLUB TYPE OF STRIKE. THE HANDLE FORM ALSO LOOKS MORE PRIMATIVE THAN NORMAL JAPANESE WEAPONS, REMINDS ME OF SOME HANDLES MADE FROM A HUMAN FEMUR. PERSONALLY I DOUBT THAT IT IS BASED ON A TYPE OF JAPANESE WEAPON UNLESS IT WAS SOME TYPE OF TOOL MODIFIED INTO A MAKESHIFT WEAPON. IF THAT IT IS THE CASE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE ONE OF A KIND, WHICH IS A DEVICE OFTEN USED IN STORY TELLING THE HERO ALWAYS HAS SOME STRANGE WEAPON DIFFERENT THAN EVERYONE ELSE AND CANNOT BE DEFEATED. THESE KIND OF THINGS ARE INTERESTING BUT MANY TIMES WERE NOT REAL BUT LEGENDARY WEAPONS. THE SECOND LINK HE PUT IN IS STILL WORKING IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT MARK.

2nd September 2005, 04:09 PM	#4
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Hi Raffaele, Another possibility is that the term "ONE/SINGLE/ONE-FOLD STRIKE AXE" refers to how it was made. As we know, katanas were made from folded steel, and there are articles elsewhere on the vikingsword site that discuss the various types of folded/patterned steel. Under this interpretation, the axe was simply forged from a single piece of (presumably perfect) steel, without the complex composition seen in many blades (or for that matter, in other axes). In real life, single-piece forging is not necessarily a good thing. European axes, for instance were often made by mating a hard steel edge (to cut with) to a soft steel back (to take the force of impact without shattering). Does this help? F

2nd September 2005, 05:14 PM	#5
lordraphael Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Italy Posts: 7	Vandoo: it states the axe is "not large, but quite heavy". I see the character wields it(mostly) as a one-handed weapon. It's longer than the wielder's shoulders are wide (he's not a large man) and longer than his forearm, but shorter than his arm. And yes, the "scythe-like" seems to be its (primary or only?) striking edge - as you people pointed out about the Nepalese kora. And I agree it's not a Japanese weapon at all... Man, this really looks like a clumsy weapon... I guess the only reason its been drawn that way is to show how cool the character is, defeating swordsmen DESPITE that terrible weapon he wields... Fearn: of course this helps, a lot. "Axe made from a single piece of steel"? BTW, it doesn't matter whether it's a good thing or not, as long as it makes it stand out as different from Japanese swords or other weapons in the comic (most of which are more sophisticated). Now I wonder about the real-life knife-makers... Would "single-piece forged" be a good thing to say about a kitchen knife? R.