A fictional axe: is it real-world based?

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, 04:09 PM	#1
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	#2
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.