African axe

ggoudie · 24th June 2006, 04:03 PM

Hi guys , need your impute on this one 18 inches long with nice tight zulu type brass wire work .Is this a real weapon ? cheers graeme . ps How do they do the wire work so perfectly ?

Tim Simmons · 24th June 2006, 04:31 PM

love it!! Real weapon? I should coco

Rick · 24th June 2006, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

love it!! Real weapon? I should coco

"coco"

Translation to American is ???

Tim Simmons · 24th June 2006, 05:06 PM

Coco/cocoa: cockney rhyming slang for- say so- for those who may not know, Cockney's are people from London, often said only to be those born within ear shot of the Bow bells. The church St Mary le Bow, on cheapside in the part of London known as the city.

Rick · 24th June 2006, 05:26 PM

Gotcha Tim !

There must be quite a few Cockneys settled in Australia coz they call us Americans Seppos; American = Yank = Tank = Septic Tank = Seppo .

Tim Simmons · 24th June 2006, 05:31 PM

Aussie, come on the socceroo's!!, rhyming slang I believe is called -strine- perhaps we could have that confirmed.

pmacleman · 25th June 2006, 09:09 AM

and

[coppery looking effect on 1st is a photo artefact not real]
Thanks,

Paul

Tim Simmons · 25th June 2006, 09:45 AM

Very nice indeed. They look quite heavy axe blades for a type. I have to join the party with this old one. I have shown it a few times but have not mentioned that it is 40cm long from tip to tip. It has a thick midrib but is over-wise a relatively light weapon made to slash more than chop. The edge is rather ragged and sharp.

I think these axes are a very good use of limited supplies and forging techniques.

Flavio · 25th June 2006, 09:56 AM

Hey Paul, you have two beauties indeed!!! The first axe is quite similar to a sotho axe ,but some features, like the handle and the wire work resembles the swazi's axes isezeze (Tim i think that yours is a swazi one). The second IMO is from Mozambico even if the blade seems shona, but for sure not the handle. VERY VERY NICE!!!

Tim Simmons · 25th June 2006, 10:27 AM

The second axe that Paul post I like in particular, the way the blade and the back of the halft form a circle. Simple but so clever and "tres moderne" like Suprematist design in the 1920s.

pmacleman · 25th June 2006, 10:54 AM

The first shows definite signs in terms of an old bevelled edge of being a sharp useful weapon. The blade is about 30cm tip to tip.

The other shows no obvious signs of being a 'real' weapon having no bevel. The blade on this one is only about 15cm. The two colour wire binding is not done justice by the photo - it is truly spectacular.

Both blades are quite pitted and have a nice patina.

Paul

Lew · 25th June 2006, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggoudie

Hi guys , need your impute on this one 18 inches long with nice tight zulu type brass wire work .Is this a real weapon ? cheers graeme . ps How do they do the wire work so perfectly ?

Hi ggoudie

The wire wrapping looks Shona to me the axe itself does not strike me as Zulu although it might have been traded at one point. My guess is that the axe is Tschokwe if I am spelling it correctly. Here are two examples the top one is Tschokwe and the bottom is Shona.

Lew

24th June 2006, 04:03 PM	#1
ggoudie Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 29	African axe Hi guys , need your impute on this one 18 inches long with nice tight zulu type brass wire work .Is this a real weapon ? cheers graeme . ps How do they do the wire work so perfectly ? Attached Images

25th June 2006, 09:09 AM	#7
pmacleman Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 17	How about these two? and [coppery looking effect on 1st is a photo artefact not real] Thanks, Paul

25th June 2006, 10:54 AM	#11
pmacleman Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 17	axes The first shows definite signs in terms of an old bevelled edge of being a sharp useful weapon. The blade is about 30cm tip to tip. The other shows no obvious signs of being a 'real' weapon having no bevel. The blade on this one is only about 15cm. The two colour wire binding is not done justice by the photo - it is truly spectacular. Both blades are quite pitted and have a nice patina. Paul Last edited by pmacleman; 25th June 2006 at 11:44 AM. Reason: typo

24th June 2006, 04:31 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	love it!! Real weapon? I should coco

24th June 2006, 05:06 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Coco/cocoa: cockney rhyming slang for- say so- for those who may not know, Cockney's are people from London, often said only to be those born within ear shot of the Bow bells. The church St Mary le Bow, on cheapside in the part of London known as the city.

24th June 2006, 05:26 PM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,263	Gotcha Tim ! There must be quite a few Cockneys settled in Australia coz they call us Americans Seppos; American = Yank = Tank = Septic Tank = Seppo .

24th June 2006, 05:31 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Aussie, come on the socceroo's!!, rhyming slang I believe is called -strine- perhaps we could have that confirmed.

25th June 2006, 09:45 AM	#8
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Very nice indeed. They look quite heavy axe blades for a type. I have to join the party with this old one. I have shown it a few times but have not mentioned that it is 40cm long from tip to tip. It has a thick midrib but is over-wise a relatively light weapon made to slash more than chop. The edge is rather ragged and sharp. I think these axes are a very good use of limited supplies and forging techniques.

25th June 2006, 09:56 AM	#9
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hey Paul, you have two beauties indeed!!! The first axe is quite similar to a sotho axe ,but some features, like the handle and the wire work resembles the swazi's axes isezeze (Tim i think that yours is a swazi one). The second IMO is from Mozambico even if the blade seems shona, but for sure not the handle. VERY VERY NICE!!!

25th June 2006, 10:27 AM	#10
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	The second axe that Paul post I like in particular, the way the blade and the back of the halft form a circle. Simple but so clever and "tres moderne" like Suprematist design in the 1920s.