Boarding Axe

[Pete G.]

I have acquired a head for a boarding axe, similar to a spiked tomahawk.  The eye is square, but with rounded corners, similar to a modern hammer. I need to build a handle, but I don't know what these would have looked like. Were handles tapered from the bottom and the head slid up the shaft like a tomahawk, or were they fitted to the head and wedged, like a regular axe? Also, how long would the handles have been? I'm sure these things could have been rehafted in all kinds of ways, but I would like to have some idea of what to do before I just dive right in and spend time making something that never would have been.

[Ky-Flinter]

Were handles tapered from the bottom and the head slid up the shaft like a tomahawk, or were they fitted to the head and wedged, like a regular axe?

Hi Pete,

I don't know how Boarding axes were made back in the day, but the answer to what type of handle you can use may be in the axe head itself.  Is the eye tapered, smaller at the bottom and larger at the top?  It would need to be to use a tomahawk style handle. 

-Ron

[Elnathan]

Are you familiar with this book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0917218507/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2AFHL0PNKF998&coliid=I12MWFJD21E8F5

That might have the answers you seek. Be aware that there is also a volume 2 dealing with firearms if you try to get it through your local library.

Neumann, in Swords and Blades illustrates an 18th century British version and says that the handles were listed as 3.5 feet but the surviving examples are all around 20" - from my own experience I can say that 20' is a very practical length for small axe/tomahawk. Neumann doesn't say anything about how the handle was fixed to the head, but his example looks like it is held on by two rivets through the side straps (languettes).

[old george]

Pete,
 Boarding/battle axes came in all shapes and sizes see the following for examples.  http://www.thepirateslair.com/9-naval-boarding-ax-pike.html

geo

[sonny]

I have a copy of a boarding axe an always wondered if it would be correct for rev war reenactment?.........sonny

[old george]

Sonny, every navy in the world carried boarding/battle axes if portraying a sailor of the rev war go ahead. Check with your unit?

Geo

[T.C.Albert]

I seem to recall that the use of "langlets" or strips of iron that guard and strengthen the handle near the eye were generally incorporated on boarding axes too?
tca

[sonny]

old George, I am in a militia unit, an was asked by unit commander about the axe. I told him I took the axe from a loyalist soldier during a battle....can you give me a better description of what I could say how I got it?.....sonny

[davec2]

I would say, "Don't know where the other fellow got it, but it came into my possession when he died... suddenly."

[sonny]

davec2............he he he..........I guess nobody could argue with that!.....sonny

[old george]

Can't do any better than DaveC's answer Any Brit landing party may have had a sailor armed with an axe. a deserter/impressed seaman might have absconded with a ship's axe.

geo