Handmade Viking Axe with Hand-Engraved Carbon Steel Head, Viking Runes & Emblem, Damascus Top Piece, Wood Handle & Leather Sheath

This handmade Viking axe is a bold, hand-engraved piece inspired by the bearded axes of the Norse world. The wide crescent head is hand-forged from carbon steel and carries detailed hand engraving on both sides. One side of the head is engraved with Viking runes, and the other side carries a Viking emblem: a coiled serpent-dragon figure set inside a ring of runic letters. Both sides are framed by flowing scrollwork, and every line is cut by hand, so no two axes look exactly alike.

On top of the head sits a Damascus steel piece decorated with rune-style engraved lines and Norse patterns, which adds a layered, finished look to the axe. The handle is made from natural wood and is wrapped with black leather near the head and laced with black leather further down the grip. Brass pins run along the wood and the butt of the handle, giving a strong contrast with the dark leather and the warm wood tone. A leather sheath is included to protect the head and make storage, carrying, and display easy.

• Hand-forged carbon steel axe head with a wide, curved cutting edge
• Hand-engraved Viking runes on one side of the head
• Hand-engraved serpent-dragon emblem with a runic ring on the other side
• Damascus steel top piece with engraved rune-style patterns
• Natural wood handle with black leather wrap and lacing
• Brass pins set along the handle
• Leather sheath included

The Serpent Emblem and Viking Animal Art

Stylised animals, and especially serpent-like beasts, run through almost all of Viking Age art, which is dated from about 790 to 1100 AD. Over those centuries Norse craftsmen worked in a series of styles, from the gripping beasts of the Oseberg period to the Mammen style, where a great beast fights a snake, and the Ringerike and Urnes styles, which are known for their looping, intertwined snakes. These animals were carved on ships, wooden objects, stones, and weapons, and the Oseberg ship burial even contained posts topped with carved animal heads. In Norse myth the best known serpent is Jörmungandr, the Midgard Serpent, said to circle the whole world and to face the god Thor at Ragnarok. A coiled serpent in a ring of runes carries that tradition of Norse animal art and myth, and the runic ring ties the emblem to the written language of the Norse.

A Short History of the Viking Axe

The bearded axe, known in Old Norse as skeggøx, was in use as early as the 6th century AD and is most closely linked with the Viking Age, roughly the late 8th to the early 11th century. The extended lower part of the head, called the beard, gives a wide cutting edge without making the head too heavy, and it could also hook onto a shield or weapon. Swords were costly and mostly owned by wealthy warriors, while axes were far more common. A Viking axe was a daily tool for cutting timber, building and repairing ships, and working on the farm, and it was also a trusted weapon in battle. This axe is inspired by those historic designs and is made as a collector and display piece.

To keep the carbon steel head in good condition, wipe it dry after handling, apply a light coat of oil, and store it in its leather sheath in a dry place.