Viking Axes: Types, History and How to Choose a Norse Axe

Quick answer: the axe was the most common Viking weapon, because nearly every Norse household already owned one for work. The main types were:

• the one-handed bearded axe (skeggøx), with an extended lower blade
• the broad-bladed Dane axe, a long two-handed battle axe
• smaller hand axes used as both tools and weapons

This guide covers the history and types of Viking and Norse axes, how they were forged and how to choose a handmade Viking axe today.

Contents

1. Why the axe was the Viking weapon
2. Types of Viking axe
3. How Viking axes were made
4. Famous Viking axes
5. How to choose a Viking axe today
6. Caring for a carbon steel axe
7. FAQ

Why the axe was the Viking weapon

Swords were expensive in the Viking Age and were mostly carried by wealthier warriors. Axes were everywhere: almost every farm needed one for chopping wood and building, so a farmer could carry one into a fight. Battle axes were also lighter and faster than most people imagine. Surviving heads show they were well balanced rather than huge, and the curved edge concentrated a blow enough to cut through shields, helmets and mail. That is why axes appear so often among Viking weapons found in graves and battle sites.

Types of Viking axe

The bearded axe (skeggøx)

The bearded axe is the classic Viking axe shape. The lower part of the blade extends down below the head into a "beard". This gives a long cutting edge for little weight, lets the user hook an opponent's shield or limb, and leaves room to grip the haft just behind the head for close work and carving. Most bearded axes had a haft short enough to use one-handed with a shield.

The Dane axe (long axe)

The Dane axe is the great two-handed Viking battle axe. It has a broad, thin, crescent-shaped blade on a long haft, often well over a metre. It became the signature weapon of elite warriors in the late Viking Age, and Anglo-Saxon housecarls famously used it at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, as shown on the Bayeux Tapestry. Its reach and cutting power made it one of the most feared weapons of the age.

The hand axe and broad axe

Everyday Viking hand axes were compact tools that could also be used as weapons. Broad axes (breiðøx) with wider, crescent-shaped blades grew more common later in the period. Axe-head shapes varied a lot by region and century, and archaeologists classify dozens of types.

Did Vikings use throwing axes?

The best-known throwing axe of the era, the francisca, was a Frankish weapon. Vikings could throw an axe in a pinch, but there is little evidence that dedicated throwing axes were a standard Viking weapon. Today, Viking throwing axes are mainly used in the sport of axe throwing.

How Viking axes were made

Viking smiths worked with iron and steel, both of which were valuable. Their techniques included:

• Folding and welding: many axe heads were folded around a form to create the eye (the hole for the haft) and forge-welded shut.
• Steel edges: a strip of harder steel was often welded on to form the cutting edge, which held a far better edge than iron alone.
• Light heads: heads were surprisingly thin and light. A surviving 12th-century axe weighed only about 770 g (1.7 lb).
• Wooden hafts: hafts were usually made of ash or oak.

Modern handmade Viking axes follow the same idea, using a forged high-carbon or Damascus steel head on a hardwood haft.

Famous Viking axes

• The Mammen axe: found in a rich Danish grave from around 971. It is covered in silver inlay and gave its name to the Mammen art style.
• Ragnar Lothbrok's axe: the axe carried by Ragnar in the TV series Vikings, which made it famous worldwide. Our Ragnar Lothbrok Viking axe is inspired by it.
• Mythic axes and hammers: Norse mythology is full of named weapons, and Thor's hammer Mjölnir is the most famous. See our Thor Viking hammer.

How to choose a Viking axe today

First decide: display, outdoors, or both?

• For a wall piece, choose detailed carving and engraving.
• For camp and trail, choose a compact, lighter axe like the Valkyrie axe, which is 18 inches overall and built for hiking and camping.

Choose the steel:

• High-carbon steel is tough and easy to sharpen, for example the forged carbon steel Norse axe or the ancient black axe.
• Damascus steel adds a layered pattern, as on the Damascus Viking axe. Read our Damascus steel guide to learn more.

Choose the design:

• Runic heads, such as the Othala carved axe.
• Wolf motifs, such as the Fenrir wolf axe.
• Norse god engravings, such as the Nordic Gods axe.
• The double-headed axe on an ash haft makes a dramatic centrepiece.

Look for:

• a forged, full-steel head
• a solid hardwood haft
• a leather sheath to protect the edge

See every Viking axe for sale in our Vikings and Norse legends collection or the full axe collection.

Caring for a carbon steel axe

• Wipe the head clean and dry after use, then apply a light coat of oil to prevent rust.
• Rub boiled linseed oil into a wooden haft a few times a year so it doesn't dry out or crack.
• Keep the edge in its leather sheath, and store the axe somewhere dry.
• Sharpen with a puck stone or file, following the existing bevel.

FAQ

What axe did Vikings use?

Mostly one-handed bearded axes and general-purpose hand axes. In the later Viking Age, elite warriors also used the two-handed Dane axe.

What is a Viking axe called?

In Old Norse, an axe was an øx. A bearded axe was a skeggøx and a broad axe was a breiðøx. In English, the long two-handed type is called the Dane axe.

How heavy is a Viking axe?

Lighter than most people expect. Many battle-axe heads weighed well under a kilogram, which made them quick to swing.

What's the difference between a bearded axe and a Dane axe?

A bearded axe has a short haft for one hand and a blade that hooks downward. A Dane axe has a long haft for two hands and a wide, thin, crescent-shaped blade.

Are your Viking axes functional?

Yes. They are handmade from forged steel on hardwood hafts, so they can be used outdoors or displayed. Check local laws before carrying one in public.