Ashokan 2013 blade challenge:Langsaex

sunshadow

sunshadow

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Oct 2, 2006
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As many who have gone to the New England Bladesmiths Ashokan Knife Seminar know, there is often an informal challenge to make some specific sort of knife or related bladed object (examples in the past have been bollock dagger, Gladius, spear, etc.) this year I am proposing a Langsaex (sometimes also called a long scramasax) a single edged viking weapon of short to medium sword length often with a straight edge and a clipped point

items 4-7 in this picture http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.jloose.com/siteimages/langseax.jpg&imgrefurl=http://tinkerswords.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t%3D331%26sid%3D76e2b7b12c9166e3bb62271b9181ac44&h=600&w=800&sz=548&tbnid=9n41HJA7oxfxTM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=120&zoom=1&usg=__e-aeZkXhUcs7f8-Yv-6wT-K2TOk=&docid=N8NHGofqo3RVRM&sa=X&ei=fdT2UYD2Jsnk4APJ-ICIAg&ved=0CC4Q9QEwAA&dur=7018#imgdii=9n41HJA7oxfxTM%3A%3BfVgKcuOmPk-rwM%3B9n41HJA7oxfxTM%3A

http://www.vikingage.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Langseax_Images

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seax

-Page
 
A langseax ( long knife) is a utilitarian tool/weapon and nothing fancy. It can be very rough, or fairly well finished. In no case should it be fancy.

I think it will be a good challenge, as almost anyone with the ability to HT a 14-24" blade can do one.

Some tips:
While not a light sword, a langseax isn't a steel club either. Taper and bevel are important.
While the standard blade shape with large pommel and basic guard are common, almost any form you wish can qualify as a langseax.
Simple works better here. Leather wrapped handle or plain wood. Basic forged and ground blade with few whistles and bells. Simple functional hardware.
Simple mid to lower carbon steel and basic Ht for mid to low Rc50's. 1060 to 1084 in carbon, or 5160 in alloy steels would be good choices.
 
Are you talking about something like this:
236eb319.jpg


Or more like this:
me.jpg
 
You have touched on a subject very close to my heart. I wish I could be there.

Langseax were not tools anymore than a katana is a tool, but pure weapons.
They were often quite fancy, with patternwelding and inlays being common features. One surviving handle is adorned with silver rings.

There are 2 distinct types of sword-knives called langseax, that were distinctly different weapons. One was the single-edged sword, with sword fittings, these were of largely Scandinavian origin. The back/spine of the blade is straight or nearly so. These often had a 'sabre grind' geometry, and had distal taper. The Germanic 'continental' langseax (also found in Britain) did not have sword fittings (no guard, no pommel, I've yet to find one with any sign of even a guard-plate or bolster), and there is good reason to believe they had straight handles approximately 9" long (I've only seen 2 surviving handles). The blade edge was almost straight, with the back of the blade curving down to the edge, or 'brokeback' with the spine being straight for approximately 2/3 the length then angling down to the edge, what could be called in modern terminology a clip-point (but never with a false edge). The blade usually is widest at the clip/break, getting slightly more narrow at the tang/blade junction. The blade geometry for the continental type would be a full-flat grind or slightly convex. The spines were quite thick, one specimen I know of is slightly over 3/8" at the spine. I've had it verified that these typically did not have distal taper to the blades, in fact some get thicker... with the long light-weight handles these typically had, they would handle more like an ax than a rapier.

The seax police have spoken... :)
 
The simple European/Germanic langseax is what I was referring to. I doubt anyone would have time to make a pattern welded, engraved, and fancy fitted Nordic style in the seven weeks remaining until Ashokan. That is what I meant by making them simple. Your description of the Germanic style is good to know. I had seen reproductions with some taper.

As I said, the participants can make them in pretty much any way they wish and it will qualify as a Langseax for this challenge.
 
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