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Norse style Scramaseax courtesy Sarge.
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Ferrous Wheel - ignore this thread
- Thread starter Daniel Koster
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Hmmmm, about a 5 1/2 inch handle of wood and brass, 10 1/2 inch blade just a skosh over a 1/4" thick (16" total at about an ounce an inch), with a "double edged sword of Shiva". I'd buy one of those if Keith'll engrave the runes on it
Thanks Dan, let's see what our Norseman friend has to say about this
Sarge
Thanks Dan, let's see what our Norseman friend has to say about this
Sarge
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I ignored the thread as you can see.
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Thanks for ignoring it Uncle Bill, the "fish" has yet to take the bait. For others who might also be ignoring, here's a link to far better representations of the knife style in question than my hasty sketch portrays http://www.regia.org/scram.htm
Sarge
Sarge
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(this is the one I like...but you probably already knew that...
)
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Here's one in action - blocking opponent's blow...
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from http://www.angelcynn.org.uk/warfare_wargear.html
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Scramaseaxes
Another relatively cheap weapon used during the sixth and seventh centuries was the single edged knife - the scramaseax. Scramaseax is a term covering a wide variety knives from small eating knives to large combat weapons. For the sake of simplicity, the term scramaseax shall only be used to describe the weapon in this section. The typical scramaseax of the Migration period, as found on the Continent, is about 8 - 14" (20 - 35 cm) long with an asymmetrical tang. Large scramaseaxes do not appear in England until the latter part of the Pagan period, with the earlier types generally having blades of about 6-10" (15-30cm) in length. The guard is generally insignificant, or even non-existent, but many of the early scramaseaxes had decorative pommels, often boat-shaped or lobed. By the ninth century very long scramaseaxes start to appear, more a single edged sword thab a knife. The blades of these scramaseaxes are between 22 - 32" (55 - 80cm) long and very heavy, capable of delivering a horrendous cutting blow. This type of scramaseax is probably the type referred to as a langseax (O.E. 'long-knife) in contemporary sources.
Two basic forms of scrameseax were in use in England. The Germanic type has almost parallel edges, with a sharply angled back. A single narrow fuller sometimes runs down one side, or rarely both sides, of the blade, just below the back. This type is not usually seen any earlier than the seventh century. The Merovingian type has a more curved form, and often has one or more fullers on both sides of the blade. This type first appears in England during the later fifth century, reaches a peak in the sixth century, and is gradually replaced by the Germanic type in the seventh and eighth centuries. Both types have blades of triangular section. Handles were usually of horn or wood.
Scramaseaxes were carried in a leather sheath at the warrior's thigh and the sheath was suspended from the belt by means of a series of small bronze loops. Some scramaseax scabbards appear to have been made of leather covered wooden laths, in a manner similar to sword scabbards. Many scramaseax scabbards have decorative chapes.
Scramseaxes are found in around 5% of the Anglo-Saxon burials that contain weapons.
------------------------------------
Scramaseaxes
Another relatively cheap weapon used during the sixth and seventh centuries was the single edged knife - the scramaseax. Scramaseax is a term covering a wide variety knives from small eating knives to large combat weapons. For the sake of simplicity, the term scramaseax shall only be used to describe the weapon in this section. The typical scramaseax of the Migration period, as found on the Continent, is about 8 - 14" (20 - 35 cm) long with an asymmetrical tang. Large scramaseaxes do not appear in England until the latter part of the Pagan period, with the earlier types generally having blades of about 6-10" (15-30cm) in length. The guard is generally insignificant, or even non-existent, but many of the early scramaseaxes had decorative pommels, often boat-shaped or lobed. By the ninth century very long scramaseaxes start to appear, more a single edged sword thab a knife. The blades of these scramaseaxes are between 22 - 32" (55 - 80cm) long and very heavy, capable of delivering a horrendous cutting blow. This type of scramaseax is probably the type referred to as a langseax (O.E. 'long-knife) in contemporary sources.
Two basic forms of scrameseax were in use in England. The Germanic type has almost parallel edges, with a sharply angled back. A single narrow fuller sometimes runs down one side, or rarely both sides, of the blade, just below the back. This type is not usually seen any earlier than the seventh century. The Merovingian type has a more curved form, and often has one or more fullers on both sides of the blade. This type first appears in England during the later fifth century, reaches a peak in the sixth century, and is gradually replaced by the Germanic type in the seventh and eighth centuries. Both types have blades of triangular section. Handles were usually of horn or wood.
Scramaseaxes were carried in a leather sheath at the warrior's thigh and the sheath was suspended from the belt by means of a series of small bronze loops. Some scramaseax scabbards appear to have been made of leather covered wooden laths, in a manner similar to sword scabbards. Many scramaseax scabbards have decorative chapes.
Scramseaxes are found in around 5% of the Anglo-Saxon burials that contain weapons.
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Ker-snap! Bait taken. Pen, I'll send my pics of the scram i decorated.
"I'd buy one of those if Keith'll engrave the runes on it"-Sylv
I would be honnored to etch a runic inscription on these, along with the linked Thurs rune pattern (looks like a line with teeth and parallels the cutting edge). An etch followed by copper inlay would be really cool.
The Thurs rune was used in English into the 1500's called "Thorn" and related to the "Eth" character. It symbolized destructive force, and some believe that it is a pictogram of Mjollnir, the magical hammer that thor uses to trash etins (giants, elemental forces. Like the demons that Indra fights. Indra and Thor are both called "Thunderer" in the Rig Veda and Prose Eddas respectively). Thus the line of 'thorns' along the blade are kinda like magical incantations to make the blade cut with more destructuve force. I assume the Sword of Shiva on khuks is intended to work much the same way.
A typical migration age and viking age inscript would be (for Pen)
"Dan Meah" or "Dan owns me" done in the elder futhark. A tiwas or "tiw" rune is almost always present on seaxes and swords, and looks like an upward pointing arrow. It would go on the other side of the blade, pointing towards the blade tip.
The seax I have was handmade by Bob Stine, and is 11"OAL (4" handle, 7" blade) and is 3/16" thick. The steel is a little softer than I'd like, but it etched really good.
The ideal HI Seax would be 4-5 inches in the handle, and 8-16" in the blade, broad and thick. If it came with a karda, that would be a mini-seax, and the chakmak could use the same treatment (or perhaps there would be a two-tined fork or skewer in place of the chak).
My two pence.
Keith
"I'd buy one of those if Keith'll engrave the runes on it"-Sylv
I would be honnored to etch a runic inscription on these, along with the linked Thurs rune pattern (looks like a line with teeth and parallels the cutting edge). An etch followed by copper inlay would be really cool.
The Thurs rune was used in English into the 1500's called "Thorn" and related to the "Eth" character. It symbolized destructive force, and some believe that it is a pictogram of Mjollnir, the magical hammer that thor uses to trash etins (giants, elemental forces. Like the demons that Indra fights. Indra and Thor are both called "Thunderer" in the Rig Veda and Prose Eddas respectively). Thus the line of 'thorns' along the blade are kinda like magical incantations to make the blade cut with more destructuve force. I assume the Sword of Shiva on khuks is intended to work much the same way.
A typical migration age and viking age inscript would be (for Pen)
"Dan Meah" or "Dan owns me" done in the elder futhark. A tiwas or "tiw" rune is almost always present on seaxes and swords, and looks like an upward pointing arrow. It would go on the other side of the blade, pointing towards the blade tip.
The seax I have was handmade by Bob Stine, and is 11"OAL (4" handle, 7" blade) and is 3/16" thick. The steel is a little softer than I'd like, but it etched really good.
The ideal HI Seax would be 4-5 inches in the handle, and 8-16" in the blade, broad and thick. If it came with a karda, that would be a mini-seax, and the chakmak could use the same treatment (or perhaps there would be a two-tined fork or skewer in place of the chak).
My two pence.
Keith
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a. Curved back, curved cutting edge, late fifth to early eighth century;
b. Straight back, curved cutting edge, late fifth to late seventh century;
c. Angled back, curved cutting edge, mid sixth to early eighth century;
d. Curved back, straight cutting edge, early seventh to early eighth century;
e. Angled back, straight cutting edge, late sixth to early eighth century;
f. Straight back in-curved near tip, curved cutting edge, late seventh century.
Overall: 19"
Blade: 13" long, 1 5/8" wide
Weight: 1 lbs.
'Damascus Seax' Blade 10" ; Handle 5"
"This Seax is based on some early examples found in a bog in Vimose, Sweden."
Blade: 11" Overall: 17 1/2"
6inch blade.
Stag-handles home made, interesting shirt bgrnd.
Blade Length - 29.5"
Overall Length - 35.25"
Balance - 6.5" from guard
CoP - 20" from guard
Weight - 2lb 7.8oz
And now for my all time fave, its an oldy but a goody:
Note the blade says "Sigebreht (silver rectangle) Meah (gold)" . Means "Sigebrecht owns me" Nice reverse montage on the flowers, too. The guy was a master craftsman.
Keith
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..for this:
4"handle, 7" blade. handle elk antler, carved and pin decorated. blade etched and gilded with gold and copper. The blade in its unadorned state is made by Bob Stine.
Keith
4"handle, 7" blade. handle elk antler, carved and pin decorated. blade etched and gilded with gold and copper. The blade in its unadorned state is made by Bob Stine.
Keith
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Pen, who's skills far surpass mine, has offered to do a CAD drawing of the proposed knife. Note in my rough sketch, the handle has a distinctly "khukri'ish" flavor, minus the rings. I will gladly carve the wooden model based on the final sketch, I do have some fair skill in that area.
Understand, with all the troubles going on in Nepal, a new knife project is not something I want to be part of burdening Uncle Bill with. Still, it would be nice to have everything lined up for when conditions in Nepal settle down and become more normal. I'm hoping that happens soon, not necessarily because I'd like to propose a new knife.
Sarge
Understand, with all the troubles going on in Nepal, a new knife project is not something I want to be part of burdening Uncle Bill with. Still, it would be nice to have everything lined up for when conditions in Nepal settle down and become more normal. I'm hoping that happens soon, not necessarily because I'd like to propose a new knife.
Sarge
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I guess we can continue to wish and shelve the project until things are receptive to new venutres.
And I continue to wish...
keith
And I continue to wish...
keith
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^^^
Thought this thread deserved a new breath of life into it...
Anyone else?
Thought this thread deserved a new breath of life into it...
Anyone else?
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YUP!!!
Sarge
Sarge
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Sarge,
Ain't nothing special ,jast a large Warnclif!
jim
Ain't nothing special ,jast a large Warnclif!
jim
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Jim, the Scramaseaxe's attraction for me lies in the fact that to the Norse and Anglo Saxon folks of around 600 to 1000 A.D. it served the same function as a bowie knife of the American frontier, or a khukuri in Nepal. All purpose tool and weapon of the common man. The romantic/hollywood image of the middle ages is that everybody carried around swords and daggers. The plain truth is ordinary folks couldn't afford such expensive items and made do with a plain old knife.
To have a knife that would have been carried by my ancestors, forged and assembled in a manner very similar to the originals, now that's something I can get excited about.
I know you were just teasin' Jim, but I felt obliged to explain why I'd like to have one of these built at Bir Ghorka.
Sarge
To have a knife that would have been carried by my ancestors, forged and assembled in a manner very similar to the originals, now that's something I can get excited about.
I know you were just teasin' Jim, but I felt obliged to explain why I'd like to have one of these built at Bir Ghorka.
Sarge
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Sarge,
Pullin your chain!! Yup! Like the blade always have but I like them smaller ,like a Snody folder or a Ronin by Spyderco! Anything as BIG as you request ,for me would be a K!Not knocking your historical choice but liking the K better!But yeah now that you are home ,safe & sound,"you are fair game" you THAT EVIL RUS,& "all" THE OTHERS!bWAAAA!
JIM(THE SAINT,MAY ,JUST BE A SLIGHT FABRICATION)
Pullin your chain!! Yup! Like the blade always have but I like them smaller ,like a Snody folder or a Ronin by Spyderco! Anything as BIG as you request ,for me would be a K!Not knocking your historical choice but liking the K better!But yeah now that you are home ,safe & sound,"you are fair game" you THAT EVIL RUS,& "all" THE OTHERS!bWAAAA!
JIM(THE SAINT,MAY ,JUST BE A SLIGHT FABRICATION)
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I'm still ignoring but good stuff and good pix.
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Interestingly enough I watched a documentary a while back that had several Scramseaxe being used.
I was really impressed with the Scramseaxe being used in a historical setting!!!!
I would definitely like to have one as they were portrayed!!!!
For the life of me I couldn't tell you what the name of the doc' was.
Just that it's been on recently and on the History, Discovery Channel or the like as that's about all I watch, besides the Food
Channel. 
I was really impressed with the Scramseaxe being used in a historical setting!!!!
I would definitely like to have one as they were portrayed!!!!
For the life of me I couldn't tell you what the name of the doc' was.
Just that it's been on recently and on the History, Discovery Channel or the like as that's about all I watch, besides the Food
Channel.
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Yvsa,
Back then warfare was a bloody and brutal business. Nowadays warfare is still a bloody and brutal business, but what the public gets is sifted through the filter of CNN until it's more sterile and businesslike.
The other day a young paratrooper stepped on a land mine in eastern Afghanistan. All the media had to say about his injuries was that they were not "life threatening". How nice for him that he was probably only maimed or crippled. Sorry about going off on a tanget Yvsa, but I really hate land mines, and don't have much higher regard for media pukes.
Sarge
Back then warfare was a bloody and brutal business. Nowadays warfare is still a bloody and brutal business, but what the public gets is sifted through the filter of CNN until it's more sterile and businesslike.
The other day a young paratrooper stepped on a land mine in eastern Afghanistan. All the media had to say about his injuries was that they were not "life threatening". How nice for him that he was probably only maimed or crippled. Sorry about going off on a tanget Yvsa, but I really hate land mines, and don't have much higher regard for media pukes.
Sarge