What is the best axe for a Foreign Legionnaire?

[UffDa]

What is the best axe for a Foreign Legionnaire?

These are the pioneers, also called sappers. Les Pionniers de la Légion étrangère

 

[Someone1]

I feel sorry for the poor bastards standing in opposition to these men.

The handles look like crap on these axes, though. You'd think they'd be the best, ceremonial or not.

 

[hank_rearden]

"This is my axe and this is my gun!
This one's for chopping, this one's for fun!"

 

[Kevin Houtzager]

X

 

[LEGION 12]

Weren't these things just for shows, and actually made out of aluminum and fairly blunt?

Nope they are sharp and ready to go .

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

I know Foreign Legion was created in 1831, but even before that time, pioneer units were indispensable. I read somewhere that survival rate among pioneers was very low. Axemen were first to storm wooden obstacles. During Battle of Waterloo guys with axes chopped wooden gate and actually got inside the walls of strategic Chateau d'Hougoumont.

 

[Kevin Houtzager]

X

 

[LEGION 12]

Where does that state so in the video? I don't see them cutting anything? Most of them are just for parades. One other thing strikes me as odd though: How come the use an American pattern?

What makes you think that's a American pattern ? Like all the weapons they carry they are clean and polished and ready to go ceremonial or not .

 

[Lapedog]

Big respect to these men and the Legion Etrangere. I think it is wise of France to have a military unit like this.

 

[Kevin Houtzager]

X

 

[Danke42]

I was an assault pioneer and a Regimental Pioneer with the whole leather apron, beard, beaver hat and ax gig. Rifle Regiment though so it was all black leather.

The parade axes were hard chromed. Those axes in the vids and pictures are working axes. In some of the pics the edges are clear to see.

Ax patterns cross oceans. First axes in the Americas were carried over from France, England and Spain. They were copied and modified and those changes evolved the other others.

Along with the explosives and chainsaws and the dozer blades on 113s we had axles and shovels too; got real handy with them.

 

[bdcochran]

I was in Paris and watched the 2012 parade. Very impressive. Retired and restore/modify knives/hatchets/axes/swords. Those are working axes, not wall hangers. If NOT concerned with display, I would recommend the following modifications. A first wrap of electrician's tape on the handle. A second wrap of tennis racket tape. Then you are not concerned about wearing gloves or getting splinters. The wrap also absorbs some of the shock. The next modification is to drill a hole through the axe about 1 inch from the end and slope the entrances of the hole on both sides of the handle. Then have 550 cord or leather cord through the hole to hang the axe. In the field or in the barracks, you don't want to put an axe on the ground. I assume that they have sheaths for the axes.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Where does that state so in the video? I don't see them cutting anything? Most of them are just for parades. One other thing strikes me as odd though: How come the use an American pattern?

Why a North American pattern ?
Probably because they're smart

 

[UffDa]

A couple more pictures.

These look a bit different.

This one looks more ceremonial ⬇︎

Maybe their axes are Swiss.

 

[Agent_H]

A couple more pictures.

These look a bit different.

...

 

[Kevin Houtzager]

X

 

[Agent_H]

Could the Grenadier have something along these lines?

 

[Kevin Houtzager]

X

 

[Agent_H]

I don’t know who got to have facial hair but is the nub on the end used for anything?

 

[Kevin Houtzager]

X