This is my Viking axe:

I wanted a Viking style axe to go with my Viking style sword. I actually more wanted a bearded axe, but all such axes I could find in stock had laser etched Norse designs on the blade. As cool as the various knotwork designs were, they were all obviously laser etched, and that just didn’t feel authentic. Having said that, I think the leather strap work on this one might not be all that authentic, either. But I do feel there’s a difference between adding real leather straps to an axe handle, and using a laser beam to etch designs. The leather straps could have be added in its historical time period; the laser etching, not so much.

The axe head on this doesn’t look much different from a modern wood axe from the side view. But the head is a bit thinner than a wood axe head to reduce the weight. I may eventually replace this with a more Vikingy-looking bearded axe (if I can find one without the laser etching).

This axe is 24.5 inches long, and weighs 2.5 pounds. This weapon isn’t as nimble as a sword of equal weight. This weight (all at the far end) prevents quick redirection and skillful use. With a shield in one hand, and this axe in the other, yeah, a strong warrior could hack through some enemies, but it wouldn’t take long to really wear out your arm stamina. A bearded axe would probably be lighter, even with the same length of blade.

It seems pretty well made — the axe head is firmly attached, and the leather stripping hasn’t moved or come loose even with quite a bit of handling. I haven’t seen historical images with cross-stitched leather straps like this, but whether historical or not, it is useful. The edges of the leather straps gives me better grip on the handle. I do like it, and I’m fine with it on my Wall of Awesome.

The Old Adventurer