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Duckbill axe cast & finished!
Topic Started: Jan 22 2012, 03:59 PM (1,996 Views)
Luciën Olinga
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1/12 scale statue man
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I miss at least cherry and turkish walnutwood, I can't believe they didn't use that aswell.. maybe even beech..
I would say that it would be with wood the same as with silk or spices, the more 'exotic' the more status it will get you.
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Jeroen Zuiderwijk
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Here's the second duckbill axe finished. It's got more imperfections in the cast. This is due to the lead, it prevents the bronze fusing as well as lead-free bronze (Neil has the same experience as I remember). Although it has less copper in it then the first, it's more red in color, with an interesting silvery hue to it.

Posted Image
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Yves Goris
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my axe arrived today. :D

i love it although it also made other errors visible from my other axe :angry: (the akkadian axe i bought 2 years ago from Neil).

i saw that this axe was made with a (don't know to call it exactly) wedge on top to stop it from falling of the handle. did they already knew this? i've seen it with the franks (i've got 2 francisca's) but i did not know it was known during the bronze age. if so, i think i'm going to start all over again with the akkadian axe.

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Matthew Amt
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Lucky guy, Yves!! Yeah, that's the problem with this hobby--every time we get something better, it makes the older toys look bad! It's the same when I make my own stuff. The bar is always getting higher....

Sweet work, Jeroen!

Matthew
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Jeroen Zuiderwijk
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Yves Goris,Feb 1 2012
12:05 PM
my axe arrived today. :D

i love it although it also made other errors visible from my other axe :angry: (the akkadian axe i bought 2 years ago from Neil).

i saw that this axe was made with a (don't know to call it exactly) wedge on top to stop it from falling of the handle. did they already knew this? i've seen it with the franks (i've got 2 francisca's) but i did not know it was known during the bronze age. if so, i think i'm going to start all over again with the akkadian axe.

The wedge is speculative, but a logical option. The haft should either get smaller towards the top, so you can slide the axehead on from the top, or smaller to the bottom so the haft goes on from the bottom. With the first option you need a wedge to secure it. The wedge also helps compress the wood, so during use the wood doesn't compress so much under the metal which would make it come loose quickly. I've not seen any such shaft hole axes with preserved hafts up close from the bronze age to see if they had a wedge. I know one stone battleaxe from the iron age in my country that has bits of metal hammered in to serve as a wedge (as well as in a decorative pattern). The wedge is a simple technique, and only takes a few minutes to make and insert, after which the head is stuck very firmly (if done properly of course).
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Phil Melhop
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Hi Guys
finally obtained a piece of ash from which to make a haft for the axehead I bought from Jeroen. If I use a wedge to secure a normal axehead it is normal to "lock" the wedge with a smaller iron wedge driven in at right angles to the wooden wedge, is this an OK way to do this(can make and use a copper locking wedge or even just copper nails)
Are there any of these axes with the end of the haft intact? if so where?
Thanks
Phil
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Jonathan Hopkins
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In late December I purchased Dan Howard's excellent book Bronze Age Military Equipment and became intrigued by Bronze age weapons. After lusting after Neil Burridge's work I stumbled across a classified for the duckbill axe made by Jeroen Zuiderwijk. It seemed like it would be a unique piece to own so I decided to wait on buying from Neil (I will do it one day!) and contacted Jeroen about his axe. He hafted it for me and it arrived this afternoon. It is a big departure from my usual interests, but I really like it! Jeroen included a nice note with more information about the axe and its materials;

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Some information: the blade is made from an alloy of copper and ~13% tin.  The edge is work hardened.  The haft is ash, and treated with linseed oil.  The leather is made by a colleage and is naturally tanned.


I have attached a few hasty phone pics of the axe in hand, with some lovely Wisconsin snow in the background.

Jonathan
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Jonathan Hopkins
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I want to add that I am very happy with the axe. It is extremely well made and hafted, and I would recommend Jeroen and his work to anyone interested in a quality Bronze Age replica.
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Attachments: 20140211_160710.jpg (131.47 KB)
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Todd Feinman
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Jeroen made a real beauty for you! Congratulations Jonathan, it is splendid indeed. :) and even the leather is naturally tanned?!
I love the suit coat and pinstripe shirt too! What a surreal juxtaposition, and then the snow too :P
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Attachments: 20140211_160725.jpg (131.24 KB)
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Jonathan Hopkins
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Todd Feinman,Feb 11 2014
11:33 PM
Jeroen made a real beauty for you! Congratulations Jonathan, it is splendid indeed. :) and even the leather is naturally tanned?!
I love the suit coat and pinstripe shirt too! What a surreal juxtaposition, and then the snow too :P

Thanks, Todd! One's hands and wrists must be presentable when posing with historical weapons! :D

I couldn't be happier with the axe. You can ask my wife, who doesn't bat an eye at me as I walk around the house holding it!
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Matthew Amt
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Congrats! I seriously envy you. A wife who understands (or at least tolerates!) is a treasure, as well.

Welcome to the madness!

Matthew
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Jonathan Hopkins
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Thanks, Matthew! Since making the purchase I have been enjoying your website and thinking about what sort of shield would have been paired with this type of axe (and what other weapons, for that matter). I wonder if this would have been a sidearm or a primary use weapon?

I am lucky--my wife knew about my affliction for a long time before we even started dating, so it is normal to her!
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Jonathan Hopkins
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Sa'ar Nudel from myArmoury linked to this great image. Note the axe being carried by the archer in the bottom left. He said;

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There is a famous wall painting from the Beni Hasan tombs in Egypt, showing a caravan of Hyksos or Semites. The first person on the lower left appears to be carrying some sort of an axe, usually referred to as the only period depiction of a Duck-bill axe, but this may well be an Egyptian tanged axe.


http://edoc3.bibliothek.uni-halle.de/lepsi...ge/02041330.jpg
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Dan Howard
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It is a neat illustration but I can't see how anyone could interpret that as a duckbill axe.
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Jonathan Hopkins
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Dan,
How would you interpret the image? A tanged axe?

Thank you,
Jonathan
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Matthew Amt
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Oh! That threw me for minute--I thought the black part was the head, but the head is sticking down *behind* his hand. He's carrying the axe backwards. Yeah, I'd call that a tanged axe.

Hey, cool--the men have sandals but the women are all wearing shoes! The Eyptians are barefoot. Love the harp and the spear tied to the donkey, too.

Matthew
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