NedFoss 16 inch Viking Tomahawk Axe, Sharp Bearded Axe Gifts for Men, Nordic Viking Hatchet with Hammer and Snap-On Leather Sheath, Beech Wooden Handle Wrapped with Leather Rope Ragnar Axe

I'm a sucker for quality authentic weapons and gear.....this axe practically jumped out and asked me to order it.I don't have a degree in Viking Studies, but I've watched a lot of TV shows and YouTube on the topic and this is smack-on for looking and feeling authentic (to an average person).The head appears to be hand-forged and has a heavily worn finish to it while having a nicely honed edge. The leather sheath holds the axe beard securely and it's built up from some nice heavy leather with the seal directly embossed into it.I'm a little disappointed that the crossing leather wrap on the handle looks great, but feels much cheaper than the rest of the axe and it easily shifts around when you hold it so I'll probably wind up replacing it for some higher quality leather straps.Something I was a little surprised by is the fact that the handle is straight or may even have a slight taper towards the grip so it actually feels like it wants to fly away from you if you swing it very fast. The shape matches many of the axes I've seen online, but I hadn't realized how much less secure it would feel compared to a modern axe handle. Perhaps it was designed that way with the intent of it being potentially used on the battlefield as a throwing axe. That smooth tapered handle would make for a nice consistent release, but it would also make it less useful in hand-to-hand fighting so I think I need to go and do some googling to see what the experts think about the topic.In spite of the handle questions I'm looking into, this is still the coolest axe I've ever seen.From what I can tell, the 6 runes on the head of the axe corrospond to the follwing meanings individually, but I have no idea about what they mean when strung together.Heritage/EstateHail/Storm/AirRaid/Horse/ride/journey/ThorMan/Human/SelfProtection/Shield/ElkTyr/The one handed god/war/justice

Love the sharp heavy blade. The wood and quality is great. Throws like a tomahawk. One thing I think they should have left out or upgraded was the leather braiding. The blade sheath is great too. Just the wrapping is a little low quality. Upgrade that and you have something custom feeling for sure!

I was worried this axe would just be a pretty face with a dull blade, but after spending the better part of an hour gleefully slicing through every box and piece of paper around the house that I could lay my hands on, I can confidently declare this axe to be the ""full package"" - sharp-looking and LITERALLY sharp. I was initially dismissive of the sheath, but have since come to realize that it's a necessity to ensure no one accidentally slices a finger (or paw, in our cat's case) off. Left the axe on the dining room table and turned my back for just a moment, in which time our cat had climbed up onto the table and was inspecting the blade (which was sheathed, thank goodness). I nearly had a heart attack before realizing the blade was safely covered - had it not been, our cat would be down a right paw and a kitty nose.Overall it's a cool-looking axe to have, the leather on the grip is very smooth so I might rough it up with some sandpaper to provide just a little more grip. Heavy but balanced, handy to have around the house and can easily be displayed between use without looking out of place.

1st one had a loose blade. Replacement also had a loose blade.Now this wouldn't bother me much as it's a gift and will most likely be displayed only, but on the bottom of the box it states " Do not use if blade is loose", so I'm guessing it's not supposed to be loose?Extremely Disappointed!

The media could not be loaded. Axe head Was loose wanted something more sturdy. but looks great! Just wished a little more build quality. Thnak You.

The media could not be loaded. Whether you are a Vikings descendant, fan of Vikings shows or just want a really cool looking axe to camp with, this is definitely one to take a look at. Complete with rustic looking blades and text, this axe comes very sharp and can be used to cut or hammer things as needed.It comes with a protective leather cover/sheath as well as leather straps around the main wooden handle and recommendations for keeping the iron from corroding over time.

[DISCLAIMER: My review features modifications to the original design of the product. This may void the "limited lifetime warranty" from the manufacturer. Modify at one's own risk and expense!]The Viking Tomahawk Axe from NEDFOSS is a good looking tomahawk, but will require some finishing touches to be a reliable and functional tool for fieldwork. For the ~$60 price point, the money is more for the presentation of the axe than actually chopping and splitting with it. The runes stamped onto the cheek loosely transcribed from the ancient norse elder futhark = "O H R M Z T" (according to valhyr.com).The 1055 steel and beech wood handle are not the "best choice" of materials for a tool of this price but are average performers. The leather for the sheath is authentic but the leather strips used to wrap the handle are faux leather. There are 4 brass pins used to secure the leather strips to the head and handle.The first thing I did to the tomahawk out of the box was check the handle/eye security. 1 strike of the handle to the floor and the head came loose, only being held in place by the leather and brass pin. At this point I went ahead and began my improvements: removed the pins > removed the head > shave/sand the handle where the eye connects to the head > re-attach head and verify fit > re-wrap the handle.After reconfiguration, the head sits higher and securely on the handle and now has a good overstrike/handle wrap. The weight of the tomahawk is heavy for its size so it will chop/split/hammer well but fatigue can set in quickly, especially after a good trek.Overall, I'd recommend other options for a functional tool out-of-the-box, but if you are just looking for a presentation piece to place on display this is probably a good option out-of-the-box.