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Socketed axe
Original
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Found: Unknown (Netherlands?)
Age: app. 1000BC |
Model
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The model used to make the mould is made from clay and sand. |
Mould
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The mould is made from fired clay and sand. It exists of two halves and a core. This core also forms the casting opening, where the bronze flows in to the mould through channels in the core. One half of the mould was broken during firing, but by binding the parts together, the mould was still useable. |
Casting result
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The bronze wasn't entirely liquid, so to few came into the mould. One of the shoulder ridges is missing, and the eye isn't complete. Nevertheless it's a great casting, so I decided to finish and use it anyway. |
Finished axe head
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| Only 4 to 5 hours later the axehead was finished. There was very little flash, and no mismatch, so the finishing was very easy. The cutting edge is hammered and ground sharp. The rest of the axe has been polished a bit to bring out the metal color. The core is removed using a bronze awl. Finally I hammered the eye a bit more closed, so I can still used it to fix the axehead to the haft. | |||
Complete axe
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For the haft I've used a hazel branch with side branch. This has been finished using a bronze chisel and knife. The axehead has been fixed by a leather string. As weapon this light weight makes it very quick. For chopping wood, it works quite well. Naturally it will take more hacking then with a heavier axe. |