The Viking seax is a very large fighting knife which most warriors would have carried. Seax is a short sword that was used primarily during the early part of the Viking era. It's a one handed single edged weapon. Hilts were made of wood, bone, or horn.
Did Vikings use seax knives?
Deeply rooted in Scandinavian history, the seax, aka “scramasax” or “sax,” was the blade shape of choice for the much feared and revered Vikings. Typically the Norsemen were associated with their famous axes, but, truth be known, they also carried a knife that saw more general use.Dec 3, 2019
How big is a Saxe knife?
around 15 inches
How long is a seax knife?
A large knife with a blade length of 18cm (7") or longer possibly used in combat. For longer Seaxes over 30cm (12") see Langseax and for Scandinavian combat knives see Norse Style Knives.
What is a Saxe knife used for?
Usage. Although it is mainly used as a close combat weapon, it is balanced for throwing and can be used in unison with the throwing knife in the double knife defense. It can also be thrown hilt first to stun an enemy.
Is a seax a dagger?
In modern archaeology, the term seax is used specifically for a type of small sword, knife or dagger typical of the Germanic peoples of the Migration period and the Early Middle Ages, especially the Saxons, whose name derives from the weapon.
What makes a seax knife?
The Seax or Sax, and several variations, is an old English or Anglo Saxon word for knife. Among the defining characteristics of these knives is a single cutting edge and a whittle or rat-tail tang, usually without a bolster or pommel (although there are examples with both).
What are seax knives good for?
Emerson says the seax also could be employed as a self-defense weapon if needed. It was truly a blade for all seasons: Harvest produce in the morning, fend off the enemy after lunch, and then prepare supper in the evening—all with the same blade!Dec 3, 2019
What is seax knife?
Seax (Old English pronunciation: [ˈsæɑks]; also sax, sæx, sex; invariant in plural, latinized sachsum) is an Old English word for "knife". In heraldry, the seax is a charge consisting of a curved sword with a notched blade, appearing, for example, in the coats of arms of Essex and the former Middlesex.
How is a seax worn?
Did Vikings use the seax?
The type associated with Vikings is the so-called broken-back style seax. The smaller knife-like seaxes were likely within the fabrication ability of a common blacksmith. The Seax was in widespread use among the Migration period Germanic tribes, and is even eponymous of the Saxons.
What were seax used for?
The weight distribution behind a single sharp edge meant the seax could be particularly effective for hacking at trees and branches, as well as skinning animals, and severing limbs. As such, the seax was a weapon that combined the attributes of a sword and an axe.