Counter Weighting an Axe?

[Eric Marino]

Hello all, I feel this is as good a place one could ask this question. I seem to remember reading in a book about how some axes were counter weighted. I can't find this information now and when I looked for more I couldn't find any good information on axes made for war. There is plenty of info on swords both good and bad, but frustratingly little for any other weapon. I think that an axe made for war would be balanced closer to the handle than the head for optimal control over the weapon while maintaining sufficiently lethal weight behind the head. I feel that the axe suffers from the same misinformation that swords did as heavy edged clubs. To be clear, I am not referring to those axes which served as work tools as well. I am speaking of axes made only with the intent to be used as a weapon.

Thank you for your time.

[nathan featherstone]

well from my experience with irish weapons. some fighting sticks were bored in the end and filled with lead to counter weight the lead weight club end. but most axes i know of were not the head wad enough and it was more down o handle design than anything else. sticks were restricted due to there organic properties but axes can have any handle you wish.
just to clarify it the axes i have used ranging in all sizes and various periods tend to be some of the fastest striking weapons i know. the heads on single handed ones are often small and do great damage and the two handed ones are usually but not always very well balanced. hope that helps any other questions just ask there are others on here much more knowledgeable than i.

[Stacy Clifford]

The battle axes I've seen tend to have thinner blades than a typical wood axe, which would make them lighter and more maneuverable, but the whole advantage of an axe over a sword is that it has its mass concentrated at the end, allowing it to hit harder and bite deeper than a more evenly balanced weapon. It's the same reason you would rather chop logs with an axe than a machete. Battle axes can get away with thinner blades because people are somewhat easier to chop than wood, so less mass is required to do the same job, and you get the added bonus of a weapon that is less tiring to wield than a regular axe or hatchet.

[robrobertson]

Try holding the axe about halfway up the grip with your thumb extending towards the head on the back of the haft. It feels a little odd at first, but increases speed and makes it easier to do a "pommel smash". You do lose range and the full benefit of the head, but there are times it can be handy.

Just another option...

[Doug Marnick]

I know this doesn't answer your question, but it may be of some interest to you. Also, there are a few threads posted that refer to the axe. Browse through Search results and good luck.
http://www.thearma.org/spotlight/NotesLEJEUDELAHACHE.htm
BTW, Stacy, very funny use of the word "somewhat".