Carriage of Boarding Axes

[Hawkyns]

This may sound like a strange question. Does anyone have any documentation for boarding axes being carried when not actually in a boarding action? And if so, how were they carried? Hawks and hand axes could be carried on belts, on separate slings, or attached to cartridge boxes in the French style. Larger axes were carried in back slings by pioneer units. Has anyone seen anything that resembles a boarding axe in a sheath, belt rig, or sling?

Thanks everyone.

Hawkyns

[Quartermaster James]

Has anyone seen anything that resembles a boarding axe in a sheath, belt rig, or sling?

You mean like the picture of Anne Bonney?

I've seen reenactors carry boarding axes tucked in their belt (had to figure theirs weren't as sharp as mine!)

But historically, no, not me. Would also be interested in sources showing such.

[Hawkyns]

The picture of Anne Bonny is just wrong. For an axe head of that size, the helve would have to be huge to counterbalance it and let it hang like that. And slung loose like that? It would flop all over the place and do more damage to her than to anyone else.

Yeah, stuck in the belt doesn't work so well either. Most boarding axes have a helve somewhere in the 18-24 inch range. I don't see walking around like that for more than a few minutes.

Hawkyns

[Mission]

It never seemed like a thing you would willingly carry unless you knew you were going to need it. (And even then it'd probably be under orders and you'd be as likely to whine about having to carry the extra weight as anything.) While things were different in the 17th/18th centuries, I can't believe this means folks were illogical and insensible. People are people, whenever you go.

[Quartermaster James]

The picture of Anne Bonny is just wrong. For an axe head of that size, the helve would have to be huge to counterbalance it and let it hang like that. And slung loose like that? It would flop all over the place and do more damage to her than to anyone else.

You're preaching to the choir brother!

But, since I've not looked into this before, am interested in further research.

My suspicion is that boarding axes were generally kept in barrels, to be used in action.

Maybe, m-a-y-b-e carried on land when provisioning, in lieu of a hatchet, and then hand carried.

[Badger]

Aha! Finally, a Twiillish thread I can add somethin' to, perhaps! I have no documentation, as in period pics other than th' aforementioned one o' Anne Bonney; however, I HAVE been a 'viking' re-enactor most o' me adult life, an' carried many axes. Several o' the axes I have wielded are right in th' size an' weight limits o' th' boarding axes ye speak of, an' not far off in shape. (I carries a light tomahawk in loops on me baldric, slantwise, as a Buccaneer now.....an it is edge-cased, I can tell ye! ). I never found a 20" +/- haft ta be a problem on me belt, PROVIDED I had it in a close-fitting loop, AND the blade was cased in leather. The backspike on many boarding axes would just make it more secure in th' loop, than a spikeless Norse type. Yer quite right that a sharp axe will HURT ya on yer belt (me arm an' gear gots nicked a time or two, early on) if not cased. This presents no difficulty in use; a 'sharp' axe will cleave right thru its own case if swung with any force, an' ye dont even need ta take th' time ta' uncase it! Th' weight is no more than a cutlass, sometimes less if ye counts th' sheath, an' if ye wants ta carry both, can counterbalance each other. As I say, I have no picture (will look), but as a person 30 years behind th' axe, I guarantee ye if they carried them onshore, they were over th' shoulder OR th' blades were cased!

Many artists would likely have left th' edge-case out; it is more ferocious-looking that way. Just a guess.

[MarkG]

This may sound like a strange question. Does anyone have any documentation for boarding axes being carried when not actually in a boarding action? And if so, how were they carried? Hawks and hand axes could be carried on belts, on separate slings, or attached to cartridge boxes in the French style. Larger axes were carried in back slings by pioneer units. Has anyone seen anything that resembles a boarding axe in a sheath, belt rig, or sling?

Thanks everyone.

Hawkyns

Technically they were tools that were being used as weapons. Since they were improvised weapons, either the pirate would also improvise something to hold it or they would just stick it in their sash. I've done that. It works fairly well. The axe doesn't need to be razor sharp to be a deadly weapon or a usable axe.

Sashes also work for holding belaying pins.

Mark

[Quartermaster James]

Sashes also work for holding belaying pins.

I pity the fool caught taking a pin offa my ship!

[Gentleman of Fortune]

I will agree with the statement that they were considered tools... and may not have been thought of "to carry" around. That is, grab it when you need it, do what you have to with it, then stick it back.

There are very few surviving example from the 1675-1720 period. The ones that we know of that were made for the purpose of being a boarding axe, actually had handles quite long. The Dutch 1675 had a 38" handle, the Swedish Boarding Axe from the 1704 period describes a boarding axe with a 38" handle.

That being said... axes of all types were being shipped to the Americas as trade items with the Indians. One of the wrecks from the periods (the name and date escape me) had barrels full of axe heads. If a pirate seized a ship with axes on board... wouldn't be too hard to acquire one.

I think that the best carry method would be in your belt, for as little time as possible.

The Quarter Master raising an interesting question... If Boarding Axes were ship's equipment, then it wouldn't belong to an individual sailor... of course, pirate ships might be different, but I would imagine that there was still somebody responsible for ships equipment.... They do get paid extra after all.

[Captain Jim]

I have seen period boading axes with belt hooks, indicating carriage on, rather than in, a belt.

[Professor Death]

theres a firefighting museum not too far from where i live, the minute i walked in the front door i knew wot i saw, a large ax with a crescent shaped blade and a spike similar to a spear ax. massive head. the guide said it was from the late 1600s, "specifically made for firefighting". of course i knew better, but didn't try to argue the point. besides bad manners, they probably wouldn't have let me grope the ORIGINAL english boarding ax we see everyone carrying these days. i took pics with the camera phone, unfortunately i can't seem to Do anything with camera pictorials.