How to make a Vitus axe- tutorial.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:23 am

First aquire a side of leather. I use a Tandy product called "shield and armor bends" which are actually just sole bends- I consider them useless for anything except axe heads. Make sure your side is EXACTLY 1/4" in thickness.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:28 am

Next you have to design some axe heads. there are two types. The first type is a less-decorative type that works well with early-period axes. Draw your pattern on posterboard, and then trace it again on another piece of posterboard, except adding about 1/2" on the end. This extra leather will act as a tang. Heads are made of four pieces of leather; two pieces cut out from version #1 of your pattern, and two cut out from version #2 of your pattern. Here is an example of a pair of axe-head patterns I use.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:28 am

Here's another set for the belt axe I make.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:30 am

When you lay them over each other you can see the difference between the two- the tang becomes apparent. Two tang pieces make up the inner layer, and two shorter pieces make up the outer layers- one on each side of the inner pair.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:32 am

Now trace out a buncha axe heads on your leather. Two short pieces and two long pieces for each head. Group them together with letters or numbers written clearly on each.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:32 am

Here are some hammer heads for the backs of the Crecy/Poitiers model and for the poleaxe I make.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:33 am

Start cutting out the little bastards- BE CAREFUL.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:34 am

I'll continue the tutorial on the next sunny day I get.

Amanda M · Post by **Amanda M** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:52 am

Sure you start this AFTER I made my poleaxe.

Baron Eirik · Post by **Baron Eirik** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:10 am

Sir Vitus has mastered the ancient art of Ti Ming

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:42 am

I like this! Thank you!

Jofthepeace · Post by **Jofthepeace** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:43 am

crappit...now I might have to buy some leather to make a long hafted axe to match the back-up one I got on order through him

waveicle · Post by **waveicle** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:06 pm

Thanks for sharing your techniques, big help with my current time allowences for fun.

-W

aidanhroarsson · Post by **aidanhroarsson** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 3:10 pm

*sitting patiently taking notes*

Oswyn_de_Wulferton · Post by **Oswyn_de_Wulferton** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 3:37 pm

As passably relevant, I have found the easiest way to cut said thick as cr*p leather is to score out big chunks with a knife and do all the fiddly bits on a bandsaw, using a blade designed for finish work (lots of teeth). Scroll saws work as well, but I find the up and down motion of the blade means it is harder to control the leather, compared to the bandsaw continually shoving the piece down onto the cutting table.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 6:43 pm

I use a bosch jigsaw- one step. No scoring needed.

Ulrich Halfdan Ulfsson · Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:44 pm

The suspense is killing me...... Thank you for posting this tutorial.

Keegan Ingrassia · Post by **Keegan Ingrassia** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 12:52 pm

*sings hopefully* Sunny days are here again...?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 3:28 pm

I'm going to fix up that poleaxe of mine with this tutorial and it will look SMASHING!

And...make some more poleaxes. Poleaxe is fun!!

Tomburr · Post by **Tomburr** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 3:56 pm

Sir Vitus, can you post a pic of one of your poleaxes, so we can see the primary blade's shape?

I fully intend to make one.

Thomas MacFinn · Post by **Thomas MacFinn** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 5:26 am

Tomburr, I believe I can help with that.

And the axe that started this tutorial (or one like it)

Thomas MacFinn · Post by **Thomas MacFinn** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 5:28 am

Vitus von Atzinger wrote:I'll continue the tutorial on the next sunny day I get.

Given the weather here lately, that might be a while.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 12:07 pm

After cutting out axe heads for two solid hours, it's time to glue the heads together! I use Barge Infinity cement.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 12:09 pm

Remember, it doesn't make any difference about whether the flesh side or the polished side of the leather is coated with goo- all that matters is that the heads line up as correctly as possible.

Now start gluing up some weapon heads!

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 3:01 pm

Then you glue up even more axeheads!

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 3:02 pm

Then you glue up even more axeheads.

herrhauptmann · Post by **herrhauptmann** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 3:10 pm

I think I can see why you had to do this part outside.

GodfreyTheVigilant · Post by **GodfreyTheVigilant** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 6:56 pm

I cant wait to try and make one of these

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 8:49 pm

WHEN IT STOPS RAINING I will post another batch of tips.

GodfreyTheVigilant · Post by **GodfreyTheVigilant** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:17 pm

I think all your rain in Kentucky is traveling the mountains up straight into Pennsylvania. Been pumping out basements at work for 3 days now. Thanks for the tutorial by the way, Fun stuff

Gunthar · Post by **Gunthar** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 1:37 pm

So I take it you are gluing the four pieces together but leaving the tangs unglued to wrap around the
haft?

Keegan Ingrassia · Post by **Keegan Ingrassia** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 4:44 pm

Gunthar wrote:So I take it you are gluing the four pieces together but leaving the tangs unglued to wrap around the
haft?

Nnnno. He'll cut a hole in the rattan and fit the tang into it.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:08 pm

Here comes more steps!!

Thomas MacFinn · Post by **Thomas MacFinn** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:15 pm

Vitus von Atzinger wrote:WHEN IT STOPS RAINING I will post another batch of tips.

It FINALLY stopped raining here.

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:32 pm

Here we go!

Take a finished axe head and a shaved rattan pole (from Munition Grade Arms) and center the axe head where you want it to be. Then trace around the tang of the head.

How to make a Vitus axe- tutorial.

How to make a Vitus axe- tutorial.

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