Was the Seax Really a Viking Weapon?

The seax has become so closely associated with the Vikings that it now appears alongside axes, round shields, and longships in countless modern depictions of the Norse world. Archaeology confirms that people in Viking Age Scandinavia really did carry seaxes, including examples large enough to blur t…

Why Is the Karambit Blade Curved?

The karambit looks almost as if someone took an ordinary knife and deliberately bent the blade into a claw. That distinctive curve is so closely associated with the weapon that even a silhouette is usually enough to identify it. But the shape was not created simply to make the karambit look intimida…

Why Are Some Chinese Swords So Flexible?

Watch a modern Chinese martial arts demonstration and you may see a sword blade bend so dramatically that it seems almost impossible for it to be made of steel. Some blades ripple during fast movements, flex deeply with surprisingly little pressure, and spring back into shape as though they were des…

Why Are Throwing Axes Shaped Differently from Fighting Axes?

At first glance, a throwing axe and a fighting axe seem to have the same basic job: put a sharpened piece of metal on the end of a wooden handle. Look closer, however, and the differences begin to reveal two very different design problems. An axe meant to stay in the hand can be built to maximize re…