A 19th century naval boarding ax

[M ELEY]

Here is what I believe to be a true 19th century private purchase naval boarding ax. I say 'true' because there are many mimics of such things, including fire axes and trench tools for soldiers. My example has a crescent-shaped (bearded) blade with a wicked 4-sided spike, forward/rear facing langets to secure the head, an early lathe-turned haft (based on the top of the haft cross/circle marks) and round eye. I make my argument that this is a legit boarding piece based on forging marks on the head (thus, an earlier piece), langets that are very primitive and awkwardly made ( not machined duplicates) secured by primitive uneven pins (versus screws) and early hand-turned haft. The rounded eye duplicates the British and American patterns while the bearded blade/spike and rear/frontward langets mimic the French patterns. This eclectic mixture of styles could indicate that it is a variant private purchase pattern meant for the Merhcantman ships or privateers during its period of use (perhaps 1810-1840- end of Age of Fighting Sail). It could likewise be from another nation than the typical naval powers at the time (Dutch, British, French, Imperial Russian, American). I have seen an East Indian ax/blunderbus combination weapon of the same period with a near identical ax head. The ax measures 17" long, head is 8 1/2" wide, spike approx 3", cutting edge is 3 1/4".

Boarding axes didn't start to even have set patterns until nearly the beginning of the 19th century. Prior to that, they were basically spike axes descended down from the 'battle ax' pattern of earlier times. Congruent with their development were the spike tomahawks of the fur trade coming into America. Boarding axes were used primarily as tools aboard ship to cut away fallen spars/ropes after a battle or storm damage. The spike end also was useful to pry free any impacted 'hot shot' (red hot cannon balls straight from the furnace fired by land installations into the hulls of ships to set them ablaze). No amount of water buckets could extinguish a molten hot shot, which would smolder and set planking on fire! The ax men would have to run out in the fray and pick at the fiery shot in the hopes of dislodging it and heaving it over the side! Finally, the boarding ax was of course a deadly weapon in combat on the close confines of a ship's deck. Boarding parties of men crossing plank bridges onto an enemy vessel would often carry these type weapons.

Great sources for these include:
Boarders Away- Gilkerson, Indian Tomahawks & Frontiersmen Trade Axes-Hartzler/Knowles, Swords and Blades of the American Revolution-Neumann,
Small Arms for Sea Service- Rankin

And, of course, David's/Cutlass Collector's excellent and definitive page-
http://www.boardingaxe.com/index.html

[shayde78]

Thanks for sharing, Mark. I like the simple, no-nonsense look of this one. A good holiday present for you. I can sense your pulse quickening as you typed the description as these evoke thoughts of salt air and saltier warriors of the high seas. A perfect match for you!

[M ELEY]

Thank you, my friend! Yes, you get it exactly!

[Jim McDougall]

Cap'n, thank you so much for showing this boarding axe, and for the excellent information regarding these tool/weapons. While I have not studied these in any depth, your great presentation has totally piqued my interest (you'd think you were a writer or something! .

The resources you have cited are of course ideal for information on these, but I thought to consult one other, as these once off the vessels, often found their way into trade stations and in degree into American Indian tribal context.
That is "American Indian Tomahawks", Harold Peterson, 1965 (p.140, #312) which is a French boarding axe (as you have described) M1833. Though these were often diffused into the Indian trade, apparently the influence remained present for continued production of such axes for American naval use into the Civil War.

It is so interesting to see the actual utility use in which these were employed, and that the spike was used to dig out 'hot shot' imbedded in the wood of the ship as an incendiary. While I can understand the use of the blade to chop through rigging and broken wood, that dynamic I had not thought of.

[M ELEY]

Thank you, Jim, for your input on this piece. Yes, I had forgotten Peterson's amazing tome on the subject of spike axes/tomahawks. I have wanted a copy of this volume for years, but they are long out of print and I can't afford, like, $800 for a copy!! Thanks for posting a pic of the m1833 French model, which features the bearded blade and front/rear langets like my specimen. That's the interesting thing about naval items; there were 'official' patterns issued to seamen (after 1790's, that is) and there were 'private purchase' items for the merchant class and privateers. Private purchase axes/cutlass/pikes could literally be anything from contemporary surplus items, older stock items from decades before, or primitive blacksmith items/put-together pieces made in small batches custom for what that ship's captain wanted or wished to spend. You rarely see this kind of mishmash of items with the exception of Spanish colonial, American Revolutionary War pieces and CW Confederate items. I understand some collectors shy away from these types, but I for one love them for that exact reason. They are one-off, unique in a sense and many seriously border on the level of folk-art!

[bvieira]

Hello,

I disagree with that being a 19th naval axe, either the design or the even the stick seems old enough, for me is clearly a 20th century axe, it can be a fireman's or something else, it's not something new so I will consider before 1950.

Sorry but this is my honest opinion.

Regards,

Bruno