A group of axes

kronckew · 1st March 2013, 06:43 PM

yes, it's really a ciupaga, didn't think y'all would know that distinction. from the latter half of last century. the ciupaga has the distinctive shaped head & decorated haft. (my granny was from the area)

(Slovak: valaška, Hungarian: fokos, Polish: depending on region - ciupaga, rabanica, uobuszek, cekanka, Czech: valaška, Romanian: baltag, Ukrainian: бартка, топірець)

so is this one.

this is a proper fokos from budapest, hungary:

the fokos is more utilitarian. this one has a pattern welded head.

the same smith also made the head for the small poll axe in this view: it has an inserted damascus edge. i decided it would be happier as a camp axe/tomahawk rather than a fokos.

and a HC steel fokos/warhammer head i'm currently hafting. i designed it, he made it.

the greenish one has a small bronze axe head, from the balkans.

anyway, also known in english as a 'shepherd's axe'

broadaxe · 1st March 2013, 07:23 PM

I liked the last one (hammer head). Have a bunch of fokos myself. Have you seen the current production "tactical fokos" by United Cutlery? http://www.knivesanddefensedepot.com...nse/UC2905.jpg

M ELEY · 1st March 2013, 08:17 PM

Wow! Glad I resurrected this old thread! I didn't know the difference between ciapaga versus the fokos, the latter of which I'd heard of. I especially like the bullova, an ax used by the Wild Tribes in the Chotta Nagpur region of India. Always thought of getting one for a conversation piece! Thanks for posting the pic of that Brit fire ax. Here, we can see the general pattern of the evolved boarding ax as a fire tool, but with a thinner blade and spike. Appreciate it, gents!

kronckew · 1st March 2013, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadaxe

I liked the last one (hammer head). Have a bunch of fokos myself. Have you seen the current production "tactical fokos" by United Cutlery? http://www.knivesanddefensedepot.com...nse/UC2905.jpg

they also make an anti-zombie 'tactical' spear (in stainless-yuck!). just saw that one tonite on another forum, same 'ninja' guy with the balaclava.

kronckew · 2nd March 2013, 11:20 AM

more along the lines of this forum,
here is how my latest 3 fokos heads were made in hungary:

Youtube: Fokos Making

His forge is made to closely match a real medieval design. this is about as close as you can get to the real thing. his heads are (mostly) based on historical designs. i see he's added my warhammer design to his product list on his website

it's sort of historical

fernando · 2nd March 2013, 12:22 PM

This is not a smith, but a Mister Smith

1st March 2013, 06:43 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	yes, it's really a ciupaga, didn't think y'all would know that distinction. from the latter half of last century. the ciupaga has the distinctive shaped head & decorated haft. (my granny was from the area) (Slovak: valaška, Hungarian: fokos, Polish: depending on region - ciupaga, rabanica, uobuszek, cekanka, Czech: valaška, Romanian: baltag, Ukrainian: бартка, топірець) so is this one. this is a proper fokos from budapest, hungary: the fokos is more utilitarian. this one has a pattern welded head. the same smith also made the head for the small poll axe in this view: it has an inserted damascus edge. i decided it would be happier as a camp axe/tomahawk rather than a fokos. and a HC steel fokos/warhammer head i'm currently hafting. i designed it, he made it. the greenish one has a small bronze axe head, from the balkans. anyway, also known in english as a 'shepherd's axe' Last edited by kronckew; 1st March 2013 at 08:00 PM.

1st March 2013, 07:23 PM	#2
broadaxe Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 334	I liked the last one (hammer head). Have a bunch of fokos myself. Have you seen the current production "tactical fokos" by United Cutlery? http://www.knivesanddefensedepot.com...nse/UC2905.jpg

1st March 2013, 08:17 PM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,141	Wow! Glad I resurrected this old thread! I didn't know the difference between ciapaga versus the fokos, the latter of which I'd heard of. I especially like the bullova, an ax used by the Wild Tribes in the Chotta Nagpur region of India. Always thought of getting one for a conversation piece! Thanks for posting the pic of that Brit fire ax. Here, we can see the general pattern of the evolved boarding ax as a fire tool, but with a thinner blade and spike. Appreciate it, gents!

2nd March 2013, 11:20 AM	#5
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	more along the lines of this forum, here is how my latest 3 fokos heads were made in hungary: Youtube: Fokos Making His forge is made to closely match a real medieval design. this is about as close as you can get to the real thing. his heads are (mostly) based on historical designs. i see he's added my warhammer design to his product list on his website it's sort of historical

2nd March 2013, 12:22 PM	#6
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	This is not a smith, but a Mister Smith