Lochaber axe DIY

[Carolina Kiltman]

A guy tried to sell me William Wallace's Lochabar Axe.

I looked it over, but it just seemed too new.

The guy said it had had three new shafts and two new blades, but it was William Walllace's Lochabar Axe....


Ron

Nice work on the lochaber.

Riverkilt, sounds like the hammer I bought in '49. . . . . never had the head or handle replaced at the same time. . . .

[ardchoille33]

The place to go for the Lochaber Axe is to go to the Wildhighlanders.org. His name is Alex Cameron, and he makes a mean lochaber axe. The issue is shipping, because of the size of the weapon. He is based out of Florida, and his contact info is on one of his web pages. He is an expert armourer, blacksmith, and forger, and it is about as hisorically accurate as you can get. All weapons made by him are one of a kind, so no 2 weapons look alike. He does fantastic custom designs as well. If he is still in business, I do not know. He does not come cheap, but the worksmanship will last a lifetime. Hope this helps.

"E'en Do Spair Nacht"

[PiobBear]

When making such a thing, make the holes of the straps, and especially the roves, slightly subcaliber, so you can drive them home over the rivet with something like a small deep well socket. Cut the rivets off slightly proud with nippers (as close as you can get with the nippers is generally proud enough), then backing it up on an anvil or what have you peen the head well over, working all the way 'round with a ball peen hammer. The very talented can make kind of a pointed, four-sided pyramid rivet head this way, which is quite decorative; I'm quite happy with a dome-shaped round one which holds tight.
If you've measured correctly, you'll have to rivet the head together on the finished shaft. Once done, the shaft will break before the head comes off.
Lochaber axes generally had a sharpened haft, often shod with a steel or iron cone or point, which sadly is beyond my skill to produce. Besides, mine will be displayed upright in a flagpole base in front of a clan tent (and occasionally trooped with the parade of tartans) at the Games, so the square end works for me.

[Woodsheal]

If he ever starts taking orders again, Donnie Shearer ("The Mad Piper") makes some authentic lochaber blades:

http://www.themadpiper.com/lochs.htm

[Dukeof Kircaldy]

Ask to borrow one of mine. That's the cheapest you can get one.

[beloitpiper]

I had no work today so I finally got around to doing a project I've been planning on doing for awhile. A Lochaber axe! Thanks to the guides and photos in this thread, I made my own with a large dowel, some aluminium, and a few screws and nuts. The whole thing cost me about $20 and took me an hour to finish.

Keep in mind I have NO metalworking experience and was doing most of this freehand with just some photos as a guide.



What do you think?

[Tartan Hiker]

I think I'd think twice about trying to trash your apartment!

[Glamrockdj]

I like it, well done, and for $20!!

[Nachtan]

Hi Sionnach Dubh,

Can't really help with the axe but the book cover you have as your avatar is of great interest, could you send some info about it?