Viking Seax Knife – 12" Blade, Forge-Finished Steel

Twelve inches is the large end of the form

Most excavated seaxes are short. The everyday ones run four to eight inches of blade, and only the largest, the langseax, gets past a foot. At 12 inches of blade and 17 overall this sits at the top of that range, closer to a short sword in the hand than to a belt knife. It is worth knowing before you buy: this is not a pocketable working seax, it is a statement piece with real reach.

The two-tone finish, and what it is

The blade reads as two clean bands. The flat along the spine is left dark from the forge and carries a run of short file marks across it; the lower half is ground and polished bright to the edge. The line between them is straight and deliberate.

We would rather be plain about this: that dark band is a finish, not a structural feature, and the file marks are texture rather than evidence of anything. What they do is stop a 12-inch slab of steel reading as flat and dead, and they hide handling marks the way a mirror polish never will. It is a good-looking, practical choice, and that is the whole claim.

1075, and what it costs you

1075 is plain high-carbon steel: iron and about three quarters of one percent carbon, no chromium. It hardens predictably, takes a fine edge and sharpens back on an ordinary stone. It also rusts. On a blade this size that matters more than usual, because there is more surface to look after. Wipe it dry, keep a film of oil on it, and store it out of the leather.

Rosewood and metal

The handle is rosewood, a dense oily hardwood that resists moisture and takes a soft satin sheen rather than a plastic shine. It runs deep reddish-brown with darker striping, different on every piece. A plain metal collar sits where the blade meets the handle and a matching cap closes the butt, both smooth and undecorated, with fine ribbing and honest working scuffs.

Make it yours

Both the blade flat and the rosewood handle can be engraved. A name, a date, a short line in runes. Engraving is hand-etched to order and adds a few days to dispatch. Choose it in the configurator above.

The sheath

Hand-stitched cowhide, dyed dark brown, with a pressed decorative panel on the face, a riveted belt loop and a strap that studs shut over the handle.

See the rest of the Viking seax collection, or start with our guide to what a seax actually is.

Sold to adults 18 and over. This is a hunting and collector's knife, not a kitchen knife. Handle, store and carry it responsibly and in line with your local laws.