Modern Seax Bushcraft Knife – 4.5" Blade, Scout Sheath
A compact Viking-styled bushcraft seax with a 4.5-inch high-carbon blade, 4 mm full tang construction and a squared 90 degree spine that strikes a ferro rod. It measures 9 inches overall, has wood scales on two pins with a lined lanyard hole, ships in a leather scout sheath that carries horizontally or vertically, and both the blade flat and the handle can be engraved to order.
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Illustration only — final size and placement follow the blade you choose. See all personalized Viking blades.
This one is built to be used, not displayed
Most of the seaxes in this rack are historical shapes first. This is the opposite: the seax profile is there, but every decision behind it is a modern bushcraft one. It is short enough to carry all day, thick enough to take a beating, and the spine is finished square so it does a job beyond cutting.
The squared spine is the point of the design
The back of the blade is ground to a crisp 90 degree edge along its whole length. That does two things: it throws a proper shower of sparks off a ferro rod, and it scrapes tinder and fatwood without you having to turn the cutting edge on it. A rounded or bevelled spine will do neither, which is why it is worth saying out loud rather than burying it in a spec list.
The blade
Four and a half inches, straight-edged, with the spine dropping in one long straight facet to the point so the tip sits low and stays strong. There is no belly and no recurve, which makes it easy to sharpen on a flat stone and predictable on a cutting board or a piece of wood. The grind is a wide flat satin, not a mirror polish.
The steel is hand-forged high carbon at 4 mm thick, running full tang through the handle. It is not stainless: wipe it dry after use, keep a film of oil on it, and let it take a patina.
The handle
Two wood scales pinned through the tang, with the bare steel showing as a thin line all the way round, and a lanyard hole at the butt lined with a metal tube so a cord will not chew into the wood. The scales are a figured hardwood, so grain and tone vary from piece to piece and your knife will not match the photographs exactly.
The sheath carries three ways
Leather, stitched in a contrasting cream thread, with two wide straps wrapped around the body and a small loop on the side. Because the straps wrap rather than hang, it can sit vertically on the hip, horizontally across the back of the belt, or scout-style at the front. No buckle and no snap flap: the friction of the pouch holds the knife.
Make it yours
The blade flat and the wooden handle can both be engraved to order. A name, a date, or a short line in runes. Engraving is hand-etched and adds a few days to dispatch.
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 bushcraft and camp knife, not a kitchen knife. Handle, store and carry it responsibly and in line with your local laws.
Every part earns its place
Where the numbers land: 4.5 inches of blade on a 9-inch knife, so blade and handle are about equal, in 4 mm stock running full tang, with the spine ground square to 90 degrees so it strikes a ferro rod.
Carbon steel is alive — treat it so
High-carbon steel holds a keener edge than stainless, but it will spot with rust if left wet. Two minutes of care keeps this blade in the family for generations.
This is a working tool. It arrives sharp and can be re-sharpened like any carbon blade. Choose the Display edge if you want it purely for the wall — same steel, left unsharpened for safe handling.
Sold to adults 18+. A signature and ID may be required on delivery. Bladed goods can't ship to some regions — the cart flags restricted addresses at checkout.
Questions about this blade
Straight answers — the same ones we give over email.
How big is this seax?
The blade is 4.5 inches (114 mm) and the knife is 9 inches (229 mm) overall, so the blade and the handle are roughly the same length. The stock is 4 mm thick.
Will the spine strike a ferro rod?
Yes. The back of the blade is ground square to a 90 degree edge along its whole length, which is what a ferro rod needs. It also works for scraping tinder and fatwood without dulling the cutting edge.
What steel is the blade?
Hand-forged high-carbon steel, 4 mm thick, full tang. It is not stainless, so it takes a fine edge and sharpens easily on an ordinary stone, but it will spot if left wet and will darken to a patina over time.
How does the sheath carry?
It is a leather scout sheath with two wide straps wrapped around the body, so it can be worn vertically on the hip, horizontally across the back of the belt, or scout-style at the front. There is no buckle and no snap flap.
Can it be engraved?
Yes. Both the blade flat and the wooden handle can be engraved to order, hand-etched. Engraving adds a few days to dispatch.