{"product_id":"raven-hilt-viking-seax-knife-5-etched-carbon-steel","title":"Raven-Hilt Viking Seax Knife – 5\" Etched Carbon Steel","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA hand-forged Viking seax knife that carries the raven twice — cast in steel at the end of the grip, and etched the length of the blade in interlaced Norse knotwork.\u003c\/strong\u003e Nine and a half inches overall, leather-wrapped, and supplied with a fold-over leather sheath.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe raven, twice over\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost blades in the range make the raven once, at the pommel. This one makes it twice. The cast head hooks back off the butt of the grip where your hand ends, and then the bird returns on the flat of the blade — wings and beak worked into a band of interlace that runs from the ricasso almost to the point, so the two ravens face each other down the length of the knife. Turn it in the light and the etched one appears and vanishes; the cast one never moves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eEtched, not printed\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis matters more than it sounds. The pattern is bitten into the steel with acid, which means it sits \u003cem\u003ebelow\u003c\/em\u003e the surface rather than on top of it. A laser mark or a print is a film that wears through at the high spots on a blade you actually handle; an etch is a depth. It will darken as the steel patinas and it will still be legible after the flats have gone grey. You can feel it with a thumbnail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat the design is\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterlaced beasts and ribbon-work in the manner of Borre and Jelling-style Norse ornament — the gripping, biting animals that wrap around each other with no clear start or finish, the same visual logic that runs across Viking-age brooches, sledge posts and stone. Straight answer: it is ornament in that tradition, not a copy of one specific surviving object and not a scene from a named saga.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho it's for\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnyone who wants the decoration to be the reason they bought it — collectors, gift buyers, and reenactors who want a belt knife with real surface work rather than a plain blade. Each is etched by hand, so the bite of the acid and the darkness of the lines differ slightly from piece to piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNew to the form? Read our guide to \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/norse-news\/what-is-a-seax\"\u003ewhat a seax actually is\u003c\/a\u003e. Or browse the full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/viking-seax\"\u003eViking seax collection\u003c\/a\u003e — including the ash-handled \u003ca href=\"\/products\/vikingsbrand-viking-knife-huginn-muninn-hand-forged-knife-with-raven-engraving\"\u003eHuginn \u0026amp; Muninn seax\u003c\/a\u003e and the plain-bladed \u003ca href=\"\/products\/usa-shipping-only-boar-viking-knife-9-5-hand-forged-4-carbon-steel-blade-boars-head-hilt-and-leather-sheath\"\u003eBoar's Head seax\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is a hunting and collector's knife. It is not intended for kitchen or cooking use — handle, store and carry it responsibly and in line with your local laws.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big is the Raven-Hilt seax knife?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blade is 5 inches (127 mm) and the knife measures 9.5 inches (241 mm) overall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs the pattern etched or printed on?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEtched. It is bitten into the steel with acid, so the lines sit below the surface and can be felt with a thumbnail. Unlike a printed or laser-marked finish it will not wear off the high spots with handling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat does the design on the blade show?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterlaced ravens and ribbon-work in the manner of Borre and Jelling-style Norse ornament — gripping beasts wound around each other. It is decoration in that tradition rather than a reproduction of one specific archaeological find.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow is this different from the Huginn \u0026amp; Muninn seax?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDifferent handle and different blade. This one has a leather-wrapped grip finished with a cast raven's-head pommel and a 5-inch blade; the Huginn \u0026amp; Muninn seax has an ash-wood handle and a 4.7-inch blade. Both carry raven etching, but the hilts are not comparable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes carbon steel need special care?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA little. It is not stainless, so wipe it dry after handling and keep a light film of oil on it. Store it out of the sheath for the long term. The etched lines hold moisture longer than the flats, so dry them properly — a darkening patina over time is normal and does not harm the blade.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yousaf","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42775361257557,"sku":"VB-YS-SX50ER","price":85.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0977\/2234\/files\/rh-1-forest-rock.jpg?v=1784826279","url":"https:\/\/vikingsbrand.co\/products\/raven-hilt-viking-seax-knife-5-etched-carbon-steel","provider":"VikingsBrand™","version":"1.0","type":"link"}