{"product_id":"hand-forged-seax-knife-stag-antler","title":"Hand Forged Seax Knife with Stag Antler Handle and Tooled Leather Sheath","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe seax is the single edged Norse knife, and this is that shape at its plainest. The spine leaves the handle level, then breaks in a clear angle down to the point. The blade is 10 inches in 5160 spring steel, 15 inches overall, and the handle is a stag antler crown with the bark texture left on. It ships in a flat Norse sheath of tooled leather. Made by hand in High Point, North Carolina.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOverall length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade steel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5160 spring steel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade finish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDark gray forged, bright bevel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGuard\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNone\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePommel or collar\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBrass collar at the front of the handle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eStag antler crown, hidden tang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScabbard\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTooled leather sheath\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEngraving\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20 dollars per piece\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMade in\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eForged and finished by hand in High Point, North Carolina.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWarranty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifetime warranty against defects, free sharpening for life.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe blade\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe steel is 5160 spring steel, tough under impact and easy to bring back on a stone. It is left dark gray from the forge with faint hammer marks across the flat, and the bevel is taken to a wide mirror bright band, so the blade shows two surfaces rather than one. The outline is the seax one. A level spine, a clear angled break, then a straight run to the point. Carbon steel is what it is, so the blade darkens as it is handled and rusts if it goes away wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe fittings\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is no guard. A brass collar sits at the front of the handle where the blade enters, closing that joint and giving the antler a flat face to meet. The butt is the antler crown itself, so nothing is capped over it and the natural end of the material finishes the handle. The tang is hidden, running inside the antler rather than showing along the sides, bedded in and drawn tight against the collar.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe handle is a natural stag antler crown, pale cream and tan, with the knobbly bark left on rather than sanded flat. That texture is what the fingers find, and antler stays warm in the hand in a way steel and stone do not. The crown end gives the butt a wider flare. No two antlers are alike, so color, flare and roughness change from one to the next.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe scabbard\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sheath is the flat Norse style, cut for this blade and sewn along both edges with cream thread that reads plainly against the dark leather. It hangs flat from two leather loops along the top edge rather than from a belt loop. Brass rivets sit at the throat where the leather takes the most pull. The face is hand tooled with a knotwork center panel inside a carved runic border, cut and shaded by hand, not printed. Most sellers stop at the words genuine leather.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eAntler is what people reach for when they want a handle that came from somewhere, and this is the smallest of our three seax.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone buying a first seax\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCollectors who want a natural handle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuyers who like a visible forged finish\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat comes in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe hand forged seax\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe tooled leather sheath\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA care card\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEvery piece is different\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eEach one is forged, ground and finished by hand, so runs stay small and no two come out alike. The antler, the hammer marks and the tooling differ from the photographs. Yours will be its own piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eLooking after it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWipe the blade dry after use and never put it away wet. The gray patina that builds on carbon steel is normal and protects the surface. A light coat of oil before storage is enough. Do not leave the blade in the sheath for months, and let leather dry slowly away from heat. More sits on our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/knife-care-sharpening\"\u003eknife care and sharpening page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003ePut a name on it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eLaser engraving is 20 dollars per piece and you add it here on the page. Around 30 characters fits on the blade or the handle. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. Free on orders of 10 pieces or more. See the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/engraving\"\u003eengraving page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eQuestions buyers ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is a seax?\u003c\/strong\u003e The single edged Norse knife, here with a level spine that angles down to the point.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it have a guard?\u003c\/strong\u003e No, a brass collar sits at the front of the handle.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow does the sheath hang?\u003c\/strong\u003e Flat, from two loops along the top edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill this steel rust?\u003c\/strong\u003e It can, so dry it after use and oil it before storage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill my antler match the photo?\u003c\/strong\u003e No, every crown is a different color and shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it legal to own?\u003c\/strong\u003e Long blade laws vary by state, city and country, so check your local rules first.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor this outline in wood try the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/broken-back-seax-knife-rosewood\"\u003ebroken back seax in rosewood\u003c\/a\u003e, and for a longer blade the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-langseax-buffalo-horn\"\u003eDamascus langseax in buffalo horn\u003c\/a\u003e. More sits in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/seax-knives\"\u003eseax knives\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/historical-blades\"\u003ehistorical blades\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/all-knives\"\u003eall knives\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44140310757494,"sku":"VEF-SAX-HC-STG-610","price":139.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/hand-forged-seax-knife-stag-antler-handle_857aee2d-3a37-4779-af43-c6f5381ec4de.jpg?v=1788792559","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/hand-forged-seax-knife-stag-antler","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}