Fjellborg Vikings Lodin's Gallery:

A look inside my wood crafter's tool box.

The spokeshave pictured (A.) was found in the Markland region of Norway and now resides in the Hedeby museum in Denmark. The next lower photo (B.) was taken after forging the reconstructed blade.



It is made of two grades of steel, with the inserted blade of better quality carbon steel, forge welded to the lesser grade steel forming the reins. The completed tool measures a little over 11" in length.



Photo (C.) shows the hackberry wooden handles which were driven onto the tangs, burned into predrilled holes. Also you will see the edge protection in place. Tools with fine edges are most always given special protection as sharpening and eventual replacement needed to be avoided at all times. Tools like these were ascribed for use by journeyman carpenter status only.



(D.) Here the blade is exposed for use and the "blade safe" (E.) is lying open. The safe is made of European beech and with a goat skin strap. The waxed linen threads lie in a groove below the surface to prevent the thread from being cut when placing the spokeshave back into its cover.



The photo illustration is a composite of stages of the same blade. The Spokeshave is delightfully sharp and a pleasure to use.

The tool has a hammer head on the "pole" used for hammering nails and heading rivets. The sidewall's of the eye are thick to withstand heavy use. The handle design I chose to apply is a standard tool length with a bulb end, something common to European tools of later date. I do not have proof the handle was made this way during the Viking age but tool patterns were very well established at that time. This was my personal choice. I also included a thong on the end of the handle so if the shipwright uses the tool over water, he can slip his hand into the thong, preventing accidental loss. This too, is a workman's habit but not documented for the Viking age.

My tool kit should represent a similar collection owned by a craftsman who has experience as both a shipwright and general woodworker.

As for the hand axe pictured in the insert and it's accompanying vignettes of some of the stages, the picture is proportional to the larger axe above. I forged this axe inspired by an axe from the Mastermyr tool kit (Pictured right) though many of this design have been found. The blade is narrow as it is a special purpose axe for finer or "close in" work. Again, the handle has a flared end to help the workman maintain a grip.

The blade on the smaller axe is 2" across the sharp and the head is 6" in length. As the pole (hammer head) has spreading damage from being struck and as the relative light weight of the axe, I suggest the tool was not swung but rather it was used like a chisel with a handle, perhaps for making mortises in timbers. Later morticing hatchets of similar design are known and available today from modern suppliers. It is worth mentioning, that although all these axes are intended as workman's axes, they do perform double duty when called on. The axe is clearly the weapon most associated with the Viking age.

The insert drawing is of the Mastermyr toolbox adze.

To the right are examples from the Mastermyr tool box. The kit had a full array of bits from small to large.

A story I have heard, is only the journeyman or master carpenter could use the drill, as there were so many man hours expended in making one board they wouldn't risk having a hole drilled in the wrong location.

The second chisel below is a "router", made for lifting out wood from between two parallel cuts or scribed lines, thus creating a "rabbet" or groove.

The third is a smaller version of the top, then the lowest, smaller is a carving "fishtail" chisel. The handle is an apple wood branch with a natural curve, which fits nicely into the hand.

On the right is the inspiration for this mallet, found on the Oseberg ship burial from around 700AD. In the archeological record, this mallet is listed as being intended as a textile tool, for beating flax. Mallets had many uses.

Above the saw, is the "saw safe" a simple case to keep to teeth from damage. Something as valuable and difficult to sharpen was kept from casual use and well protected.

The blade length of my comb-tooth saw is 3 1/2" long. The handle is from a local ash branch.

I have pictured the vise gripping a shaped piece of bone which will eventually become a new comb, to illustrate the vise's usefulness.

On the right are two museum pieces and the B&W photo is of a hand vise recovered from an excavation in the Viking ship building community of Hedeby, Denmark. (Now part of northern Germany.) You might notice, the photographer has his tool reversed and the working end is shown sans comb. The first, smaller photo, has the wedge placed in the correct position. Remember, this tool is still found in even the most skilled of crafter's and jewelers tool kits today. The tool's total length is 7" long.

This second clamp is smaller but based on the same principle. Made of curved branches takes advantage of the natural strengths. This smaller clamp can be adjusted for a bigger variety of uses, though the reach of the jaws is about seven inches deep. The tool is made of maple and its total length is 14" long.