Jenks with a splitting maul.
Axes are tools typically used for chopping wood, usually a steel blade attached at a right angle to a wooden handle.
Various types of axes are popular weapons among pirates, particularly the Baymen, who retired from piracy to become lumberjacks before returning to piracy.
Types of Axes[]
- Boarding axe: The boarding axe is an axe that was commonly used on ships for a variety of purposes. It could be used as a weapon, but was also very helpful for climbing the wooden sides of a large ship, cutting through rigging lines, and breaking open doors and hatches. The head of the axe consisted of a sharp blade and a triangular spike on the other side.
- Splitting Maul: a splitting maul is a type of long handled axe where one end of the head is an axe blade and the other is a sledgehammer. This weapon was particularly popular amongst the Baymen, as the axe was used both as a weapon and as a woodcutting tool.
- Hafted axe: a hafted axe is a type of battle axe with a very thin, sharp blade, making it an excellent cutting weapon.
- Axe pistol: axe pistols were axes that had a flintlock pistol incorporated into the handle of the axe.
Gallery[]
Baymen holding a splitting maul (left) and a boarding axe (right).
