by Fogaban
Gorean Weapons - Axes
This is my narrative and relevant references from the Books about Axes.
It is not meant to be anything other than the facts of the matter. Arrive at your own conclusions.
I wish you well,
Fogaban
| Axes | To The Index |
Axes as weapons are common across Gor and mentioned throughout the books. From the axes used in arena fighting, with either buckler or net [e1] e1 ". . .ax and buckler . . . ax and net. . ."
Nomads of Gor, Page 124 to just the ax itself. [e2] e2 "Men waited below for those who still moved, with axes.
"Renegades of Gor, Page 282
The men of Torvaldsland favor the ax as a weapon. All of these have curved blades. Some are larger and double-bladed [e3] e3 ". . .blond giant from Torvaldsland The large, curved, double-bladed, long-handled ax lay beside him."
Hunters of Gor, Page 47 while most are single-bladed with hammer like backs. [e4] e4 ". . .shattering his chains with the blunt hammerlike backs of their great, curved, single-bladed axes."
Marauders of Gor, Page 27 They are normally carried slung over the shoulder and held by a broad leather loop, which holds the head of the ax higher than the handle. [e5] e5 "Forkbeard then, grinning, slung his ax over his left shoulder, dropping it into the broad leather loop by which it may be carried, its head behind his head and to the left. This loop is fixed in a broad leather belt worn from the left shoulder to the right hip, fastened there by a hook, that the weight of the ax will not turn the belt, which fits into a ring in the master belt."
Marauders of Gor, Page 50 While being very sharp, it still takes more than one blow to cut a body in two. [e6] e6 "It takes, however, more than one blow to cut a body, that of a man, in two."
Marauders of Gor, Page 104 Chieftains and Jarls carry axes inlaid with gold. [e7] e7 "We saw, too, many chieftains, and captains, and minor Jarls, in the crowd, each with his retinue. These high men were sumptuously garbed, richly cloaked and helmeted, often with great axes, inlaid with gold."
Marauders of Gor, Page 142
The other most described as favoring the ax are the Alars. A typical Alar ax has a long-handle and a single edged heavy iron blade. [e8] e8 "An ax, a typical Alar ax, long-handled, armed with its heavy iron blade. . ."
Mercenaries of Gor, Page 54
"Among them was the heavy, single-bladed Alar war ax."
Mercenaries of Gor, Page 71 In fact, this ax is shown to be too heavy for a woman to wield. [e9] e9 "She tried again to lift the ax, and then, again, lowered it, until she held it before her, as she had before, with difficulty, with both hands, her hands separated well on the handle."
Mercenaries of Gor, Page 57
Whetstones are used to keep the ax blade sharp. [e10] e10 "A whetstone, somewhere, was moving patiently, repetitively, on the head of an ax."
Guardsman of Gor, Page 9
The Red Savages use a long-handled single bladed ax which has a blunted back suitable for driving pegs, stakes and wedges. [e11] e11 "A long-handled, single-bladed ax was pressed into her hands. It was a trade ax. Its back was blunted, for the driving of pegs, stakes and wedges."
Blood Brothers of Gor, Page 35 And they use axes as trade items [e12] e12 "Grunt was engaged in conversation with four or five of the Dust-Leg men. Then he rose to his feet, and went to his stores, to bring forth a fine hatchet."
Savages of Gor, Page 214 and a means of currency. [e13] e13 "She became Grunt's for three hatchets."
Savages of Gor, Page 226
There is a light throwing ax and one referred to as a night ax, commonly used in approaching isolated sentries and such. [e14] e14 "Cabot's interlocutor surely wore Kur harness, though he was not armed, not even with the small throwing ax, or night ax, commonly used in approaching isolated sentries, and such."
Kur of Gor, Page 109
Another ax mentioned is the broad, doubled headed wood ax. [e15] e15 ". . .the broad, double-headed wood ax. . ."
Outlaw of Gor, Page 27
"I felt it could have felled a small tree with a single blow."
Outlaw of Gor, Page 31 And some axes have a gap for use in drawing out nails. [e16] e16 "The expression, for most practical purposes, signifies a certain type of gap, such as, for example, might occur in the edge of a trade ax, or hatchet, for use in drawing nails, an occupation for which red savages, of course, have little use."
Blood Brothers of Gor, Page 9
The great Kur ax is typically some seven or eight feet in height. The handle is some four inches in diameter and the double blade, from tip to tip, is around two feet in width. [e17] e17 "Each, too, carried a great, double-bladed iron ax, which, from blade tip to blade tip, was some two feet in width. The handle of the ax was of carved, green needle wood, round, some four inches in diameter. The axes were some seven or eight feet in height."
Marauders of Gor, Page 171
But the Kur also have a gigantic ax, some ten feet in length, and double-bladed at each end. [e18] e18 "A praetor now approached the seventh challenger, and placed in his huge paws a gigantic ax, some ten feet in length, and double-bladed at each end, an ax which, in the grip of one such as he, one of such strength, might have decapitated a larl, and perhaps even, with three or four blows, Gor's mightiest constrictor, the giant hith."
Kur of Gor, Page 248
And lastly, the Kur have something called a double-bladed power ax. [e19] e19 "Into the hallway now emerged ten or more of these large forms, in the hands of some were rifles, in the hands of others heat knives and double-bladed power axes."
Kur of Gor, Page 77
| Canhpi | To The Index |
Among the Red Savages, there is what is known as the canhpi, which can be like a long-handled, stone-bladed tomahawk [e20] e20 "It had been given to him by a Yellow Knife in mounted combat, the result of a stroke by a long-handled, stone-bladed tomahawk, or canhpi."
Blood Brothers of Gor, Page 9 or could end in a heavy knob of wood. [e21] e21 "I saw Alfred struck down from behind with the heavy, balled knob of a carved wooden Canhpi."
Blood Brothers of Gor, Page 447 "He had not perished of the blow from the knob-headed canhpi."
Blood Brothers of Gor, Page 450 "The other drew back a heavy club, the termination of which contained a heavy, wooden, ball-like knob."
Savages of Gor, Page 288
