C.1790's British Royal Navy Boarding Axe

C.1790’s British Royal Navy Boarding Axe

A very rare and original C.1790’s British Royal Navy Boarding Axe. The boarding axe comprises an iron tomahawk head with typical single tooth for grabbing and dragging rigging. There is also a chisel point to the other side. The axe head is attached to the original wooden shaft by domed rivets. At the end of the of the wooden shaft is an iron plate that was used to hammer in nails. The proportions of this boarding axe would have been ideal to wear stuffed inside a seaman’s belt and was also utilized as a general tool on board ship. This is a completely genuine Napoleonic boarding axe and should not be confused with any copies that are currently being produced in the United Kingdom and sold as original British naval boarding axes on auction sites.