"The Francisca, so named for its Frankish origins, was used by the Vikings both as a throwing weapon and for close-quarters combat. Its graceful lines are legendary but the upswept point and downturned edge were both capable of penetrating chain mail. Our Francisca axe crafted by Paul Chen at the Hanwei factory features a steel head with a fire-gray or antiqued finish and a swelled-end hardwood shaft for secure head retention. The shaft is also backswept, as were the originals, providing greater sticking capability when thrown."