Norse design with a soul that’s all American. Why meddle with an axe shape that has been tried and true for over a thousand years? That’s the logic designer and veteran Elmer Roush brings to the CRKT Freyr™ tactical axe. The deep beard echoes Viking style. But its balance and pure burliness boosts it into a contemporary league all its own. Shield and Viking battle cry not included. Elmer Roush of Brasstown, North Carolina has one foot definitively in the past. When it comes to designing axes, that is. Though the Freyr’s™ deep beard might not be put to use drawing back an enemy’s shield as it would have in Viking-patrolled seas of lore, the balance it adds elevates this axe to a modern workhorse. Named after the Norse god of prosperity, its Viking soul stands up to its classic appearance. The blade itself is hot forged of carbon steel and receives a passivation treatment for ultimate corrosion resistance. It’s met with a handle carved of Tennessee hickory and is precisely crafted for durability and ease of use. If it’s true that history repeats itself, then this utilitarian axe is definitive proof.