Fixed Blade Knives

Cut like a Viking with some top factory interpretations of an ancient design.

When knife fans think Vikings and Viking blades, the seax is at or near the top of the list. The seax (pronounced sax) blade shape originated in northern Europe from late Roman to early medieval times and was used widely by the Germanic tribes.

Seax means knife or cutting tool, both of which aptly describe the useful blade shape that is equally at home as a tool or a weapon. Typical uses include but are not limited to food preparation, general cutting, carving and more. Medieval warriors entered battle carrying swords, axes and the seax as a back-up. It was a very well-rounded knife design that played a prominent role in daily life.  

Typical seax construction included forged carbon steel blades paired with wood, bone or antler handles. The handle often was adorned with decorative carvings or inlays. In size, the knife ranged from small utility models to swords and everything in between. It also was a symbol of status and identity. Today the seax comes in a wide range of materials, sizes, price ranges and more.

TOPS Knives Storm Vector

Storm Vector Specs
Overall Length: 18.25″
Blade Length: 12.63″
Blade Thickness: .250″
Blade Steel: 1095 RC 56-58
Blade Finish: Sniper Gray
Handle Material: Black Canvas Micarta w/ Blue G10 Liner
Weight: 24oz
Sheath: Black Kydex
MSRP: $360

A leading example is the TOPS Knives Storm Vector. Featuring a 12.6-inch blade of 1095 carbon steel and an 18.25-inch overall length, the Storm Vector is the largest seax of the test bunch. It’s an intriguing twist of seax meets machete that results in an interesting cutting tool. Done right, 1095 can hold an edge quite well but is also very easy to sharpen in the field, a major selling point. A Sniper Gray coating protects the blade from stains and corrosion and provides a subdued, tactical look. 

The ergonomic handle is black Micarta®. Blue liners give a subtle pop of color to an otherwise dark knife. The handle’s curve, prominent finger grooves and expanded butt all help to make the knife feel as if it were molded to your hand. The Micarta corners are rounded for more comfort. 

Make no mistake, this isn’t a lightweight. The blade is a quarter inch at the thickest and the knife tips the scales at a healthy 24 ounces. The side-break Kydex sheath has a button snap/strap closure to secure the knife, and a neat dangler belt loop allows the sheath to swing freely and not bind up on vegetation. Overall sheath quality: excellent.

The Storm Vector especially excels at chopping. It has the weight to support it, as well as superior handle ergonomics. My hand felt very secure throughout testing; never did I feel as if I were losing control of the knife. TOPS has superb handle ergonomics on many of its larger fixed blades. Rounded, contoured Micarta edges make the handle comfortable to hold, even for extended periods. 

TOPS excels at making superb outdoor knives and the Storm Vector is testament to this. It offers excellent fit and finish. If you want a heavy-duty chopper you can throw around and not have to worry about durability, the Storm Vector is it.

CAS Iberia Legacy Arms Witham Seax

Legacy Arms Witham Seax Specs
Overall Length: 17.25″
Blade Length: 12″
Blade Thickness: 0.217″
Blade Steel: 5160
Blade Finish: Satin
Handle Material: Leather-wrapped wood
Weight: 14.4oz
Sheath: Leather
MSRP: $170

Based on a 10th-century seax design and at 17.25 inches overall, the Legacy Arms Witham Seax from CAS Iberia is pretty impressive size wise. The 12-inch blade offers plenty of edged real estate paired with a simple handle sporting minimal adornment. 

The 5160 carbon steel blade is flat ground with a convex edge for razor sharpness. A forward guard at the tang is inlaid with what appears to be copper diamond shapes. The motif carries over to the steel buttcap, which boasts the same adornment. The brushed finish of the guard and buttcap complements the blade’s satin finish, rounding out the knife’s overall appearance nicely.

The wood handle is wrapped with leather for a luxurious vibe. It definitely is comfortable to hold. The double-stitched leather sheath is dyed a light brown and features two horizontal carry belt loops. The sheath is pretty basic but is all that’s needed to protect the blade.

The Witham Seax is very well made. The quality of finishing is superb and the cutting edge was reasonably sharp out of the box, though I was able to improve it using a coarse-grit diamond sharpening rod. The 5160 sharpens quickly and easily. The fit of both the guard and buttcap to the tang is excellent. 

This is a slender, agile knife. It feels great. It is a bit blade heavy but not so much that it can be employed as a dedicated chopper. While it handles chopping well, I would opt for a design that is more blade heavy and also a more ergonomic handle. That being said, the Witham Seax shines as a general cutting tool. The blade has great bite and the 5160 responds well to steeling or stropping, something you can do easily in the field to prolong a sharp edge. The inlaid edges of the guard are a nice visual touch as well. This is as much a collector piece as it is a user.

Condor Tool & Knife Norse Dragon Seax

Norse Dragon Seax Specs
Overall Length: 11.7″
Blade Length: 7.03″
Blade Thickness: .12″
Blade Steel: 1095 High Carbon Steel
Blade Finish: Natural
Handle Material: Burnt American Hickory
Weight: 6.24oz
Sheath: Handcrafted Welted Leather
MSRP: $101

The Condor Tool & Knife Norse Dragon Seax features a broken back seax blade design with an angled tip reminiscent of today’s reverse tanto pattern. The 7-inch blade is 1095 and features a two-tone finish—the bevels are satin finished and the flats sport the natural darkened finish a blade exhibits emerging from heat treatment.

The simple handle design is durable hickory with a single brass spacer where the handle meets the tang, accenting the handsome overall look. Decorative laser etching adorns both sides of the handle, with the same motif carried onto both sides of the classy, well-made leather sheath. At 11.7 inches overall, the Condor entry can tackle a wide variety of chores both indoor and out.  

The Norse Dragon Seax has great blade geometry, enabling it to sail through various materials with ease. The edge out of the box wasn’t quite keen enough but I was able to fine tune it with my arsenal of sharpening equipment very quickly. Once I got the edge to my liking, the Norse Dragon tackled cutting chores with aplomb. The hickory handle is comfortable, though possibly could be a bit thicker to make it easier to grip for folks with larger hands.

This knife is not a chopper. It lacks the mass and blade length as well as handle ergonomics for the activity. However, for a tool that slices and dices, this is it. As long as you limit it to cutting only, you should have no issues. In fact, it is a highly capable cutter that would find a good home in any fixed blade fan’s collection.

Emerson Knives Seax

Seax Specs
Overall Length: 9″
Blade Length: 3.9″
Blade Thickness: .125″
Blade Steel: 154 CM
Blade Finish: Stonewashed
Handle Material: Black G-10 epoxy/glass laminate
Weight: 5oz
Sheath: Kydex
MSRP: $279

Emerson Knives, Inc., has folding and fixed-blade versions of the seax, the latter which is the entry for this review. It is more toward the tactical side, as most of Emerson’s knife line is. Ten inches overall, it sports the company’s superb signature grip ergonomics. 

The handle curves encourage firm, non-slip purchase and the chamfer of the G-10 scales checks the comfort box. The handle surface is textured and sports a series of well-placed golf-ball-like dimples that further enhance purchase. 

The spine thumb ramp terminates in another Emerson signature design, the Wave. Normally used on the company’s folders to assist in opening the blade, the thumb ramp/Wave allows you not only to lock in your grip but also to exert downward pressure to make cuts. One look and it’s an Emerson design for sure, so the thumb ramp/Wave serves as a visual identifier as well.

The 4.8-inch blade boasts a conventional double “V” grind, though the chisel cutting edge bevel is single sided only. The 154CM stainless steel holds an edge very well and is fairly easy to sharpen. The fold-over, taco-style Kydex sheath is drilled to accept a Blade-Tech Tek-Lok or similar belt attachment. The sheath is basic but a quality make and functions well.  

Though the knife has a tactical design and feel, don’t let that discourage you from using it in outdoor or general settings. First and foremost, it is a great all-around cutting tool. The straight edge easily cuts cardboard, hose, plastic sheeting and foam, and more. It also handles whittling well, with the chisel-ground edge biting into wood aggressively and deeply.

One of the things I have always loved about Emerson knives is the company’s expert application of handle ergonomics. I’ve yet to use an Emerson handle I don’t like. In addition to enhancing purchase, the handle dimples help displace moisture, providing an excellent grip even with wet hands. Emerson builds knives meant for hard use, so don’t fear putting the knife through its paces. It is built for the long haul and won’t let you down. 

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