Ben Seward’s breacher SWAT Axe salutes officer’s 21 years of police service
When ABS journeyman smith Ben Seward went to make his first axe, he didn’t settle for something easy—he went the whole hog on a special breaching model as a retirement gift for a 21-year law enforcement veteran.
Sgt. Magnus Gervol retired from the Whatcom County, Washington Sheriffs Office after a career that included 15 years on the SWAT team and 14 years as a sniper.
Members of the Sheriffs Office contacted Ben, who forged the axe from the barrel of a Remington 700 SPS tactical sniper rifle. The idea was to make a tactical axe with a beard and a tomahawk spike. The handle is Ozark white oak. Ben’s dad, David, who specializes in sheaths, made the leather sheath.
Ben forge welded the rifle barrel into a bar and layered it up with other carbon steels. He forged the two flats of the head roughly into a triangle and pieced in the bit for the cutting edge. All of the head, including the edge and spike, is forged of the same damascus.
SWAT Axe Specs
Maker: Ben Seward
Head Size: 7.75”
Bit Size: 3.5”
Head/Bit Material: Damascus forged from the barrel of a sniper rifle and 1080 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels; includes a rough-forged finish
Handle: Ozark white oak
Handel Length : 14”
Maker’s Price For A Similar Breaching Axe (excluding the steel from the sniper rifle): $1,500
I am stunned! I have never seen such a beautiful cutting tool in my life and I’m 70 years old. Every thing about this axe just looks perfect…from the wooden handle to the shape of and hand forged texture of the axe head to the leather sheath. All hand made…wow! Congratulation Sgt. Magnus Gervol on your retirement and thank you for your service. You must have some very good friends from your department to have them gift you such a beautiful work of art.