Gimli's Axe

[bilbobaggins764]

I am clearing some brush and small trees from the edge of my yard that foxes like to use to ambush our chickens. Yesterday I purchased an ax and naturally thought to name it Gimli. However, my son had a better idea; he said to name it after Gimli's ax. So, did Gimli name his weapon of choice, and what is it if he did?

[Eldy Dunami]

I don't believe any of Gimli's weapons had names, though someone familiar with The History of The Lord of the Rings might be aware of something from the drafts that I don't know of. "Durin's Axe" was apparently a Dwarvish heirloom, mentioned in the Book of Mazarbul, but it was not given a proper name of its own. The only named axe I can think of is Dramborleg, the axe of Tuor, which was a royal heirloom of Númenor in the Second Age.

[Drífa]

I believe he called it my axe. It would be entirely appropriate to call your axe my axe. However, it might become confusing when your son asks if he could borrow my axe. 'Hey, Dad! Can I borrow my axe?', or your neighbour: 'Hey, Mister @bilbobaggins764 ! Can I borrow my axe?' See what I mean?

'I dare say you could,' snorted Gimli. 'You are a Wood-elf,
anyway, though Elves of any kind are strange folk. Yet you
comfort me. Where you go, I will go. But keep your bow
ready to hand, and I will keep my axe loose in my belt. Not
for use on trees,' he added hastily, looking up at the tree
under which they stood. 'I do not wish to meet that old man
at unawares without an argument ready to hand, that is all. Let us go!' TTT, The White Rider

'Well,' said Gimli, 'if it has Andúril to keep it company,
my axe may stay here, too, without shame,' and he laid it on
the floor. 'Now then, if all is as you wish, let us go and speak
with your master.' TTT, The King Of The Golden Hall

Gimli walked with Legolas, his axe on his shoulder. 'Well,
at last we set off!' he said. 'Men need many words before
deeds. My axe is restless in my hands. Though I doubt not
that these Rohirrim are fell-handed when they come to it.
Nonetheless this is not the warfare that suits me. How shall
I come to the battle? I wish I could walk and not bump like
a sack at Gandalf's saddlebow.' TTT, The King Of The Golden Hall

'It is dark for archery,' said Gimli. 'Indeed it is time for
sleep. Sleep! I feel the need of it, as never I thought any
dwarf could. Riding is tiring work. Yet my axe is restless in
my hand. Give me a row of orc-necks and room to swing
and all weariness will fall from me!' TTT, Helm's Deep

'Forty-two, Master Legolas!' he cried. 'Alas! My axe is
notched: the forty-second had an iron collar on his neck.
How is it with you?' TTT, The Road To Isengard

[bilbobaggins764]

I don't believe any of Gimli's weapons had names, though someone familiar with The History of The Lord of the Rings might be aware of something from the drafts that I don't know of. "Durin's Axe" was apparently a Dwarvish heirloom, mentioned in the Book of Mazarbul, but it was not given a proper name of its own. The only named axe I can think of is Dramborleg, the axe of Tuor, which was a royal heirloom of Númenor in the Second Age.

Yes I was hoping I had missed it but it seems he never gave his axe a proper name. Perhaps dwarves do not have the same attachment to axes as men do with swords.

[bilbobaggins764]

I believe he called it my axe. It would be entirely appropriate to call your axe my axe. However, it might become confusing when your son asks if he could borrow my axe. 'Hey, Dad! Can I borrow my axe?', or your neighbour: 'Hey, Mister @bilbobaggins764 ! Can I borrow my axe?' See what I mean?

'I dare say you could,' snorted Gimli. 'You are a Wood-elf,
anyway, though Elves of any kind are strange folk. Yet you
comfort me. Where you go, I will go. But keep your bow
ready to hand, and I will keep my axe loose in my belt. Not
for use on trees,' he added hastily, looking up at the tree
under which they stood. 'I do not wish to meet that old man
at unawares without an argument ready to hand, that is all. Let us go!' TTT, The White Rider

'Well,' said Gimli, 'if it has Andúril to keep it company,
my axe may stay here, too, without shame,' and he laid it on
the floor. 'Now then, if all is as you wish, let us go and speak
with your master.' TTT, The King Of The Golden Hall

Gimli walked with Legolas, his axe on his shoulder. 'Well,
at last we set off!' he said. 'Men need many words before
deeds. My axe is restless in my hands. Though I doubt not
that these Rohirrim are fell-handed when they come to it.
Nonetheless this is not the warfare that suits me. How shall
I come to the battle? I wish I could walk and not bump like
a sack at Gandalf's saddlebow.' TTT, The King Of The Golden Hall

'It is dark for archery,' said Gimli. 'Indeed it is time for
sleep. Sleep! I feel the need of it, as never I thought any
dwarf could. Riding is tiring work. Yet my axe is restless in
my hand. Give me a row of orc-necks and room to swing
and all weariness will fall from me!' TTT, Helm's Deep

'Forty-two, Master Legolas!' he cried. 'Alas! My axe is
notched: the forty-second had an iron collar on his neck.
How is it with you?' TTT, The Road To Isengard

Very true, that would be odd. I have been given the idea of gimli's warcry, "Baruk Khazâd!" which meant "Axes of the Dwarves!" So I have used it and put it to good use.

[Eldy Dunami]

Yes I was hoping I had missed it but it seems he never gave his axe a proper name. Perhaps dwarves do not have the same attachment to axes as men do with swords.

That's not impossible, but I don't think we have enough information about Dwarvish culture to say one way or another. For that matter, we don't know Gimli's axe was nameless, we just never hear a name spoken "on camera" (or mentioned in the Appendices, but Gimli isn't a major focus of the brief section on Durin's Folk). Some of the most famous named weapons of the legendariums, Angrist and Narsil, were the work of the Dwarven-smith Telchar, though we don't know if he gave them those names, or if they came from their Elvish owners (if I had to guess, I'd say probably the latter).

[bilbobaggins764]

Yes I was hoping I had missed it but it seems he never gave his axe a proper name. Perhaps dwarves do not have the same attachment to axes as men do with swords.

That's not impossible, but I don't think we have enough information about Dwarvish culture to say one way or another. For that matter, we don't know Gimli's axe was nameless, we just never hear a name spoken "on camera" (or mentioned in the Appendices, but Gimli isn't a major focus of the brief section on Durin's Folk). Some of the most famous named weapons of the legendariums, Angrist and Narsil, were the work of the Dwarven-smith Telchar, though we don't know if he gave them those names, or if they came from their Elvish owners (if I had to guess, I'd say probably the latter).

Very good, very true. The dwarven love of crafted objects might agree with you.