I love the look of the traditional long bearded Slavic/Viking axe. The ancient design was driven by the price of iron ore back in the day, when it was just as expensive as gold. The long beard of the axe allows for a longer cutting age with minimum use of the valued material. In the modern day using less iron is no longer an advantage as the metal is widely available and is relatively inexpensive. However, the light weight achieved by using less material to create a longer/larger blade is very much still is an applicable advantage of this old traditional design. Years in the army with a few years in the light infantry made me appreciate the comfort and weight of the tools that I carry with me in the bush. When packing your rucksack for a wilderness outing the weight can add up quick. In the survival situation the wight of your tools may make a difference between life and death when insomnia and fatigue kicks in reducing your chances for survival.