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Christmas Gifts for Your Husband, Viking Edition
The best Christmas gifts for a husband are the ones he would never buy himself and then uses every week. If he has a Norse streak, that usually means good steel: a proper kitchen knife, an axe that earns its place by the woodpile, or one serious piece for the wall. Below are picks sorted by what kind of man he is, with live prices, an honest line on who each one suits, and a few things to skip.
A word on where these come from. Every piece is handmade in the Czech Republic by workshops that still work by hand, and imported by Ransack Viking. Engraving is cut in the United States after the piece arrives, which is where the personal part comes in.
Quick picks by husband type
| If he is | Pick | Price | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| The cook | Hearthkeen Damascus chef knife set | $499 | Five knives, a leather roll, and an end to the drawer of mismatched blades |
| The grill man on a budget | Blockbreaker Damascus cleaver | $139 | Thick spine for joints and ribs |
| The axe guy | Timberrune felling axe | $189 | A working axe, 20 reviews |
| The axe guy with a wall | Northmark Damascus bearded axe | $339 | The one he shows people |
| The collector | Valkbraid Damascus Viking sword | $579 | A centrepiece with its own scabbard |
| The one who has everything | Wardhold Viking storage chest | $389 | Somewhere to put everything |
For the husband who cooks
If he is the one at the stove, or the one who has opinions about brisket, buy him knives. A cook notices a good knife every single time he picks it up, which makes it about the best value present there is per use.
Brasshall Hand Made Stainless and Brass Viking Tankard with Celtic Knotwork Band | Riveted Body and Formed Steel Handle | Brown Leather Belt Hanger Included | Norse Ale Gift | RK-1622
Emberkey Hand Forged Damascus Viking Keyring with a Mjolnir Etched Axe & Hammer Charm | Norse Pocket Gift | RK-1662
Hearthspire Hand Forged Viking Candle Holder | Three Branch Twisted Steel | Mjolnir Engraved Collar and Scrolled Feet with Dished Drip Pans | Norse Hall Gift | RK-1676The Hearthkeen set is five knives, a slicer, chef, utility, paring and serrated bread knife, in 1095 and 15N20 Damascus at 58 to 60 HRC, with walnut handles, brass bolsters and a brown leather roll to keep them in. It is $499 and sits at 4.7 from 10 reviews. For a smaller budget, or a husband whose cooking happens mostly over charcoal, the Blockbreaker cleaver at $139 has a 7.5 inch Damascus blade, a stag horn and walnut handle and a thick spine built for joints and heavy prep. It has 10 reviews, all five stars.
One honest warning. Carbon Damascus is not stainless. It wants washing by hand, drying straight away and a drop of oil now and then, and it will hold a grudge against the dishwasher. If he is the sort who leaves knives soaking in the sink overnight, you already know how this ends. The rest of the range is under chef knives, and best Damascus chef knives goes through what to buy and what to skip.
For the axe guy
You can usually spot him. He owns a wood stove or wants one, watches videos of men splitting logs, and has a strong view on hickory. There are two directions here, and it helps to know which one he is.
If he will actually use it, the Timberrune is a single bit felling axe with a 1095 high carbon head at 54 to 58 HRC, a curved American hickory haft and a chased knotwork panel on the cheek. It comes with a fitted leather blade mask, costs $189 and is rated 4.6 from 20 reviews. It is the practical choice and looks good enough that he will not want to leave it in the shed.
If the axe is going on the wall at least half the time, the Northmark is a Damascus bearded axe with a 7 inch edge, a 19 inch ash haft and a Vegvisir cut into the lower cheek, at $339 and 4.6 from 10 reviews. He can still use it. He probably will not, at least not after he sees the pattern in the steel.
If you are not sure which way he leans, how to choose a Viking axe explains the difference between a head built for work and one built to be looked at, in plain terms.
For the collector
The collector already has a shelf, or a wall, or a spare room you have stopped going into. He does not need another small thing. He needs the next big thing, and a sword is the obvious one.
The Valkbraid is a single hand Viking sword in pattern welded 1095 and 15N20 Damascus, with a five lobed polished steel pommel carrying an engraved Valknut, a Vegvisir etched below the guard, a brown leather grip over a full tang and a leather scabbard with a polished steel throat and chape. It is $579 and holds 4.75 from 20 reviews, which is a decent number for a piece at that price.
One detail he may enjoy pointing out over Christmas dinner: the Valknut appears on Viking Age picture stones, while the Vegvisir is an Icelandic magical stave written down centuries later. Having both on one blade is history with a bit of artistic licence, and that is fine on a display piece. Before you buy, check he has a wall stud free, because a sword without a mount ends up leaning in a corner.
For the husband who has everything
This is the hardest one, and the usual answer is another gadget that ends up in a drawer. Try the opposite approach. Give him the drawer.
The Wardhold is a Viking storage chest in solid wood with a dark walnut toned stain, a domed and braced lid, four studded brass straps and a Helm of Awe cut into the centre of the lid. It comes with a brass padlock and key and ships assembled. It is $389, rated 4.33 from 3 reviews. It suits the foot of a bed, a study or a den, and it solves the problem of where all his other things live.
If the chest feels like too much furniture, the other route for a man who has everything is to take something he already likes and make it unmistakably his. That is what engraving is for.
Engraving that makes it his
Almost everything above can be engraved. Text or a name in Elder Futhark runes is $19 a piece, a Norse symbol such as Mjolnir or the Valknut is $39, and a family crest is $49. The full set of pieces that take engraving is under engraved and personalized.
For a husband, the wedding date tends to age better than anything clever. His initials in runes work well on a knife or an axe cheek. If you want a line of text, keep it short. A long quote looks impressive in the order notes and cramped on a blade, and an inside joke from 2014 needs explaining for the rest of its life.
What to skip
Skip a sword if he has no wall for it and no interest in history. It will live in a box. Skip carbon steel kitchen knives for a man who believes the dishwasher is a perfectly good place for everything. And skip anything you are buying mainly because the product photo looked good next to a fireplace, unless you also own the fireplace.
A good test: picture where it will be in March. If the answer is a cupboard, choose something else. For more ideas that are not tied to the husband in particular, including stocking fillers and picks for dads and boyfriends, see Viking Christmas gifts.
If he cares more about the history than the hardware, how the Norse actually spent Yule is better reading than most gift lists, this one included.
On timing, handmade pieces take longer than a parcel from a warehouse, and engraving adds a step, so leave yourself more room than you think you need.
Questions people ask
What is a good Christmas gift for a husband who has everything?
Something that holds or displays what he already owns, such as the Wardhold storage chest at $389, or one of his favourite kinds of thing made personal with engraving. A name or wedding date in runes is $19 a piece.
What is a good Christmas gift for a husband who loves to cook?
A proper knife. The Hearthkeen five piece Damascus set at $499 covers everything from bread to paring, and the Blockbreaker cleaver at $139 is a strong choice for a man who cooks over a grill.
Is it bad luck to give a knife as a gift?
There is an old folk superstition that a gifted knife cuts the relationship, and the traditional fix is for the receiver to hand back a coin so the knife is technically bought. It costs a penny and saves an argument, so it is worth doing.
Are Damascus kitchen knives stainless?
Not these. The Damascus here is 1095 and 15N20 carbon steel, which takes a keen edge but needs washing by hand, drying straight away and an occasional light oil. Keep it out of the dishwasher.
Can I get his gift engraved?
Yes. Text or runes are $19 per piece, a Norse symbol is $39 and a family crest is $49. Engraving is cut in the United States after the piece arrives.
Where are these gifts made?
Every piece is handmade in the Czech Republic by workshops that still work by hand, and imported by Ransack Viking.
Shop the range
Brasshall Hand Made Stainless and Brass Viking Tankard with Celtic Knotwork Band | Riveted Body and Formed Steel Handle | Brown Leather Belt Hanger Included | Norse Ale Gift | RK-1622Emberkey Hand Forged Damascus Viking Keyring with a Mjolnir Etched Axe & Hammer Charm | Norse Pocket Gift | RK-1662Hearthspire Hand Forged Viking Candle Holder | Three Branch Twisted Steel | Mjolnir Engraved Collar and Scrolled Feet with Dished Drip Pans | Norse Hall Gift | RK-1676
Oakhewn Hand Forged Viking Axe Wall Plaque | Bearded Axe on Carved Oak Board | Celtic Knotwork Band and Leather Lined Steel Cradles | Norse Wall Gift | RK-1683
Ravenfeast Hand Forged Stainless Steel Rocking Pizza Cutter | 12 Inch Handle | Olive Wood Handle with Veg Tanned Leather Blade Cover | Norse Kitchen and Wedding Gift | RK-315
Birchbite Hand Forged 1095 Carbon Steel Viking Hand Axe | 14 Inch Hickory Handle | Celtic Knotwork Etched Cheek and Leather Blade Mask | Camp Craft Gift | RK-1490