by Dave Mooney on Wed Dec 16, 2009 11:02 am
There is a world of difference between the 16th Century and Viking world, which your question was based on. One can't retro fit 16th Century manuscripts to the Early Historic eras, the social and political landscapes were totally different.
You're looking at the difference between a (more) 'Warrior/Hero' culture and one where the fighters are professional soldiers only and the yokles get obligated into fighting without any real investment in armament. From the Norman era onwards you're looking at attempts to control weapons at a local level.
In the early historic/Viking era every household would likely have spears about the place as it was part of the culture to do so. If you had some money then swords also. Fighting was on a more local level then with minor kingdoms buffeting off each other all the time. As armies became more organised there was likely a reduction in weapons, and training, outside the army so when obligated to get involved the farmers had to improvise. I've just not heard of any being used in Viking context.
The Norse were brought to arms at what 5 or 6? and training from then onwards. Their rich warrior culture would ensure that all had arms to reach for in times of strife. (In the Gael culture also)
From the times of the major Viking colonies onwards battles are getting bigger as the territories get bigger then you slide into invasion and civil war level disputes which involve/drag in everyone so you'd see a lot more agricultural stuff at the fight.
I have no doubt that farmers would defend their homestead with whatever came to hand but I do think that they would sort themselves with traditional weapons if going to battle/campaign proper.
It depends what angle you're looking at this from. It wasn't just a pile of Norse farmers with pitch forks jumped a boat to here, they came (some way ) prepared.
Your opening question of "...what viking tools... could have been adapted to make weapons?" is a doozy as the answer is 'Any!'.
The real question is 'Were they?'