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Ok, this is a bit of a two part question:

I'm looking to do a conversion for an assault squad sergeant, but I'm not sure if Loyalists still make use of chainaxes. I could pass it off as a relic, but if I keep doing that then every converted character I have will have a 'relic', which is obviously going to somewhat degrade the importance of each 'relic'. So, do Loyalists still use chainaxes?

Now, if not, then is it possible that Chaos weapons can be cleansed of taint? Say the sergeant finds an old Heresy Era chainaxe off a dead CSM, and then somehow purifies it for use in the Chapter... Perhaps he even identifies it as a weapon stolen from the Chapter in the Heresy or the millenia after and reclaims it...

Any help would be appreciated as I don't wish to buy all the bits only to find out my conversion is highly unlikely fluff-wise.

I am sure that some Loyalists will have chainaxes.

They likely just fell out of usage because chainswords are more balanced and easier to use than the overbalanced chainaxes.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Logan_Grimnar

Scroll down to wargear

"carries the powerful Power Axe Morkai into battle. The axe was won from a Chaos Champion Logan defeated in battle. Logan had the axe reforged by his Chapter's Iron Priests, to remove its corruption, into the image of Morkai"

So yea, it's presumably possible to purify chaos weapons even by the stringent standards of the superstitious Space Wolves.

The flesh tearers have chain swords, chain axes, chain fists, chain knives, chain bayonets, and chain glaives.

Draigo reforged his broken sword out of a bloodthirsters axe which he purified after defeating him.

I'm fairly certain that if you microscopically examine a Flesh tearer chain weapon you'll find miniature chain teeth whom themselves have more chain teeth on them.

And on each of these teeth "Feth you, you massive pile of gak" is inscribed in a varying gothic dialet.

Flesh Tearers still use chainaxes
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1qt57HbAS1r1tpfvo1_500.jpg

As for purifying, its not just the Space Puppies: The Gauntlets of Ultramar were reclaimed from a chaos champion too. If the Smurfs can do it anyone can.

Well then, I'll take it either way: I can decide later whether I want my Salamanders Chain-axe as a relic, or a battle trophy taken and re-forged (Which I guess the Salamanders, with their supreme forging skills can do quite adequately) from a Chaos Champion.

Hmmm, I may even have it as a World Eaters axe used to slay Salamanders on Istvaan V, and then taken, 'cleansed' and used on it's former masters by the vengeful Salamanders. Sorted.

In any case, thanks for the prompt responses people - it sets my mind at ease.

Every piece of wargear used by the Space Marines is a relic after one fashion or another.

Granted, but there's relics and relics. I for one wouldn't be calling every Space Marines magazine pouch a relic. However I do see that in terms of sheer age, the fact that even after all that time they are functional and the history of those who have used said item, makes each piece of a Space Marines war-gear a relic.