I think unlike mjölnir , which for Thor was quite intuitive , guðvinr took a bit more getting used to . and Sindri had even said this , when gifting Thor with this weapon . ' it'll take some time ' , he had muttered , watching Thor get to grips with his new arsenal , and at first , Thor didn't think much of it . but over time it became clear , in the way guðvinr's target never quite aligned with where Thor wanted it to be , but instead , with where it felt it needed to be .
Thor would throw guðvinr at an assailant , miss , and instead guðvinr would hit another opponent who was inches away from harming a child , for example . or Thor would aim his axe at a warrior , and even if guðvinr hit the target it would continue on its momentum , get lodged into an object , and reveal a new line of sight for Thor as he moves to dislodge it -------------- something important , now in his eyeline , not previously visible .
this even extended to Thor throwing his axe , and then feeling like he had to search for it post - battle -------------- which was never the case , as the dwarves had emphasised . guðvinr would be found , and would find its way into Thor's hands , exactly when it needed to be . the two were tied together , lifelong companions , reflected in the name guðvinr itself : friend of a God .
the Æsir believe in the characteristics of their weapons --- a notion initially inspired by the dwarves themselves , those who treated each arsenal as a creation , an individual , with traits and personalities , down in the depths of Niðavellir . and like getting used to a person , one must get used to a weapon , understand how it works and how you both work together . Thor took some time to reach that mutual understanding , but now , he can't imagine his life without his axe .
