As with all vibro-axes, a power pack supplied energy to an Ultrasonic vibration generator, causing the alusteel ax blade to vibrate thousands of times per second, making it far more dangerous than a normal axe. The vibro-ax had a wooden shaft which held the ax head and power cell. The wooden shaft did little to absorb the vibration of the the blade, so only beings with considerable physical strength—such as the Gamorreans who favored these weapons—could wield them effectively.
The vibro-ax was a favorite of Jabba the Hutt's Gamorrean guards, who commonly used it unpowered to show off their strength. Some of Jabba's other guards believed this was actually a matter of the Gamorreans being too stupid to remember to activate their weapons. The vibro-axes were used to little effect when fighting Luke Skywalker during the Battle of the Great Pit of Carkoon, as the Jedi's lightsaber effortlessly cut through their axes.