1 handed magic axe takes two hands?

I found a magic one-handed axe (+2 I think, but I'm not sure) that can be thrown, and it returns to the character everytime. By choosing under it's abilities, you can switch it to a melee weapon. Unfortunately, when you try to equip a shield or to dual weld you get an error message that says you can't use your off hand when using a ranged weapon!?!?!? To me this made the weapon useless on either setting. Is this a glitch or is there logic? And to clarify, I don't have a two handed weapon in any of my other weapon slots.

IMHO, if it's meant to be this way, then under the description, it should say two-handed not one-handed.

BTW, the fact that you can't use your off hand if you are using a ranged weapon, would surprise my cleric greatly because he's carried a sling and shield the entire game.

I've also found a one-handed knife that works the same way. It's +3 and I let my mage use it, so this weird penalty doesn't matter. I think this is the best mage weapon that is practical to use. I like some of the staffs, etc.. that allow you to cast or summon, but I always hated when, all of a sudden, my mage runs off into the heart of the battle because I selected all characters, picked a target, and forgot the mage wasn't set on a ranged weapons...lol. I've actually seen him kick butt in melee a couple of times, but he usually ends up dead.

I agree, it is stupid you can't dual wield with them, but I am pretty sure I could use a shield with both. Is it in your right hand?

Absolutely, I had the weapon in question in my right (my good) hand. I could weld it with no problem, but no shield. It treated it as if it were a two handed ranged weapon.

I can understand how dual-wielding throwing axes might be a little tricky, but I've had Korgan using throwing axes with shields all the way through two games. Bug?

That's what I think...

[Worm]

Nahh, Remember in BG1 at High Hold (Place with the conjurer) the skeletons had large sheilds and throwning knives ahh thats how it was in the day. Even if you switch a throwing axe to Melee its still counted as a range weapon. F.Y.I at the copper cornet off of the fat ass merchant you can get the Stonefire +3 fire axe which is good. Maybe its the sheild your have or your race or class who knows.