and now for something completely different:

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Maori Taiaha staff club, 150 cm. hardwood

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Masai Lion spear, 184 cm. circa 1900

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Zulu Iklwa stabbing spear, late 1800's. 95 cm. braided brass/steel bindings.

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Zulu Iwisa knobkerry to go with the iklwa, 'assegai wood'.

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Bronze mace walking stick, my EDC, 34 in.ash haft.

# Aaron
Thanks, Aaron!
The alloy is bronze indeed.
I don't know if the molds were preserved at the foundry, but this is not a problem. As I have the wooden master - I'm able to cast as many heads, as I want.

Also - check your PM box, just sent a message to you.


# Radovan
Well, the haft is unspoiled- this weapon hasn't been in battle so far. And if you just could see the haft of the mace I usually use as a secondary weapon.... :D
From the other hand - you are absolutely right - it really looks like re-hafted.

A&A Danish Axe
A&A Norseman Spear
A&A Italian Bill
A&A Burgundian Poleaxe
A&A 12th Century Spear
A&A Italian Pole Hammer

Hard to get a picture to show the size range since they all have such different lengths. Ranges from 98" for the Italian Bill down to 56" for the Danish Axe.

Of the group, I like how the 12th Century Spear handles the best followed by the Burgundian Poleaxe. The Italian Bill handles better than I expected, but it's so long, you've got to really watch where you're moving it. I love the Italian Pole Hammer, but it could be better balanced - maybe a butt cap to counter the head weight.

Awesome picture Aaron. I really like the A&A lineup, and thanks for your thoughts on handling, etc.

Windlass Long Bladed Hewing Spear mounted with decorative turk's head knot in leather lacing. Also showing a buttcap made from a plumbing pipe cap - an idea suggested by Sean Flynt. Worked out fairly well for my first attempt.

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Has any of you been brave enough to test the edge of those pole weapons on something metal?

I’m glad this topic came up as I hope someone here can help me identify these Asian pieces...?

Sorry for my poor quality camera & pictures...

But first, what I believe to be a c1575 Northern European Halbard and a c1600 Venetian Glaive (or Fauchard after G. C. Stone).





The Glaive has crudely done engraving with a military theme on both sides- Crossed weapons, 3/4 suit of armor, shield, battle drum, etc. And bird of prey heads on the back side “hooks”





And the Asian stuff- One is clearly a ceremonial piece of some sort and made of brass. I think perhaps it’s meant to represent a stylized battle axe.





And the other has engraving and a unusual faceted ball & socket feature(?)



I haven’t been able to find any thing on line about these except for a unexplained auction photo of a similar piece to the brass one. Any insight on these would be greatly appreciated, Thanks in advance!

-Kirk

The Asian polearms:

The left hand one is Vietnamese (probably; could be Chinese). Ceremonial/processional. Anything from carried by a guard at some VIPs door, through to carried in public ceremonies. For some Vietnamese polearms, see
http://www.swordforum.com/forums/showthread.p...f-polearms
The faceted ball is often seen on Chinese spears, maces, knives, and sometimes swords. Vietnamese weapons can also have it, but cylindrical ones are more common (at least on later ones). The faceted ball might indicate this is older rather than newer (like early 19th century, rather than c. 1900). Dragon heads like this are used on both Chinese and Vietnamese weapons.

The right hand one looks Chinese. The "axe heads" are lotus flowers, the round discs are coins, the round rod is a brush with ink dripping from it. Is it complete (apart from the broken upper end of the wavy brass bit), or is there a missing steel blade? From the symbolism, it's religious and/or magical in function (which could be as simple as "brings good luck" or feng shui). Or for tourist sale. Or modern decorator piece for the foreign market. From the mounting, it's recent (I'd guess later 20th century with no other information available). On old ones, even decorative or ceremonial (or tourist), the dragon head is at the end of the haft (like on the left hand one).

Thanks for the feedback!

The brass one has no obvious missing blade, and yes the upper wavy bit is indeed broken off. The rod is hollow and open on top (but pretty thick walled) and I guessed it was meant to hold a plume or flag(?)

On the other I assumed the removable spear head was so it could be use with a different staff, perhaps something shorter(?)

Thanks again,

-Mr. B.

The traditional writing brush is bamboo, so hollow, and there is usually a wooden plug with a loop for cord for hanging the brush. So possibly this originally had a plug + cord like that. Given that it's done to the level of detail of having ink-drops, a hanging loop makes sense.

For the other one, the blade isn't meant to be removable like it is now. It's just come loose over time. I haven't pulled apart a mounted one like this, so I don't know how the tang is held in the end of the bamboo haft. But you want to fill the hollow in the end of the bamboo, with either a wooden plug, or resin. If a wooden plug, maybe drill a pilot hole, and just push the tang in. The sleeve will stop the end of the haft from splitting, and friction will keep the tang fixed. Can also glue in with resin. The end of the tang should be at the end of the bamboo haft. The part of the head between the end of the tang and the faceted ball should be visible between the dragon mouth and the ball; the ball shouldn't be sitting in the dragon's mouth.