Having handled an original halberd from the early 1500s i believe it was..... you definitely have a sense of "you'd be an idiot to mess with someone holding this" short of course, of being in armor, and with friends similarly armored.

Glaives and halberds are some of my favorite weapon classes because of that, they're an all-around useful tool for combat. Stick, hack, jab or smash, they do it all.

Have you seen Arma Bohemia's vouge francais? It's a very nice entry.

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The first two shown below may be what you're thinking of, Ken. There are many variants. The last image below is the typical couteau de breche form (also often referred to as a glaive).

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Please excuse my ignorance but are there any defined boundries by experts as in " These pieces fall within the accepted definitions of a glaive" or These pieces on the other hand are much nearer, say partisans than glaives" ?

If that is yourself in the photo holding the Arma Bohemia piece Mr. Flynt it is a beauty.

"Sa'ar wrote, "... an executioner's axe from early 19th century Pakistan and also made as a processional piece for one of the rajas. Not very handy in the battle field, weighing whopping over 30 kilos (appr. 70 pounds)! " Man, thats just nasty! Gives the word "overkill" a whole new meaning ! The executioner would split the chopping block! I need a drink.

Thanks Sa'ar I think I'll be having nightmares :lol:


Ken Speed

Sean,

Yes, the top two in your 4:23 note today are the type I had in mind. They all look like really bad news but there's something about that curving scimitar shaped blade on a long pole that is really chilling. I looked at Wikipedia and it said that Silver said that essentially that these were the most dangerous of weapons.


Ken Speed

Hi Sa'ar,

You said,"Overkill" is an understatement: the haft can hardly be grasped with two hands because of the large diameter, at the bottom, can't be seen in the pic, there is a large spherical pommel almost the size of a handball, probably for counter balance. You don't have to put any effort in the downwards movement, just aim it well and let gravity do the job "


Here's a theory (theories are worth about the same as opinions by the by ;) ) I think that the big ball was a pivot point! Nobody could reliably swing and control something that had a long shaft with a head that weighed seventy pounds. I think that this is essentially a guillotine (SP?) without a frame. There would be a stage or platform with the block for the executee and the appropriate distance away from the block would be a dished out recess in the floor where the spherical pommel would rest;
then its just aim and release as you mentioned!

Lets talk about weapons and wholesale slaughter and wholesome things this execution stuff is ghoulish! :lol:

Ken Speed

I've just recently seen a 15th c. German painting showing a short-hafted cleaver. Shown in use, the weapon is actually resting on the victim's neck (block beneath) and is to be struck by a mallet/maul. In essence, it is a wedge used to separate the victim from his head. So, it's at least possible that the weapon you're discussing might be built to be struck rather than swung. Just a thought. I know almost nothing about Asian arms.

[quote="D. Austin"]

Sean Flynt wrote:

I’d like to read more about polearms.

There isn't much out there. Get Waldman's book if you can (it's not going to get cheaper, and probably will more than double in value). George Snook's monograph is certainly worth having. Used to be available new for under $20, but I once saw it offfered at $75, which is ridiculous for this little paperbound booklet. Moreover, you can download the entire thing for free here:

http://www.virtuatheque.free.fr/The Halberd and Other European Polearms.pdf

I don't know if the author has placed this in the public domain or what, so I don't know if this PDF violates copyright restrictions. Assuming Snook is still alive, he's 83. He's some kind of legend in his own field (see below,) and might not need the royalties from his hobby writing. He may have decided to place his work in the public domain, either directly or by default.


Aug. 17, 2007

CHICAGO, Ill. - Dr. George A. Snook, orthopaedic consultant and team physician for UMass athletics for 32 years, has been inducted into the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Hall of Fame at the AOSSM annual meeting in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This is the Society's highest accolade, reserved for outstanding leaders in sports medicine and service as team physicians.

Snook's monograph is currently available and affordable on ebay. I bought one a year ago for $12 and two more copies most recently, from the same seller. Check here: http://cgi.ebay.com/The-Halberd-1300-1650_W0Q...0221100675

Here's the link to Snook's booklet.

http://virtuatheque.free.fr/The%20Halberd%20a...learms.pdf

In the back there are basic silhouettes of polearm types and names for each one plus a glossary of various polearms types.

The following book also has some good drawing / diagrams of polearms, very little information and no photographs, just diagrams.

The New Weapons of the World Encyclopedia: An International Encyclopedia from 5000 B.C. to the 21st Century
by Diagram Group

http://www.amazon.com/New-Weapons-World-Encyc...amp;sr=8-1


Where's the cheapest place to order Waldman's book from?

Thanks

Danny

Might throw inn a pic of my not-so-new glaive, as well;

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