Poleaxe question -- myArmoury.com

Juan Cocinas · Posted: Mon 15 Mar, 2010 4:35 pm Post subject: Poleaxe question

Hello All! Just wondering about typical poleaxe construction. Haven't been able to find pics ove one disassembled. Were they a)Two-piece: percussive/axe head mounted to shaft w/ spearhead/langets fitted over or b)Three piece: tanged spearhead inserted into shaft/striking head mounted to shaft/ langets folded over. Sorry if that's confusing. Basically, was the spearhead of one piece with the langets, or was it a separate tanged piece mounted withe languets riveted over it to secure it to the weapon. Tanged seems as though it would be stronger, yes?

Hugh Knight · Posted: Mon 15 Mar, 2010 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: Poleaxe question

Juan Cocinas · Posted: Mon 15 Mar, 2010 4:53 pm Post subject: wow

Those drawings are beautiful, thanx. However, I am befuddled still as the top center spearhead in the page seems to have a threaded tang and the langets on the left hand haft are attached only to the wood, not folded over the top of the striking head. Perhaps poleaxes were constructed both ways?

Hugh Knight · Posted: Mon 15 Mar, 2010 5:15 pm Post subject: Re: wow

James Head · Posted: Mon 15 Mar, 2010 6:22 pm Post subject:

I love all of the weapon schematics from Talhoffer's Thott manuscript. Just the other day I was looking at all of the various duelling shield examples. Anyhow, I just wanted to mention that the pollaxe shown above is most likely a modular design specific to judicial duels. This would explain the threaded pins and what not. A pollaxe manufactured for use on a battlefield would probably have a more permanant construction.

Juan Cocinas · Posted: Mon 15 Mar, 2010 7:21 pm Post subject:

Has anyone built or commissioned a reproduction poleaxe? If so, could you post images to help shed light on this topic? Thanx

Daniel Sullivan · Posted: Mon 15 Mar, 2010 8:45 pm Post subject: Poleaxe question

Juan

Try the Arms and Armor site. Believe they have a couple of items listed, one of which is inspired by a poleaxe in the Wallace Collection.

Have a couple of their nifty products and I am seriously considering a purchase of this particular piece.

Cheers,
Dan

Juan Cocinas · Posted: Mon 15 Mar, 2010 8:56 pm Post subject: doh!

Wow, sorry everyone. Just read the poleaxe essay under features here and found the answers... Check it out

Three parallel methods for assembly of the poleaxe were utilized. In the first method, used for heads with or without an axe implement, the head and back spike were made of one piece and sat directly over the haft. The head had a slot to accept a "U" shaped iron piece which fit over the head and formed the langets which fastened the head to the haft. This piece also often included the top spike. In some cases the "U" shaped piece was made separate from the langets and was then attached to them. An example of this type of attachment can be seen in A926 and A925 from The Wallace Collection in London. In addition to the side (integral) langets, many poleaxes also had a pair of langets on the front and back side of the haft. These langets were bent on the inside of the hammer/axe head so that they hooked the head and prevented it from moving up or down.

An alternative method of assembly, commonly used on poleaxes from Switzerland such as the Lucerne hammer, utilized the attachment of the hammer head directly to the top spike. In this case the hammer head was slid over the top spike and was attached to it by a pair of side lugs screwed one on another. This method of assembly is best exemplified by the Lucerne type of poleaxes. A later modification of this assembly method involved shaping the top spike like a wedge and sliding the hammer head, not from the top but from the bottom, over the langets and wedging the head over the top spike. Once the haft was inserted between the langets, which had spread, the head was caught in place and could not slide up or down. The head was still firmly secured by a pair of lugs but the overall assembly was more secure than the earlier version in which the head was wedged on only one side.

The third method of assembly was very similar to that of the halberd: The axe, the top and back spikes and the langets were all forged into a single piece with a socket for the haft. The langets offered extra stability. This method may have developed in the 16th century but was used in parallel with the other two methods.

Looks like we're all right! Big Grin

Dustin Faulkner · Posted: Wed 17 Mar, 2010 1:07 pm Post subject: Pollaxe construction

Hello:

I commisioned Darren Austin to make a replica of a Lucerne Hammer at the Higgins Museum. Basically, the head is placed on the tip of the haft. It is socketed to accept the haft. Then, the top spike (with langets) is placed over it. Then, a threaded spike on either side holds everything together. One has male threads, the other has female threads to accept the male threads.

By the way, Darren did a nice job using pictures the Higgins provided for me.