Info Favorites Register Log in
myArmoury.com Discussion Forums

Forum index Memberlist Usergroups Spotlight Topics Search
Forum Index > Historical Arms Talk > Why do reproduction warhammers have square shafts? Reply to topic
This is a standard topic  
Author Message
Sam Arwas




Location: Australia
Joined: 02 Dec 2015

Posts: 92

PostPosted: Tue 04 Apr, 2017 3:22 am    Post subject: Why do reproduction warhammers have square shafts?         Reply with quote

Most modern reproduction medieval war hammers have square shafts which are not very ergonomic at all. A more rectangular shaft would be much more comforable or even better some kind of stretched octagonal section. I understand it's pretty rare for wooden shafts to have survived from this period but do the fittings from surviving hammer heads suggest a square shaft? And if so why would that mean it was square all the way down?
View user's profile Send private message
Mark Moore




Location: East backwoods-assed Texas
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Likes: 6 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Posts: 2,294

PostPosted: Tue 04 Apr, 2017 6:17 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I'm by far no expert, but I would think that the square or rectangular shaft would have been used for ease of production and to minimalize movement. A war-hammer is not a dull, clumsy weapon. They require a certain degree of skill to use effectively. I do agree that a square or rectangle shaft that tapers to a hex, oval, or teardrop would give better control in a swing. A rounded handle would just 'roll' in the hand(s). I'm sure there will be others along shortly to chime in with more detailed answers. Happy ....McM
''Life is like a box of chocolates...'' --- F. Gump
View user's profile Send private message
Mark Moore




Location: East backwoods-assed Texas
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Likes: 6 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Posts: 2,294

PostPosted: Tue 04 Apr, 2017 6:32 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

When I said 'minimalize movement', I refer to the fit of the shaft into the head. A square peg in a square hole won't move around easily. Wink ....McM
''Life is like a box of chocolates...'' --- F. Gump
View user's profile Send private message
J.D. Crawford




Location: Toronto
Joined: 25 Dec 2006

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,903

PostPosted: Wed 05 Apr, 2017 7:01 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

That sounds right, but he's asking - why not rectangular? why square? Which do the metal fittings suggest?
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Mark Moore




Location: East backwoods-assed Texas
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Likes: 6 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Posts: 2,294

PostPosted: Wed 05 Apr, 2017 8:07 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Is this a test? Laughing Out Loud A lot of -*reproduction*- war hammers that I've seen do have square or rectangular-ish slots in the heads for the shaft. Why? Your guess is as good as mine. As I said, I would think for ease of production. A good many replicas have langets running down the shaft, and it's easier to make them flat rather than shaped to fit any other shaped shaft. The only off-the-shelf reproduction hammer I know of that is shaped differently is the Cold Steel war hammer. It's handle is oval shaped and tapered--like a splitting maul handle, and the head is held on by compression/friction. It's langets are rounded to fit the shaft. As far as -*original*- hammers go, I've never really studied them in any great detail....so....I don't know. Worried .....McM
''Life is like a box of chocolates...'' --- F. Gump
View user's profile Send private message
Mark Moore




Location: East backwoods-assed Texas
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Likes: 6 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Posts: 2,294

PostPosted: Wed 05 Apr, 2017 8:18 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Here's my Windlass replica...square head, square shaft, flat langets. Happy ....McM


 Attachment: 41.94 KB
WIN_20170405_10_17_11_Pro.jpg


''Life is like a box of chocolates...'' --- F. Gump
View user's profile Send private message
Mark Moore




Location: East backwoods-assed Texas
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Likes: 6 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Posts: 2,294

PostPosted: Wed 05 Apr, 2017 8:22 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Actually, the shaft IS rectangular. Only the head slot is square. Solid-built lil bugger! Big Grin ....McM
''Life is like a box of chocolates...'' --- F. Gump
View user's profile Send private message
J.D. Crawford




Location: Toronto
Joined: 25 Dec 2006

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,903

PostPosted: Wed 05 Apr, 2017 4:50 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I don't know much anything about war hammers, but a quick google image search turns up a number of (what appear to be) originals with surviving handles, some made of metal and some of organic material that must have been well cared for or replaced. Just from the first few one could see a variety of cross-sections from square to rectangular to perfectly round.

(Maybe somebody can post some images, I'm running out of image space here.)

Why do modern replicas tend to look alike? Pure speculation based on other examples: what I suspect happens often with modern reproductions is that someone comes out with a model first based on a well known, accessible piece, and then the entry-level manufacturers end up imitating this repro rather than doing the due diligence to do heir own research on originals.

Why 'professionals' would do that escapes me, since its not that hard to at least look at some pictures and overall measurements on-line or in books, and derive some other measurements yourself, even if you can't get exact measurements from the museum or collector. I've done that myself several times for custom pieces and they came out pretty successful in most cases - and I'm just some guy sitting at home in my family room.
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website


Display posts from previous:   
Forum Index > Historical Arms Talk > Why do reproduction warhammers have square shafts?
Page 1 of 1 Reply to topic
All times are GMT - 8 Hours

View previous topic :: View next topic
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum






All contents © Copyright 2003-2024 myArmoury.com — All rights reserved
Discussion forums powered by phpBB © The phpBB Group
Switch to the Basic Low-bandwidth Version of the forum