[Z Wells]

So, as probably anyone here knows, I got a bug for a certain kind of thing: I'd love to have some pole weapons. I'm not massively, hugely fussed about where specifically to start with this, but I do like the idea of a double-edged partisan, and the pollaxe/bec de corbin has its own appeal. Very prepared to do one and then another one as time for projects permits, though.

I've been looking around for options to do a thing with pole weapons for about a week. I'm in Australia, so I'm absolutely looking at cheap weapon heads or local complete weapons, rather than internationally shopping a large pole. I've got a vague shortlist of heads from either :

http://www.armouronline.com/weapons_arms/staff_weapons/37.html

https://www.medieval-fightclub.com.au/medieval-weapons/pole-weapons/

http://www.reenactorswarehouse.com.au/index.php?cPath=31

also, these guys in NZ, where postage probably wouldn't be grossly excessive:

https://kingofswords.co.nz/gallery/?category=Pole_Arms

I'm not in made-of-money territory, but, I have a cheap corded angle-grinder, and one of these bench grinders/sanders.

So, I guess my question is: not being entirely made of thumbs, in my budget range of $100-300 for a head, am I better off buying something around the Deepeeka / GFDB price range, or, should I get my own pole, get out the angle grinder, and set to work on some metal from either a not-trash-but-still-cheap shovel, or, get something cheap but nice and thick from a selection of cutlery metal, and grind that down?

I'm assuming this isn't a completely novel predicament and I'd love to hear from anyone who's gone down a similar path. I'm totally prepared to put in actual work to make a thing work. I guess my worst case scenario would be : using this in some practical context of chopping up a watermelon/simulated carcass clad in metal, and having a bit of the pole weapon go flying off into some old lady's open window. That's really the only hard limit, other than what I'm prepared to spend in dollarydoos.

Many thanks for any suggestions or help.

[Paul Hansen]

I'm more or less in the same predicament. I'd like a more or less simple spear, but don't want to spend a fortune on shipping. Also I think that about $100 would be more than enough for a simple spearhead. A partisan, halberd or something else that's more complex obviously also costs more.

Now the problem in Europe is that the "cheap end" of the market is covered by reenactment gear which have rounded points and edges, whereas I'm looking for a sharp. And I do want to get at least the shape (if not the steel and finishing) historically correct.

The problem with making one yourself, is that the socket needs to be forged. Unless you want to go with a stick tang (historically correct for some periods). Making it from a knife or shovel is not going to work, I think, unless you just want something that somewhat works but are not concerned with any form of historical accuracy. The cheapest solution that works would probably to order a Cold Steel Bushman, which is a kind of survival knife which is specifically designed to be able to be mounted as a spear as well.

But what was not completely clear from your post:
- Do you want a sharp or a blunt?
- How important is historical correctness for you?

[Mikko Kuusirati]

[Matthew Amt]

The Windlass spearheads that I have experience with all had that ugly bulge or lump between blade and socket, which is a weld. You can try grinding it down, but that can leave a visible crack.

Kult of Athena can't be the only place that offers other nice spears, these being a couple of the options for something very good-looking and inexpensive:

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...Spear+Head

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...Spear+Head

I use the small one for a couple of my Greek spears, though I trim a little off the socket to reduce the diameter. These are forged, with a split socket, so not bad at all for accuracy. I do *not* know how strong they are in comparison to others.

KOA's page on polearms and spears:

http://www.kultofathena.com/spears.asp

I've modified or converted a bunch of things in my time! And made swords by grinding from scratch, using nothing more than scrap steel and angle grinder. So it certainly can be done! As has been said, though, the problem with a spear or polearm is the socket. And often the transition from socket to blade, which a modern shovel really won't match. BUT there are modern tools with more potential, such as the heavy-duty scraper I rescued from the trash:



Less than an hour with the angle grinder, and I had this:



So I'm thinking that if you find a cheap repro polearm that is at least reasonably constructed (not just flat stock bolted to a piece of pipe, for example), you and your angle grinder could very well make it into something quite nice.

Have fun!

Matthew

[Z Wells]

Just posting the results of some more research!

On looking at the Deepeeka pages for their pole weapons, he only two that say Carbon rather than Mild steel construction are their Bec de Faucon and their Lochaber axe.

The lochaber axe seems like a nice bit of gear I'd be happy to own, and I'll see if I can get the head by itself.

I've been looking for videos of speficially how pole weapons fail. I've found two on Skallagrim's channel -

First the Knightly pole axe by Arms & Armor

https://youtu.be/l47Idc7anG4?t=189

and the Deepeeka bardiche

https://youtu.be/dQRUEyBOJQo?t=89

The general impression I get is that regardless of it being 'lower' grade steel, even a long, deep mild steel blade is probably up for as many sustained high velocity whacks into metal as you'd like, but your problem is going to be in the forces bringing it to a stop. The Deepeeka failure just seems to have been using the wrong depth and type of screw, which is embarrassing but maybe doesn't point to any major failure in the head itself.

The A&A failure I can't help but think might have been avoided by reinforcing with the langets along the axis of the hammer and axe heads, rather than opposite them - the way it's designed looks like it's the wood that bears the brunt of this deceleration, then the metal only prevents it twisting to dissipate that energy, which just makes the wood work even harder.

I've watched a lot of videos from Cold Steel on their pole weapons, and they seem to use a fairly basic tubular attachment to their heads, and it .. doesn't seem to do too bad a job? I've read / seen that their quality control and assembly can leave a little to be desired, but I'm wondering if the basic polearm is just such a simple tool that once it's in fundamentally the right shape and fitment, it'll do the job. Might be getting to the nut of why the billhook/halberd ended up being a hugely effective peasant weapon..

https://youtu.be/Sj0KW5vJ-hM?t=262 (obviously their own promotional video isn't going to make this look like a piece of trash, but still)

Does anyone have any other videos to share of what can go wrong with constructing one of these? I feel like I could learn a lot more from watching one break than videos where nothing goes wrong, haha.

In terms of what's the least amount of work to modify, the scraper is a great suggestion, there are some others it made me think of like joint and taping knives that could potentially work too. The other thing I'm thinking might be a good candidate is a chopping / cutter style mattock, where you could grind one end down to a hook or pick spike and the other to a shorter axe head, and have a circular path from the eye into the staff for a spike on top. The cheaper ones of these are drop-forged but having done an awful lot of digging with lowest-price ones for nature site rehabilitation and pond digging before, they certainly don't blink at being swung into rocks all day.

Some answers to clear up -

[Anthony Clipsom]

I'm not the DIY type but it strikes me that the tool known as a long handled slasher or brush axe might be a place to start looking for something to modify. They come in a variety of head forms. The type known as a Yorkshire billhook has a broad blade which you might modify (I don't know if they are called that in Oz, but a google search will show what they look like).

[Z Wells]

[Z Wells]