[Sean Flynt]

Those of you who own or have handled polearms (any hafted weapon intended for two-handed use) and love them...tell us what and why. Since polearm terminology is very slippery, please post pics or links to pics so we'll all know what you're talking about.

NOTE: This new thread is for discussion of both the objective and subjective arguments for polearms rather than for extended discussion of the merits of specific modern reproductions. For those interested in qaulity/accuracy issues pertaining to modern reproduction polearms, see (and respond to) this old thread:
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...ht=polearm

[Russ Ellis]

Well heck why do you like swords? For me it's the same thing. I like swords because of their historical connections, their aesthetic etc. So far I've only got one a situation a hope to change soon...

[Sean Flynt]

But there aren't that many of us compared to sword-lovers, so there must be more to it. At the risk of sounding like an ancient candy commercial ("When I bite into a York Peppermint Patty...."), I'll say that the first time I picked up a polearm, I suddenly realized why these arms were so popular. The reach, the balance, the weight, the power....
I often think about which of the pieces in my collection I'd most want in a fight for my life. Almost invariably, I choose a polearm--the plainest and most inexpensive arms in my collection. George Silver and even some of his hated European counterparts back me on this. I was wondering how many of us share their passion. I just get a certain feeling of (admittedly misguided) invincibility when I pick up my new 16th c. glaive (around 7.5' long--photos soon). I think if more folks had the chance to handle such weapons, there would be more polearm lovers. The problem is that few do get such a chance.

Sweet A&A axe, by the way! I suspect you're getting the "invincible" vibe too!

[Matthew Kelty]

I'm with you. My personal favorite is probably the Italian Billhook from the early 1500's. So many ways to tear a footmen or horsemen to pieces....

I'm trying to find some good pics, I'll add them if I find them...

[Aaron Schnatterly]

[Daniel Staberg]

Good reproduction polearms are hard to find so many never get to feel the sheer poer of those things. They migth not be as "hot" as swords by they were the true weapons of war. Most battles were fought with the spear, pike, halbered/bill, poleaxe or axe ratehr than with the sword. Which is why I like them.

If i had to chose favourite I'd rpbably go with the halberd both in it's early forms as used by the Swiss and the later forms which evolved into truly magnficient weapons of war before the halberd was turned into a cermonial weapon.

But I'm also partial to the 'langue de beouffe' or ox-tounge which was a favourite of the French. A short haft fitted with a wide cut and thurst blade (sorry, no pic)

Swedish yeomen employed a couple of IMHO interstign polearms, the Sword-staff which already has thread on the forum and a weapon which looks much like an early swiss halberd but with some diffrences


Regards
Daniel

[Jean Thibodeau]

Matthew;

I assume you already know about it but the A & A Italian bill is what you were talking about. ( A really nice one. )

I like the A & A Pole arms because I know they will be well made: The only problem is the limited variety of standard models.

But I would assume that you could get a custom model made at a somewhat but not excessively higher price than their catalogue ones ?

One negative about the Italian bill is that it is so long that I'm not sure it wouldn't scrape the ceiling if held vertically.

I guess having the aft cut a foot shorter than standard might work.

The English bill looks good too: But it would be nice to see pictures of it from different angles.

Well maybe if a lot of us bought Pole arms there might be more of them made

[Matthew Kelty]

Ahh yes:

http://www.arms-n-armor.com/2000/catalog/item066.html

Drool, drool, drool....

I love it. Not $503 worth of love, but I love it...

I'd prefer a slightly wider hook, a slightly shorter and stouter spike, but it's a damn good design overall.

I'm currently cutting my teeth on making a dozen pikes, so perhaps my welding will be up to snuff when I'm finished to tackle something like this...

I'm also lusting after a very peculiar design of halberd. Look at the second one down on this page and tell me it doesn't make your palms itch:

http://www.claudiospage.com/helmbart.htm

I've always been partial to Glaives, and this seems to be the best of both worlds, as well as it adds a vicious forward cut in addition to the thrust.

Drool, drool, drool...

[Jean Thibodeau]

Matthew;

Yes if I was modifying the A & A Italian Bill I might ask for a shorter and stouter spike and maybe make the main blade and hook a little wider: This might look better with a shorter aft, something around 8' or 7.5' total length.

The Halberd you mentioned does look good also.

Well for a good Halberd I wonder why a price similar to a quality sword seems like too much

A well researched one with all the subtleties of varying thickness and reinforced armour piercing points would seem worth the extra money compared to one just cut out of a steel plate that only has the outline correct but is too simple when looked at as a 3D object.

[William M]

Hello everybody, I have a few photos of some pole arms, from when I visited an English castle in the dordogne in France.

[Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom]

Hi Sean!
With my spear, i like that fast moving on it and better balance control on my self when i have use it,
a feeling of safe, in someway well, i have not yet been attacked by that old mattress i practice on

[Russ Ellis]

Thanks awfully guys... as though I haven't been spending enough money on swords and such. Sheesh. Sean, I see what you mean! You know it's weird, I think you are right. If more people messed with a pole arm or an impact weapon or two I'll bet they would be better sellers. I know I'm convinced! I recently got to mess with Arms and Armor's Hungarian Axe...



It was VERY nice as well. Love that wicked top spike. Also the price on these sorts of things are SO much less then a sword...

[Steve Fabert]

I am a fan of battering weapons as well as edged weapons. Give me maces and warhammers, not just swords and daggers. Polearms which combine sharp edges with knobs and spikes are therefore high on my list of favorites. A weapon that combines three different functions, like the poleaxe, is both aesthetically pleasing and commendably practical. It also fits well with my primary era of historical interest, the 14th and 15th Centuries.

Most polearms look deceptively large and unwieldy in photographs. When I first held my A&A poleaxe, I was pleasantly surprised by its compactness and balance. Both the poleaxe and the bec de corbin are much easier to employ than their apparent size suggests. It is difficult to see how a man armed only with a 15th Century sword could defeat a trained poleaxe user. Which may explain why 16th Century swords do not look that much like the 15th Century types.

[Sean Flynt]

[Jeff Johnson]

Even a staff can be more useful than a sword, but add a blade to it and it gets even better. There's so much more that you can do with a pollarm than you can a mere sword, and you can do it more effectively and at a greater power and range; chop, pound, slash, hook, block... If the other fellow is in armor and you only have a sword, you are not well-prepared to meet him.

[Sean Flynt]

You mentioned blocking--I think one of the niftiest things about polearms in the 5-7 foot range is that one can lead with the butt, use that end to parry a blow and open up the opponent to a powerful strike with the blade. Basically, you can have the blade cocked back behind your shoulder, ready to deliver the strongest possible strike, but without leaving you vulnerable to being "timed".

[Russ Ellis]

I've been meaning to ask... about that A&A pole ax. What's the deal with the "meat tenderizer" end of the thing? Why is it configured the way it is, i.e. with all the little projections and so forth?

[Steve Fabert]

It's just a larger surface using the geometry seen on most warhammers. A "waffled" surface is more likely to grip the target long enough to deliver the energy of the blow, rather than possibly glancing off like a single point or a flat hammer face could.

[Sean Flynt]

For the record, here's what crazy old George Silver has to say about the advantage of various polearms, ca. 1598 (find the full text at ARMA ( http://www.thearma.org/Manuals/GSilver.htm ):

Of the vantages of weapons in their kinds, places, & times, both in private and public fight

...The battle axe, the halberd, the black-bill, or such like weapons of weight, appertaining unto guard or battle, are all one in fight, and have advantage against the two handed sword, the sword and buckler, the sword and target, the sword and dagger, or the rapier and poniard.

The short staff or half pike, forest bill, partisan, or glaive, or such like weapons of perfect length [see below-ed.], have the advantage against the battle axe, the halberd, the black bill, the two handed sword, the sword and target, and are too hard for two swords and daggers, or two rapier and poniards with gauntlets, and for the long staff and morris pike.

The long staff, morris pike, or javelin, or such like weapons above the perfect length, have advantage against all manner of weapons, the short staff, the Welch hook, partisan, or glaive, or such like weapons of vantage excepted, yet are too weak for two swords and daggers or two sword and bucklers, or two rapiers and poniards with gauntlets, because they are too long to thrust, strike, and turn speedily. And by reason of the large distance, one of the sword and daggers-men will get behind him.

The Welch hook or forest bill, have advantage against all manner of weapons whatsoever.

Yet understand, that in battles, and where variety of weapons are, among multitudes of men and horses, the sword and target, the two handed sword, battle axe, the black bill, and halberd, are better weapons, and more dangerous in their offence and forces, than is the sword and buckler, short staff, long staff, or forest bill. The sword and target leads upon shot, and in troops defends thrusts and blows given by battle axe, halberds, black bill, or two handed swords, far better than can the sword and buckler.

The morris pike defends the battle from both horse and man, much better than can the short staff, long staff, or forest bill. Again the battle axe, the halberd, the black bill, the two handed sword, and sword & target, among armed men and troops, by reason of their weights, shortness, and great force, do much better offend the enemy, & are much better weapons, than is the shot staff, the long staff, or the forest bill.

Of the length of weapons, and how every man may fit himself to the perfect length of his weapon, according
to his own stature, with brief reasons wherefore they ought to be so

To know the perfect length of your short staff, or half pike, forest bill, partisan, or glaive, or such like weapons of vantage and perfect lengths, you shall stand upright, hold the staff upright close by your body, with your left hand, reaching with your right hand your staff as high as you can, and then allow to that length a space to set both your hands, when you come to fight, wherein you may conveniently strike, thrust, and ward, & that is the just length to be made according to your stature. And this note, that these lengths will commonly fall out o be eight or nine foot long, and will fit, although not just, the statures of all men without any hindrance at all unto them in their fight, because in any weapon wherein the hands may be removed , and at liberty, to make the weapon longer of shorter in fight(ing) at his pleasure, a foot of the staff being behind the back most hand does no harm. And wherefore these weapons ought to be of the lengths aforesaid, and no shorter, than the long staff, morris pike, and such like weapons over and above the perfect length, should have great advantage over them, because he may come boldly and safe without any guard or ward,to the place where he may thrust home, and at every thrust put him in danger of his life, then can the long staff, the morris pike, or any longer weapon lie nowhere within the compass of the true cross, to cross and uncross, whereby he may safely pass home to the place, where he may strike or thrust him that has the long weapon, in the head, face, or body at his pleasure.

Of the lengths of the battle axe, halberd, or black bill, or such like weapons of weight, appertaining unto guard or battle

In any of these weapons there needs no just length, but commonly they are, or ought to be five or six foot long, & may not well be used much longer, because of their weights, and being weapons for the wars and battle, when men are joined close together, may thrust, & strike sound blows, with great force both strong and quick. And finally for the just lengths of all other shorter or longer weapons to be governed with both hands, there is none. Neither is their any certain lengths in any manner of weapons to be used with one hand, over or under the just length of the single sword. Thus ends the length of weapons.

NOTE: Sydney Anglo, writing in The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe, does a good job of introducing Silver and the European masters and comparing their approach to polearms.

[J. Padgett]

I've never had the chance to handle any polearms, but I'm quite fond of the simple staff so I'm willing to bet I would enjoy halberds, bills, and spears as well. I particularly like this Lutel Halberd:

http://www.lutel.cz/20015.htm

I would name it choppy.