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Craig Johnson
Industry Professional
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 Posted: Tue 15 Nov, 2005 10:06 am Post subject: Polearm Extravaganza |
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Hey Guys
Yes Joe that is your Halbard. Russ and Gordon's Pieces were just out of the shot. It is all underway and moving forward. Maybe we will have to photoshop togtehr a group pic of you all once they are all finished.
Best
Craig
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Russ Ellis
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Tue 15 Nov, 2005 10:54 am Post subject: Re: Polearm Extravaganza |
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| Craig Johnson wrote: | Hey Guys
Yes Joe that is your Halbard. Russ and Gordon's Pieces were just out of the shot. It is all underway and moving forward. Maybe we will have to photoshop togtehr a group pic of you all once they are all finished.
Best
Craig |
Now THAT would be pretty cool. Of course mine's just going to be the pointy end so it won't look nearly as impressive as the other guys but it would still be cool! Thanks for the update Craig!
TRITONWORKS Custom Scabbards
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Tue 15 Nov, 2005 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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Looking forward to seeing all those other polearms also. VERY 
Russ: It not the size of the polearm it's how well you design it.  
Oh, Russ yours is an Italian Bill I believe: The standard model or a custom variant ? I think the head of the standard one is about 30" long ! Maybe 40% of it top spike, not what I would call small. 
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Russ Ellis
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Wed 16 Nov, 2005 6:50 am Post subject: |
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[*+quote="Jean Thibodeau"]Looking forward to seeing all those other polearms also. VERY
Russ: It not the size of the polearm it's how well you design it.
Oh, Russ yours is an Italian Bill I believe: The standard model or a custom variant ? I think the head of the standard one is about 30" long ! Maybe 40% of it top spike, not what I would call small. [/quote]
Hey Jean, mine is the standard model and as you say just the head alone is a pretty significant chunk of steel. However it's going to still look pretty minimal when lined up beside your what... eight foot lang de beouf or Gordan's custom job. Anyone that starts commentinng on my inadequacy paranoia is going to get in BIG trouble...
TRITONWORKS Custom Scabbards
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Fri 20 Jan, 2006 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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Some more progress Picts from Craig at A & A : Very impressive, this is going to be bigger than I thought ! Looking real good.
A few more weeks before it's ready.
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You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Joe Fults
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| Posted: Fri 20 Jan, 2006 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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I think Craig likes forging those spikes and the end result is nifty.
My halberd will get its first test against the box army tomorrow. 
"The goal shouldn’t be to avoid being evil; it should be to actively do good." - Danah Boyd
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Sat 21 Jan, 2006 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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Joe;
Craig did say that finishing is a challenge when it comes to the transition between spike and the wide part of the blade: What looks easy and simple in a 2D drawing becomes a complex merging of shapes in 3D and making the transition aesthetic and functional takes a lot of thought and WORK. ( More than he anticipated: Something that seems to happen the first time one attempts a new design. My take on it not his words for this last comment. )
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Bill Grandy
myArmoury Team
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| Posted: Sat 21 Jan, 2006 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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You know, I didn't quite appreciate how large that blade is until I saw the picture with Craig hammering on it. That thing is going to be really cool when it's all done!
HistoricalHandcrafts.com
-Inspired by History, Crafted by Hand
"For practice is better than artfulness. Your exercise can do well without artfulness, but artfulness is not much good without the exercise.” -anonymous 15th century fencing master, MS 3227a
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Joe Fults
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| Posted: Sat 21 Jan, 2006 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Jean Thibodeau wrote: | Joe;
Craig did say that finishing is a challenge when it comes to the transition between spike and the wide part of the blade: What looks easy and simple in a 2D drawing becomes a complex merging of shapes in 3D and making the transition aesthetic and functional takes a lot of thought and WORK. ( More than he anticipated: Something that seems to happen the first time one attempts a new design. My take on it not his words for this last comment. ) |
Jean,
Craig never led me to believe it was easy, but he seemed very pleased with the end result when I spoke with him. Maybe the challenge and the fact that these are just a bit off the beaten track as things seem to go.
On a side note, I did not get to kill the boxes today. Darn inlaws stopped in unexpectedly.
No jokes about missed opportunites are required!
"The goal shouldn’t be to avoid being evil; it should be to actively do good." - Danah Boyd
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Sun 22 Jan, 2006 1:25 am Post subject: |
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Joe;
Oh, I don't think Craig was complaining only saying that it was a challenge: From a creative point of view challenging is a good thing. But I think if Craig was making another one he might charge more knowing exactly how much time and work is actually involved.
In any case he seemed pleased with the results and so far so do I: It's always interesting to see what you expected and what is different than what one visualized when designing something. (Better than I imagined. )
I didn't want to micromanage what Craig would do because I assumed rightly that any changes to the design would be based on his knowledge and research of similar polarms that would produce a historically and functionally sound weapon.
It does look to me like something I wouldn't want to face in the hands of an opponent, and if in period, if I had to defend a narrow bridge, pass or breach in a wall by myself it would be a good choice.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Russ Ellis
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Sun 22 Jan, 2006 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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Looks good so far Jean. Can you believe I STILL haven't hafted my roncone? I've REALLY got to get that done so we can compare stats when your new toy shows up.
TRITONWORKS Custom Scabbards
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Sun 22 Jan, 2006 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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Russ;
You should add a review of your Roncone with Picts on your site http://www.tritonworks.com/
( A little free advertising. )
Looking forward to the Tritonia scabbard you are making for me. I should have the sword in hand later this week or next week at worse if the shipping company drags it' s " FEET " ( Well, wheels or wings. )
As with Craig I am not micromanaging the project as I want to win the custom Client of the year award.
Roncone ??? I thought you ordered an Italian Bill from A & A ? Or is this another pollarm that you also have.
Is the Roncone one of those trident types with a thick central spike and two crescent shaped hooks / blades at the base of head ? Sort of like a Partisan in shape but with a spike rather than a wide blade ?
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Tue 02 Jan, 2007 1:36 am Post subject: |
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Well, the Langue de Boeuf is finished and should be shipping soon.
Craig sent me a lot of high resolution pics at my request that I can use to produce a nice montage of it including zooming into details. ( Since I don't have a digital camera I can use these when I get it to go with my comments about it and for all intents and purposes is the same as if I shot the pics myself ! And any Photoshopping will be limited to cleaning up the pics so that they look like what I will have in hand i.e. contrast changes to highlight all the very complex bevels of the piece. )
Will try to do this graphic stuff soon after I have it here.
In the mean time I can show you quick and lower resolution pics of the butt and head, as it would be cruel to not show you guys anything after all the blah blah blah above. 
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You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
Last edited by Jean Thibodeau on Tue 02 Jan, 2007 11:05 am; edited 1 time in total
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Russ Ellis
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Tue 02 Jan, 2007 6:32 am Post subject: |
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Hey Jean,
It looks like it has turned out very nicely indeed! Congratulations. You must make sure you give us a report when you have it in hand!
I guess I never saw your post above back in January a year ago. (Has it really been that long?) The "Italian Bill" is the Roncone. I'm not sure why the boys at A&A call it a bill but whichever.
I've added another polearm or two since then, in fact just this weekend I finished hafting an A&A Bec de Corbyn (discontinued item) When I got it, it was pretty beat up, dings and nicks in a lightly rusted blade and the haft had been cut off just below the langets. It's all back together and cleaned up now, I'll try to get ambitious and post some pictures...
TRITONWORKS Custom Scabbards
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Addison C. de Lisle
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| Posted: Tue 02 Jan, 2007 7:13 am Post subject: |
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Wow that's really cool! I like the endcap a lot.
www.addisondelisle.com
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Allen Andrews
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| Posted: Tue 02 Jan, 2007 8:16 am Post subject: |
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The beast looks great. Once again it was fun to watch your project through the design/construction/completion phases. have fun wielding it and be sure to let us know how that goes!
" I would not snare even an orc with a falsehood. "
Faramir son of Denethor
Words to live by. (Yes, I know he's not a real person)
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Richard Fay
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| Posted: Tue 02 Jan, 2007 8:17 am Post subject: |
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Hello all!
Wow!
Yet another staff weapon I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of!
Looks wicked.
Congratulations, Jean.
Nice work, Craig.
Stay safe!
"I'm going to do what the warriors of old did! I'm going to recite poetry!"
Prince Andrew of Armar
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Kenton Spaulding
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| Posted: Tue 02 Jan, 2007 8:44 am Post subject: |
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Wow Jean, that is very impressive, and looks like it will be well worth the wait. That is a pretty mean looking contraption, certainly wouldn't want to go up against it, no matter what kind of armor I might be wearing. One of the more interesting reproduction pole arms I've seen.
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Craig Johnson
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Tue 02 Jan, 2007 8:49 am Post subject: Jean |
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Thanks Guys
I need to make a comment here about the project and Jean. It is always a very nice experience working with him, but in this case he went beyond what I expect a customer to be happy with from us. Due to a whole raft of issues and shop problems this project went way beyond the expected completion time. I strived to keep Jean informed and I know he exhibited patience beyond the call of duty. I must take full responsibility for the delays and extended completion schedule and just wanted to thank Jean for his patience and commitment to the custom process. It can sometimes be like a wet snake in your hand a bit tough to manage.
The piece is being packed to ship as we type and I hope it meets his expectations. But in a real way I need to thank him for his patience and understanding.
Happy New Year to all
Craig
A&A inc.
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Tue 02 Jan, 2007 11:37 am Post subject: Re: Jean |
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| Craig Johnson wrote: | Thanks Guys
I need to make a comment here about the project and Jean. It is always a very nice experience working with him, but in this case he went beyond what I expect a customer to be happy with from us. Due to a whole raft of issues and shop problems this project went way beyond the expected completion time. I strived to keep Jean informed and I know he exhibited patience beyond the call of duty. I must take full responsibility for the delays and extended completion schedule and just wanted to thank Jean for his patience and commitment to the custom process. It can sometimes be like a wet snake in your hand a bit tough to manage.
The piece is being packed to ship as we type and I hope it meets his expectations. But in a real way I need to thank him for his patience and understanding.
Happy New Year to all
Craig
A&A inc. |
Well trust in the integrity of the maker helps a lot because any delays / problem / things beyond their control are easy to believe: So even if delays may be frustrating they are NOT worrying.
I also think that Craig didn't just " grind " ( pun ) something out as fast as he could to get it finished but instead really got personally so invested in the project that he couldn't stop himself putting more time tweaking all those complex bevels.
I'm sure that his hourly rate on this one wasn't even close to making a profit: So considering the price he quoted versus the effort and artistry he put in I'm very much ahead here. I would add a smily ( ), because I'm pleased with the results, but I wouldn't want it to seem that I am happy about all the extra " unprofitable " time he put into it. 
And Craig, thanks for your comments as I am very appreciative of them.
Now if anyone wants a similar one made I have no problem with that, but I think it might be just a touch more expensive if Craig even wants to make more !
In any case I will report on my hands on impressions and more pics, but it looks real good.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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