Ugly Axes. Why? -- myArmoury.com

R. Monk · Posted: Wed 26 Jul, 2006 8:24 pm Post subject: Ugly Axes. Why?

Hello myArmoury! I am a first time poster long time reader (I love the weapon reviews). I have questions regarding some ugly axes, which fortunetely this site has pictures of.

1. Is this is an axe or part of a halbred? And what time/place was it from?
http://www.myArmoury.com/albums/photo/1999.html
The wood on the bottom of the handle doesnt look broken or rotten which makes me think that is its original length. Plus the metal seems to be "full tang" as it runs through all the wood (the nail mid way).

2. This is the weirdest design I have ever seen. Does anyone have any reasons for its design? And again time/place?
http://www.myArmoury.com/albums/photo/2007.html
http://www.myArmoury.com/albums/photo/5042.html
the long tip suggests you can stab with it but its off center (from the haft) that stabbing would be harder than simply straight out of the top of the haft.
The blade is to one side of the wood
seen here
http://www.myArmoury.com/albums/photo/5043.html
and here
http://www.myArmoury.com/albums/photo/5044.html
wouldn't that make "hacking" with it not as efficient?
And I don't know what to make of the"cap" on top of the point.

Thank you for your help and time!

Steven H · Posted: Wed 26 Jul, 2006 9:10 pm Post subject: Re: Ugly Axes. Why?

Allan Senefelder · Industry Professional

The first one is a halberd, a type of pole arm, that looks to be of early(c. mid 14th to early 15thc) form, and of crude utilitarian manufacture for use by the average soldier. The halberd would develope, as would most pole arms, into a very distinct form of military weapon far removed from its roots as an agricultural implement brought to war by peasents(sp) but this one still has much in common with the crude early roots of most pole arms.

The second and third ones are axes of a type sometimes called a miners axe. I don't know the full history of this type of axe (we have one axe head of this type of an earlier fighting form in our collection) but it was a fighting weapon for battle field use that later in a very decorative form came to be a processional weapon for miners guilds similar to bearing swords which is what the two examples you've sighted are. The two you have pictured are of late 16th or 17th century date while I have seen examples of fighting form that date to the end of the 15th or begining of the 16th century. The one we have is of the later group. Ugly and usefull don't always have much to do with each other.

R. Monk · Posted: Wed 26 Jul, 2006 11:49 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the info guys. You were right on the 2. axe being cerimonial. While searching I came across this
http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/j/ba/BATTLE-AXE.HTM
its number 14.

Number 17 may be what the functional version is.

Sean Flynt · Posted: Thu 27 Jul, 2006 8:16 am Post subject:

The second type is, in fact, a German ceremonial miner's axe. The horizontal, tri-lobed cross is seen on some south German halberds of the early 16th c.

Jeff Pringle · Industry Professional

Generally speaking, an axe with the blade off set from the centerline of the haft is a carpenter's tool, for leveling planks in the pre-bandsaw/planer era - though that does not keep them from being sold as 'battle axes' these days - see for further discussion, "Wapen of Werktuig", J. Ypey; Liber Castellorum 1981 p. 367 - 375.
The pictured one does look ceremonial, as well.