My New Halberd -- myArmoury.com

Hank Reinhardt · Industry Professional

Hey Sean, I don't know if I ever mentioned it, but I bought the original in 1959 from the Atlanta Auction Galleries. The guy wanted $12.00 for the "big axe" so I offered $8.00, and we settled on $10.00> I was forced to sell it aftermy wife was killed and I had to quit work to take care of my two daughters. Sold it for about $700.00, it was worht more,\. Now would be about $4000.00 I have a picture of me with the original around here somewhere, and if I can find it, will post it if anyone is interested. Hank

Sean Flynt · Posted: Fri 02 Jun, 2006 9:29 am Post subject:

Thanks, Hank! I know we'd all love to see the original! Did yours appear to have an intact original haft? Do you think this piece was a poleaxe or a halberd?

By the way, I just bought one of the now-discontinued MRL estocs. That's based on another piece in your collection, isn't it?

Oh, those postwar arms & armour prices! Those days are long gone, sadly.

Hank Reinhardt · Industry Professional

Well, I can't say for sure that the shaft was original, but I think it is. One thing for sure, head and shaft had been together a very long time. I had to take the head off, as part of the wood at the blade had rotted, I put it back together, and it lost about 2 inches.
The blade on the tuck is a little thinner than on mine, but they didn't have steel of the right thickness. I'm hoping to do a very good copy of the rapier I got from Ewart. No one has been able to duplicate the blade, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Sean Flynt · Posted: Fri 02 Jun, 2006 10:20 am Post subject:

Thanks for the great info, and good luck on that rapier!

Sean Flynt · Posted: Thu 27 Jul, 2006 12:10 pm Post subject:

Just found this photo from this site's profile of 19th maker Ernst Schmidt. By coincidence, mine turned out looking exactly like this one--same blade shape, haft length, etc. Now, this is 19th c. reproduction, but still....

I still need to get some full length and detail photos of mine.

George Hill · Posted: Thu 27 Jul, 2006 10:42 pm Post subject:

Sean Flynt · Posted: Fri 28 Jul, 2006 7:26 am Post subject:

I think I can just make out a cruciform piercing in the Schmidt blade...maybe some other piercings, too. Hard to tell from this image. This is the only such halberd of this type I know of that doesn't have the pronounced belly. I wonder if the Windlass piece was based on a Schmidt production. Or, it could be that there was an historical variant of this general type.

As for my next trick....It's aWindlass/MRL German estoc ca. 1500-1525. It's based on yet another original owned by Hank R.! I may not antique it. I may just give it a thorough upgrading--satin finish, new grip cover, some file work, etc. I'm planning to document the entire process this time--step-by-step text, decent photos, etc--, so stay tuned for something more formal than a boast-post. Big Grin

Maybe this fall....

In the past, I thought the best way to hide MRL flaws was through antiquing--a salvage operation. Now I'm thinking of these pieces as kits than can either be antiqued or finished to a high standard. I started to notice that after I'd stripped an MRL piece of leather and lacquer and sanded the hilt furniture, I'd often think, "hey, this actually looks pretty good just like this." We'll see....

Steve Grisetti · Posted: Fri 28 Jul, 2006 8:50 am Post subject:

Sean Flynt · Posted: Fri 27 Aug, 2010 7:00 am Post subject:

Resurrecting this thread due to recent interest in polearms around here. A couple of years ago I "restored" this piece and tapered the haft in historical fashion. Now it looks like a veteran halberd of 1500, though it actually lives head-down in a dark closet. Sad

Scott Hrouda · Posted: Fri 27 Aug, 2010 8:57 am Post subject:

Sean Flynt · Posted: Fri 27 Aug, 2010 9:37 am Post subject:

Yeah, child safety is a key factor, as is attractive display space. It's the polearms enthusiast's lament.
Hank R. was very generous in his short time posting on the site. Better to have had him that brief time than not at all.

Lee Stone · Posted: Fri 27 Aug, 2010 10:25 am Post subject:

Sean,

This thread gave me quite a start. I was reading it based on the posts you made today. Then I came across the posts by my old friend Hank and it gave me quite a start. That made me look at the dates on his posts and of course cleared everything up for me. Took a few minutes to settle down though.

I greatly enjoyed seeing your beautiful work on your halberd.

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Fri 27 Aug, 2010 12:48 pm Post subject: