WEIRD MEDIEVAL WEAPONS - POLEAXE, SWORD HAMMER THING - PT2
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- Опубликовано: 11 ноя 2021
- In the first film about this weapon • WEIRD WEAPONS 2 - Swo... Matt Easton and I discuss it and use it.
In this film Matt and Friends spar with it and Matt and I watch the action.
Many thanks to Tempus Fugitives for the Axe components (then grossly modified for this by me) tempusswords.co.uk
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~500 years earlier~
"Whoa, what is this thing? I gotta stop commissioning blacksmiths when I'm high."
lol 😃
Personally, I'm wondering if they where a matched pair meant for somebody's personal bodyguards. Perhaps they wanted a poleaxe, for whatever reason (aesthetics, family traditions, cool factor, etc), but wanted it shortened because they spent most of their time indoors.
Given how many "confuse future archeologists" posts I've seen online, and considering that people have always been the same, I'd say it's entirely likely that some wealthy lords were having a giggle and we're the ones at the butt end of the joke even centuries later. The shield/glove/spike/lantern thingie comes to mind.
@@RedmarKerkhof there's an English bollock dagger in some museum with the inscription "eat cheese or die".
What are the odds that this weapon is the medieval equivalent of an archaeologist 300 years from now digging up an AR-15 with an underbarrel chainsaw?
Kinda what I've been thinking seeing this aswell, especially since it bent when hitting with force
Thats my theory, old school mall ninja
Sounds like the exact sort of thing that young tournament-crazy Henry VIII would love.
@@Dantemustdance I don't think bending like that is a certainty - the way Tod made it, hardened it etc might be different, and it could in the 'real' thing be a different material altogether - even improbable as seems for something so thin a thin steel sleeve over wood so its got lots of elasticity but a little protection from being splintered on the firs hit (I'd bet it is steel though, just perhaps a more springy steel than Tod used)...
For me I think having watched it it probably is a 'real' weapon - when armour gets thick and tough to the point swords and spears etc start to loose effectiveness something like this seems like the perfect weapon to roll out for fighting in the confined spaces of a building - can pack a huge punch with very little swing or effort, useable in tighter confines than the bigger polearms and if you are giving it to your swordsmen its 5 mins of retraining to be devastating against armour, nothing compared to trying to make a master swordfighter use a polearm...
The hook could perhaps be for another part of the 'weapon' - seems like it could hook a buckler - giving you a greater protection for your offhand while not getting in the way - though I do think clipping to a saddle or weapon rack seems most likely - you would not want that thing easily able to fall on you...
@@foldionepapyrus3441That's good insight, but I don't know about confined spaces warfare applications. I'm no means an expert only weapons related martial arts I've done was a bit of officer school iaijutsu, but it just seems like traditional simple weaponry would be more effective, that weapon is very heavy.
Novelty or a tournament gimmick for rich swordsmen has me the most convinced, especially after seeing other swordsmen use the guard to great effect, but its all speculation in the end.
Just commenting to say Matts armour looks absolutely boss. Love the whole 'black chrome' look. 👌
Looks great. Now for some boots to match.
You shall not pass
Gives a whole new meaning to "suit and sneakers" doesn't it?
@@adamcarey6093 I'm assuming he has them, but yeah, gym floor rules...
@@washellwash1802 yeah I don't think the parque would take much well armored sabaton
This was huge fun, as always! Thanks for visiting and letting us play with these.
Hi Matt, Thanks and yes it was great fun and thanks for making the space for me, the only question is what next?
you look a bit like wallace from wallace and gromit
I think this shows that you’re a peaceful guy by nature because you kept dancing around the truth of this weird thing but settled on it probably being a tournament weapon. Full plate vs full plate in a mismatched scenario this would literally crush an opponent. It has the defensive capabilities of a long sword while making strikes meaningful. Not something that could be fully demonstrated safely. In the same vein, I think the hook is a sword catch if the user was willing to be aggressive. The following action could easily be moving to tackle the opponent.
I’m guessing that this was a close quarters tacticool weapon used by “that guy”, and he was probably told to chill after braining his fellow knight’s cousin.
Its really interesting to hear the views of the combatants after they have used the weapon
Yes and very appreciated
I agree. Tod I’d like to see more stuff you create tested here as well. You two are natural collaborators
Matt in armour finally makes an appearance.
shiny armor for a shine matt
I'd like to see matt in full gear and walk into a grocery store as if it was normal.
"Call that a sword? That's a sword!"
"That's not a sword, it's a hammer."
"Alright, I see you've played swordy-hammer before."
"Knife-wrench!"
@@Leubast you're thinking about a spud wrench, right? it's basically a rondel dagger with a wrench for the pommel and no guard.
that is basically what I thought when they first showed it before it was used and vindicated by how they talk about its use and feel after sparing. hammer-sword sounds cooler.
Swardhammer?
I understood that reference.
Although it is quite obviously a real weapon that exists in real life (regardless whether it's for show or tournaments) it is such a perfect fantasy weapon - it wouldn't surprise me if we see it suddenly appear in pop-culture since this series of videos between you and Matt!
Come to think of it. Maybe it was a fantasy type weapon. Or started as one before someone asked for a second. Smiths make stuff for the sake of making something that looks cool now, so I don't see why they wouldn't have in the past.
I've already got stats for it as a TTRPG weapon option 😅😆
Except with a huge ass poll instead of the normal hammer-sized thing
@@nonna_sof5889 "this is the ancient pollaxe of Goliath" sounds like something a medieval hack would try to peddle to noble collectors to be honest.
Something that occurred to me after watching the last video was that in martial arts/combat sport competition rulesets, the rules are often tailored to emphasise the entertaining aspects and cut down on the "boring" bits - such as quickly breaking up ne-waza in Judo to get back to the standing fight, breaking up the clinch in boxing to get back to "cleaner" striking, penalising inactivity in wrestling - and I wonder, going with the idea of them being used as tournament weapons, if the hilted pollaxe may have been designed to force the combatants to use the "fun" part of the pollaxe - the head - instead of spending most of the fight poking at eachother with the butt spike. My two bits.
Edit:
loving the sparring and the insights! very fun getting to see club members adapting their personal styles to the new weapon and finding different ways of using it.
Possibly! Either ways it's different enough to get some ooh's and ahh's from the crowd, between the boring "longsword again?" matches. Can imagine the participants enjoyed getting their hands on something "different, but familiar" too.
For general warfare and defense you just can't beat the basics. Sword, Spear, Longbow, 1-handed Hammer, etc etc. But for tourneys and other "special weapons" categories, this would absolutely be a bit of fun.
Doesn't look specialised, widespread or effective enough as a special ops style weapon, but it's big and weird and has presence that they're probably right about it being a tourney thing.
That actually sounds plausible
that actually makes a lot of sense when you think about it. The weapon is essentially terrible at everything but swinging hits, which is definitely the fun part.
I think you make a really good point about the importance of putting on a good show. I was thinking the same thing because of it's novelty factor. I think what probably cements it as a tournament weapon though is it's rarity. If a war broke out, it would make sense the entertainment weapons would be the first to be melted and repurposed for more war oriented weapons.
Matt should definitely be a movie villain, for real. He looks so bad ass!
The Dark Lord's Captain of Guards - BIG boss fight against the hero at the end of the movie!
He looks like the Vampyr King in an Underworld film. Proper bad ass! He should 100% be the villain an a blockbuster movie! HIRE HIM NOW!
For some reason I find the idea of someone playing honky tonk bar-room tunes on that piano in the background, whilst these guys go at each other with war hammers, strangely appealing.
I really like the tournament hypothesis since that suggests it would be a relatively unfamiliar weapon to the combatants, making for a more interesting and unpredictable contest, fun for the combatants and the audience and also makes it more interesting to bet on.
I just want to say that Matt looks awesome in his Darth Vader cosplay, just missing the cape.
Imagine a black knight appears from dark. Instead asthma breathing, we heard: " CONTEXT"
Definitely do more of these or even ''regular'' weapons, it's really interesting to hear you guys talking and commenting on the weapons and armor. Thanks for the videos!
Matt's resting pose looks like the "you know I had to do it to them" meme
That full armor is bloody loud!
On top of decreased ability to hear due to the armor obstructing the ears, there would have been a great deal of clattering it seems.
Also if one of your buds were trying to tell you something, on top of all that difficulty would be his helmet over his face "wah wah, wah wah wah wah"
@@googiegress7459 Good point, speech is muffled too.
@@googiegress7459 Also in a battle scenario there's hundreds of buds all around you, so good luck with giving orders by voice.
@@alessandronavone6731 That's why they needed horns, trumpets, drums, banners and the like. You try shouting into that mess and nothing will get done, you blast a trumpet in the air, it's shrill enough it might cut through the noise (maybe lol).
In my very limited harness fighting experience, you don't really notice the clattering. Perhaps some influence from the muffling of the helmet around your ears, but I am just too focused on the combat to notice that.
I just want to say YEEEESSSS
Thank you Tod and Matt for this video!!
Seems like someone thought "I really like the feel of the long sword and also really like the power of the pole axe. Perhaps we can design something which combines the best elements of the two" and then commissioned it, only to find out that the answer is "sort of, but not really".
Matt looks AWESOME in his armor! I'd be incredibly intimidated if he were my opponent.
He has the look of impending death. This is what the Grim Reaper will look like!
It's good to see Matt fighting in that Milanese style harness. I always wonder how restrictive those bigger pauldrons are in melee on foot. Great experiment with the sword/polehammer hybrid! I wonder how much of a difference do the weight and weight distribution of the trainers make comparing to the steel version. When I did motion capture for animations with a polehammer, it was quite fatiguing to keep swinging this thing that weighs 5-6 lbs for minutes. Quite hard on my shoulders and back. These have sword hilt to counter balance, so they might not be as fatiguing.
Not an expert but it just looks like a milanese armour with a sallet instead of an armet.
I think it's supposed to Flemish
I think it's more flemish or milanese
Yeah, I do think you guys got it right. Now I look at it closely, at least the cuirass and the faulds/tassets are more of just the Milanese style.
@@theghosthero6173 weren't the harnesses worn by Flemish knights mostly made in the northern Italian region?
Loving this series, please keep it going.
Thanks and will do we hope
@@tods_workshop If I may leave a suggestion, the barrier fight hypothesis is something to be tested futher on.
This is my favorite series on youtube currently.
Thanks - appreciated
And I can't say enough about how much I've enjoyed this series and this matchup. I just love seeing people of two different specialties getting together to work something out.
Matt looks deadly. The Black Knight! Love that plate armour, truly stunning. On the battlefield you would want this man on your side.
Matt's harness is splendid
I suspect that the hook is for display. Specifically, I agree with Matt's theory that thee weapons were for tourneys and, given that these are very unusual weapons, I think that they might have been displayed as a "teaser", for the benefit of the crowd, a kind of preview of what was in store for that day's entertainments.
It's so unusual, I like the idea of it being part of a novelty warm up act.
And maybe some one welded on a hook to display it on a wall afterwards...
The problem is, the hook is past the point of balance, so if you hang it on the hook, the weapon falls over. Now while it is certain that Tod has the ballance somewhat different than the original (which is in a secure case), it can't be that far off.
It’s weird seeing someone in full armor wearing tennis shoes
No repair costs for the floor.
Modern floor, modern shoes :-)
@@scholagladiatoria fair enough.
I absolutely love this series so far. Such interesting weapons. They beg more questions than they answer, but I think that is the fun of it. Keep up the amazing work.
My issue with it being designed specially for the Tournament is that it is inherently very unsafe. Poleaxe heads were specifically designed to be effective against armour. They certainly used inherently unsafe battlefield weapons in some tournaments- e.g. in the 'joust of war', but it seems to have generally been an act of bravado designed to show off one's valour, where they opted by agreement to swap the tournament weapons for 'real' ones. Manufacturing something specifically for a tournament with that kind of potential to maim or kill a man in armour seems to defeat its own purpose. If two knights had a grudge and decided to put their lives and honour on the line by swapping out their blunted longswords for poleaxes, it seems more likely they'd probably just want to use proper poleaxes. My guess is that these were made as a curiosity for a wealthy arms collector with an interest in odd and distinctive weaponry, regardless of its practical value. Henry VIII definitely fitted that description, so its interesting that they're potentially linked to him.
The big problem with that sort of argument overall is that tournaments WERE unsafe. By our standards there were so many injuries and deaths that they wouldn't have been allowed, and indeed over the years the rules in tournaments became more and more restrictive in an attempt to make them safer.
Most medieval and renaissance foot combats were fought with pointy swords and pollaxes at that time. Blunt weapons are only mentioned occasionally in the records for specific combats, usually involving larger groups of people.
People in medieval period and beyond routinely jousted with sharp lances.
Plenty of early joust, melees, bohurts and tourneys were in a lot of ways battles with few loosely enforced rules thrown in.
It may seem insane from our perspective, but that's how they rolled.
I still think they're bodyguard weapons.
@@scholagladiatoria Yeah, but sharp swords aren't going to damage plate armour, which the participants knew, whereas they knew a pollaxe really could. My simplified point is: why make a potentially lethal weapon specifically for a sport that is supposed to be non-lethal, when the participants who actually wanted to risk their lives would probably have preferred to use a real battlefield pollaxe to prove they were genuinely 'hardcore'? Who does a 'tournament only' but still lethal weapon serve? The answer is... only a real arms and armour obsessive- a true aficionado, who wants to try out and spar with weird weapons because they enjoy the challenge of trying to integrate them into the combat styles they've already learned, all of which harks back to my original argument. Henry VIII was definitely that kind of guy, and it's the one thing he actually shared with you, Matt- he genuinely loved martial arts and spent a tonne of money on them.
I love this channel, and hope to be publicly corrected. Thanks Matt.
My favorite medieval weapon is the Iron Pan.
Sam Gamgee approves this comment.
@@garethvila5108 😁✌️
Love this, it's super fascinating with this sort of speculative practical historical fencing. Also, that fight in armor looked super fun, even if I worried when I saw they had their helmets opened!
Thanks
Fought in the SCA for a while. Amazing to see the techniques I worked out do have a historical basis. Of course the body mechanism were the same so what works now worked then.
Matt looks like a Medieval warlord or even a king looking over his troops in those armor, so classy!
Matt just standing there looking like the Final Boss in a game
Castlevania!
Beautiful armor. It's interesting that there seems to be almost a "falling back" to longsword techniques in the sparring.
Two of my favorite youtubers - always awesome to see them together!
I am so enjoying this series and the exchange of views and ideas
Finally get to see Matt’s Plate!
I love the knight in plate armour and sneakers look
10/10 loved the sparring and commentary, thanks for making this happen!
Matt looks great in his armour! I really love the look of the blued steel. 😁👍
Agree, the armour is stunning. The very best that money can buy. You can just tell it is pure utter quality.
I would not bring a hilted poleaxe to battle but to a siege, either on attacking or defending side. Because it demands close quarters in tight spaces and walls which fit hilted poleaxe more than a regular poleaxe. It is more nimble than a warhammer or axe, and deals far more damage against armor than a longsword. However I would rather have the shaft made out of wood reinforced by metal, so it does not bend after a hard hit.
Agreed
if matt didnt have such a friendly expression on he would have mad evil antagonist energy in that armor
Phenomenal video, such a unique piece of history on display, so many fascinating questions. Thank you both for bringing this to light!
So interesting! I'm really looking forward to more weird medieval weapons!! Thank you Tod.
That actually looks surprisingly good in a 1v1 situation... also I just got my new dagger in the mail from you, very nice!
Thanks and they all enjoyed using it and I think also felt it was better than expected
Great work Sir thank you
Thank you guys for the great content!
To be blunt.
For defending a castle when the battle has entered the keep, i would be Totally happy using this.
Thank you -love it!
I have a feeling it could be a ceremonial or an official's weapon akin to a something like a police badge or MP armband or referee's shirt more than a "working" one since it is so recognisable and imposing but maybe not too practical, even though it can definitely hurt you if need be. The "sword trap" being more symbolical than anything, akin to the Japanese jitte used by policemen during the Edo period. A bit too heavy and cumbersome perhaps. 🙂
Love this concept, please make more!
Or maybe a prize at a tournament? Best in show? Fighting spirit award. A symbol of beating the other armourclad lads? 😁
I have had similar thoughts Tomas, possibly like a bearing sword
@@tods_workshop I wonder, do the originals show any wear that might indicate they were actually used? If not, this explanation might be validated.
@@tods_workshop It would definitely work as a Ban Hammer. 😁
The ref gets one to stop one contestant from killing the other contestant in a rage? At that weight it would be a strike out in one blow.
This is freaking epic! Idk where ive been but ive gotta tune into these series more often!
Loved seeing you guys again!
Thanks for the video guys.
Not sure if anyone else had mentioned the use of this weapon for use in confined spaces. But, it was nice to see my idea discussed. Even if the answer was a bit inconclusive.
Thanks guys. Keep these videos up.
Matt’s armor looked great but it was hilarious seeing him in full armor with sneakers
seeing these in sparing made them look a lot more like a viable weapon and not just some ceremonial items.
Yes they are definitely viable, not just junk, but I suspect there would generally be better to choose something else
@@tods_workshop what if you had a secondary dagger so after trapping the opposition sword you finish them with the other weapon?
What about the weapon being used in judicial circumstances around towns similar to a Japanese jutte. The other thought that came to mind is that its an apprentice piece to prove they have mastered weapon craftsmanship as it encompasses many techniques for other weapons of the time.
What a great series, and what a great group to collaborate with!
Matt is rocking that Warhammer Fantasy Vampire Count look..
Been following Matt for years and that's the first time I've ever seen him in full harness.
Great format 👍
BLOODY FANTASTIC!!
Here are two other possibilities. One a training weapon, since it is heavier if you were to have your soldier training with this when he switched to a sword it would seem lighter and quicker. Two meant to be used in pairs when in close quarters. One person traps the opponent's weapon and the other uses the opening given.
Love these !
its good to see Kryton from Red Dwarf doing something different for a change. But seriously, nice armour. love the shoes.
Thanks for the awesome showcase and explanation.
One way this could be used would be in 'spiral staircases'.
I love the Nike sabatons on Matt! Awesome video guys, amazing plate armour, cool demonstrations and top craftmanship from Todd like always!
It looked like Matt was fighting with a clunky short longsword too, I'm pleased to hear my observations fit fighter's experience :D
You guys found a pretty good and unique form of collaboration! Definitely looking forward for some more. Cheers
Now I need a medieval fantasy game that let's me wear full plate and tennis shoes. Awesome video!
Looking good Matt!
Two upright pianos snuggled together for mutual support. White, echoey walls. Wooden floor. Stage. Dark outside. Middle aged blokes in plate armour having friendly technical discussions. Above, in the curved ceiling, there is definitely a lost balloon from the birthday party yesterday. The tango class is tomorrow evening. Poetry.
I've been looking forward to this one! Also have to say it was an absolute pleasure to meet you at TORM Tod, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us, you were so helpful! Really pleased with my purchase too
Testing weapons by beating the snot out of each other. It doesn't get any better than this.
Entertaining vid. More please! Everyone loves the weird and wonderful bits of history, which is probably why these weapons were made back then!
Certainly made you sit up in your chair when the participants walked out with those.
You guys are amazing!!! Love the content!!
Thanks so much!!
Wow! Noicly done!
These videos are fantastic. More please.
Also I think the unfamiliar weapon would make opponents think twice and that also looks intimidating too.
Thank you , Tod .
Tod's got the chad energy
Love this series
What a beautiful gawdawful clatter of a fight in the first bout!
That was very interesting, indeed! Matt's armour is spiffing... apart from the trainers LOL
Sweet armor Matt!
Wahoo! 😁
Collaboration with Matt again 👍
The noise in the sparring room is amazing; like a pot salesman falling down a flight of stairs.
It would be interesting seeing a video about moving quietly in various types of armour. Are you really at Disadvantage when using Stealth in Plate Armour?
If the hook is a trapping hook, it doesn't look like you could hook a similar weapon in a matched duel.
Matt looks amazingly at home in his armour. I wonder if he has plans for an effigy tomb?
Some of the stuff about tournaments makes me think of professional wrestling, e.g. WWE, AEW, etc. Over the years, pro wrestlers have done all kinds of non-standard kinds of matches - cage matches, tables/ladders/chairs, etc etc etc - I think Matt's theory about it being a tournament weapon is the best theory we have right now.
I love how Matt keeps wanting to be polite, and you let him know it's okay to say he hates it xD
STOP! Hammer time.
amazing armor. Omg Matt looks awesome. So based.
Matt Pimpin' in that blued harness.
Well done.
What a fun video. Kind of want to see what the guys at Pirsuing the knightly arts might do with those weapons.
Realy cool idea please go on :)
That is a very nice harness Matt.
wauw Matt you look phenomenal in your armour
The black armour is very medieval supervillain :)
For the next #Weird_Weapons I would like to suggest:
-the Goedendag
OR
-the swordstaff
A quick guess about the hook...old military rifles used to have a somewhat similar looking hook for the purpose of building a "pile of arms" when in camp. In German it's called "Gewehrpyramide". Maybe the hook is for the same purpose?
great stuff!
Thanks!
Very interesting.