I think they're made out of popular or white pine....can't remember :eek:

Thanks Charles, I would love to see it.

The Austrian Masterpiece was handmade by Johan Schmidtberger in Ulm, Austria. There were completely hand done and hand forged in a smithy that dated to the 14th century. I watrched him make a couple of them. There are probalby the most accurate in steel of any of the swords were ever did. I also felt that they were a little heavy, and they cost us a bundle to get them and fly them over. Just thought you might want to know., Hank

In addition to the Austrian Masterpiece, Johann produced several other swords and miscellanious items. Going from memory he also made:
- A "Hand and a Half" sword with wire wrapped grip and a beautiful octagonal pommel
- a pretty accurate looking katzbalger, based on as near as I can tell an original example I recall seeing in "Europaischen Hieb- und Stichwaffen". Even as the double narrow fullers of the original.
- a two handed sword with an "S" shaped katzbalger hilt. Bit plainer than some of Johann's other swords
- an early middle ages or late Viking age sword
- some other middle age sword I can't recall the details of off hand
- Various pieces of 16th century helmets and half armors, usually of a "landsknecht" style
- Also some miscellanious items, such as medieval style "strongboxes", ironbound, and complete with the intricate locking mechanisms found on the originals.

Looking back, I really, really, really wish I had possessed an extra $2-$3K back in the day. There are a LOT of these things I wish I could have gotten. I particularly kick myself over the Hand and a Half - in retrospect I like the look much more than the Austrian Masterpiece. Nowadays, with my recently found interest in Landsknechts, I REALLY would have wanted that katzbalger, too.

Curiously, even the strongboxes he made have attracted my interest recently, something I didn't look all that closely at when I was younger.

Note that if anyone has one of the above (in particular the katz, Hand and Half, and strongboxes) and would be willing to part with them please drop me a line.

I kept a Kaltzbager and also got me a small strong box, 7x10x5 or close to it. Damn things were quite expensive! I haven't planned on selling any of them, but in the near future I might. If so will let you know. I broght the an axe, and two swords back with me, and ended up having to carry them from one of Kennedy to the other, having missed the shuttle....talk about worn out, and I was a young man in my 50's!. I wanted one of the large strong boxes, but his price and the shipping to the States would have cost as much as a small car....Hank

In the last post I forgot tomention that I also ended up with a huge two hand bearing sword as well as 4 pole arsm of Schmidtbergers. All quite nice, and all quite expensive.
Poplar is a much tougher wood than you might think. Although ash was favored, oak, beech and even pine was used at times. I've shaped some poplar and used it on some pole arms, and have chopped into some trees with it, hitting very hard, and haven't had it break. I would still prefer ash, but if you can't get it, you take what you can. For a spear it works very well.
Hank

I only have two poles, and both I bought in person. What does the shipping on these items usually run, more or less relative to distance and relative to the overall length of the item? (Obviously a pike would cost more then a pole hammer to ship.)

... pretty much, anyway. The hand & a half is a bit different, though. Originally they had wire wrapped grips and an octagonal cross-section to the guard.

I've been to his new site before, but I am a bit unsure how to place an order! Guess I'll have to brush up on my German.

I really like that 2,400 Euro Dolch mit Glasstein dagger! For over 3k USD that's a lot of dagger to have, but I'm sure it would be worth having. It's on my list if I win the Lottery. ;-)

I have a question, and I think this is the best place for it.

I have seen several short pole-axes with a a lower rondell guard.
What is it made of? How do they fix it on the haft?
Have anyone seen one in person?
[/img]

---

 Attachment: 123.85 KB



 Attachment: 89.03 KB

Hi Kertész

These are usually steel rondels that are affixed by pressure or having small braces riveted to the disc and then nailed to the haft. There is some supposition that they may have used thick leather as well but I am unaware of any mention or surviving example of such.

Best
Craig

Hi all,
I was browsing through thee Album section (I do that every now and again, a quite underrated resource on this site)
And one of the items that I have take a shine to, is this polearm:

[ Linked Image ]

The image info does not say if it is an auction antique or museum piece, nor where it was located at the time picture was taken.

Anyone with a copy of "Hafted Weapons in Medieval and Renaissance Europe" if there are something like it listed in there?
Or by chance recognize the type and what cultural setting and timeperiod it could be from? My hunch is german-speaking part of Europe, late 16th century, or possibly even later.

Or could it even be a 19th century historismus piece? The design seem somehow counter-intuitive, why have the protrusions halfway up such a long head? All metal below the extended blades are more or less waste, but are still formed to hold an edge? Seems odd.

It is however a lovely piece, and I'm thinking of having a repro made.

A little bump of this thread. I still have no idea of the origins or time-frame of the above piece is..but nevertheless I have commissioned a replica of it from Arma Bohemia and will soon be expecting delivery :)

I will post pics when I reveive it. But anyone have an idea of exactly what I am adding to my ever expanding pole-arm collection?