An uncommon polearm for comments

fernando · 11th November 2018, 01:06 PM

Wayne, are you concluding such perspective by your own reasoning or is this a registered evidence ?. I confess i don't catch some of your explanation (language issues).
I see langets placed along the blade sides and other on their front and back. It came to my mind that these were placed either in order to resist opponents weapon strikes or to prevent the haft to break itself with the (percussion) impact of several blows struck by their own user. Although the major number of langets are placed alongside the blade faces, some exceptions may be noticed; and i don't manage to follow a determined logic.
And by the way, isn't your PARKER example a fireman's axe ?

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kronckew · 11th November 2018, 03:00 PM

fore and aft= front and back
port=left side, starboard= right side.

Boarding axes have been discussed on the forum before.

Both axes are fire axes, as I mentioned at the end of my post. Both descended from boarding axes.

The english and French kept their languettes on the same side as their boarding axes had once had, despite any earlier military connotations or then current fire service use..

The penchant for targeting each nations enemy ships in the hull or the rigging is/was well known, as was the english habit of boarding to capture and force surrender, as opposed to the stand-off, disable and board after surrender used by the French.

The English axes thus had side languettes as they were more likely to be used in combat, while the french ones had the front/rear ones as they were more likely to be used to clear wreckage of broken spars, lines, timbers, etc. o protect the haft from overstriking.

Just more ammo for what you said too.

fernando · 11th November 2018, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

fore and aft= front and back; port=left side, starboard= right side...

Those ... i know what they mean.

. ... Although we here use a different terminolgy

.
On the other hand, i wouldn't know that the langets position criterion was exclusive from this or that other country. So my axe (and its twin brother that i shared) would be the English type, so to say. Alright then.

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kronckew · 11th November 2018, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernando

Those ... i know what they mean.

. ... Although we here use a different terminolgy

.
On the other hand, i wouldn't know that the langets position criterion was exclusive from this or that other country. So my axe (and its twin brother that i shared) would be the English type, so to say. Alright then.

.

It's quite possible. And other countries may have varied. I could see a scenario where a pole arm can over-strike someone in armour and thus need fore/aft languettes to reinforce the haft, especially in a chopping weapon. I seem to recall seeing pole arms with languettes on 4 sides! Covering all the bases in American baseball idiom.

fernando · 12th November 2018, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

... I seem to recall seeing pole arms with languettes on 4 sides! Covering all the bases in American baseball idiom.

And you recall correctly. Protecting all the (four) sides, as in combat formation idiom.

11th November 2018, 01:06 PM	#1
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Wayne, are you concluding such perspective by your own reasoning or is this a registered evidence ?. I confess i don't catch some of your explanation (language issues). I see langets placed along the blade sides and other on their front and back. It came to my mind that these were placed either in order to resist opponents weapon strikes or to prevent the haft to break itself with the (percussion) impact of several blows struck by their own user. Although the major number of langets are placed alongside the blade faces, some exceptions may be noticed; and i don't manage to follow a determined logic. And by the way, isn't your PARKER example a fireman's axe ? . Attached Images

11th November 2018, 03:00 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,224	fore and aft= front and back port=left side, starboard= right side. Boarding axes have been discussed on the forum before. Both axes are fire axes, as I mentioned at the end of my post. Both descended from boarding axes. The english and French kept their languettes on the same side as their boarding axes had once had, despite any earlier military connotations or then current fire service use.. The penchant for targeting each nations enemy ships in the hull or the rigging is/was well known, as was the english habit of boarding to capture and force surrender, as opposed to the stand-off, disable and board after surrender used by the French. The English axes thus had side languettes as they were more likely to be used in combat, while the french ones had the front/rear ones as they were more likely to be used to clear wreckage of broken spars, lines, timbers, etc. o protect the haft from overstriking. Just more ammo for what you said too.