'nother axe for your info.

kronckew

kronckew

Joined
Aug 17, 2003
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late 19c. early 20c. french fire axe. copied from the french 1833 model naval boarding axe.
major difference is that it does not have the port side metal belt clip

670 grams, Length OA 17in or 42cm., across the head 19cm.
marked "A Giroult" with the word "DEPOSEE", french for 'registered'. (trademark)

It's a rare French fire axe from around 1900 - a direct descendant of the Boarding axe that it closely resembles.
It may even have gone to sea as a fire axe in the military but it came after the age of sail.

A. Giroult from Paris operated from approx 1870 - 1930 supplying helmets, buttons, uniforms and equipment
to the French fire brigade and the military and sold some swords as well.

View attachment 495177 View attachment 495178 View attachment 495179
 
no, they are languets, steel strips that go up either side to strengthen & protect the haft if you miss & over strike the target. they are held by two rivets thru the haft, go up thru the eye and are bent back away from the haft end into recesses, to hold the head on. french axes had the languets fore & aft, british on the sides. here's my not so rare british equivalent.

View attachment 495192
 
I'd think the French languets would work better for overstrikes, although the side languets could be used to parry. Languets all around I say!
 
Ah, that's interesting, I would have thought they'd only put them on the front or all the way around, but I didn't design it so I wouldn't know better haha
 
DarthTaco123 said:
I'd think the French languets would work better for overstrikes, although the side languets could be used to parry. Languets all around I say!
Click to expand...

exactly. the brits were more bellicose. the french & the rest of europe drive on the right. established in the middle ages, it keeps roads more peaceful as your weapon hand is on the wrong side for engaging a traveller coming in the other direction. tyhe brits drive on the left so your weapon hand is in the middle of the road close enough to attack or defend. same with the brit/french boarding axes where brits thought about using it as a weapon so the languets favour parrying or preventing the haft being cut.the french favour it's main use, which was to clear wreckage or act as a entry tool.

many medieval pole arms, halberds, partisans, war hammers, poll axes, etc had 4 languets, front-back and on the sides. here's one from so. europe circa 1440 (not mine)

View attachment 495347

other's, usually one handed horseman's, had long eye sockets that extended down to serve the same function, or even solid or tubular steel hafts like this dolchstreithammer i got from van helsing's lady-friend anna valerious. (this one IS mine ;))

View attachment 495348
 
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