These plans layout the pieces you need to make a historically-accurate Morningstar Polearm, based on the weapons in the Royal Armouries at Leeds. This is an intermediate project, recommended for reasonably confident smiths and fabricators.
This product will provide full downloadable engineering drawings, complete with all dimensions and materials required to make the 12 components used in the polearm. It includes Tod's making notes, detailing instructions for each step of the process, and designed to accompany the plans.
Morningstar weapons, weapons that have a spiked ball on them are rare, but they certainly did exist and this is based closely on two staff weapon pieces housed in the Royal Armouries at Leeds, displayed in the ‘Wall of steel’ in the staircase. They are also featured in the work of Froissart and other artists and are mainly 14th and 15thC, though Tod suspects they were also found in the 16thC.
Although they are clearly fearsome and the spikes may suggest they are used against armour, they are really used against lightly armoured opponents or those just wearing regular clothes. But what they really excel at are looking as intimidating as it is possible to be.
The ones in the Armouries may have been deliberately blackened or they could appear this way due to age.
