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Just watched the show conquest on the History Channel. They were learning how to use axes as weapons. The one that got my interest was the bearded axe. It was hard to weild, but once it got moving it was was awesome. The thing is it seemed to have the same qualities of the quan do a weapon that I just couldn't see being effective. I was wrong.
I think you mean the Kwan Do, right? (Or Gwan Do) Big thing, long heavy pole with a striking weight on the end and a broad blade?
I love that weapon and it is certainly effective. You need strength and agility, but if I had to fight using traditional weapons, I would take the gwan do every time!
What would you say was the main reason why you couldnt see it as being effective before?
For the same reason that the guys on the show did, it's heavy and awkward. They did have an interesting tactic in that the English may attacked with it from their left coming in on their opponents sword arm and not the shield side.
That's exactly right. Keep it moving, strong and circular, use the weighted end to strike away the incoming attack and the blade against their weapon side. Also, used properly, the gwan do and cruch a shield anyway, even driving the shield into the shield-holder, using it as a weapin against them.
The real trick to the gwan do is don't stop the bugger moving!
On the subject of big blades, I was directed to this site as the best place to get kukris. Check out the two footer in the first photo, yowza! I love the look on that tiny Nepalese woman's face, like "you want some of this?"
http://www.himalayan-imports.com/villagers.html
i have always wondered how people mange to keep a long axe or polearm intact in battle. I would worry about getting the blade part chopped off. I guess the benifits must outweigh the losses.
Neito,
Actually the threat is the other way around. The guy on CONQUEST used the Danish axe to chop through a Viking long sword like it was not even there. Once the axe gets moving it is a purely offensive weapon. The idea is to create a whirlwhind of axe strikes that keeps the other combatant backpedaling. The swords men could not get a strike off against the Danish axe when they did live sparring. The weight of the weapon aids in keeping the other guy on the defensive. Even when the other guy blocks, the strike hurts like hell (through a shield or in energy absorbed into the defenders weapon) and the weight of the blow is still transferred into the defender.
rogue,
I have seen some pretty impressive "live" work with axes from hand size all the way to battlefield halberds. It must have struck a chord, because I have always liked training with the axe family of weapons.