The Armour Archive

I’m looking to make a sweet pole axe for myself and a friend. How would you fokes go about staining it? Should I sand off the outer layer of rattan or will that weaken the stick too much?

I planed mine down, then sanded the skin left on the front and back edges, then stained the whole thing with cherry wood stain.

Wood rasp and a tan Feibings leather dye works good for me. I tried a polyuerethane/wood stain but it left a tackiness I didn't like.

I use spray paint.

I used 2" rattan and planed it to an elongated octagon. Then I just use regular wood stain. It has to be touched up every few years from abrasion wear.
Stain on skin looks blotchy.

My experience with pole weapons is that skinning the haft doesn't appreciably affect its longevity. A pole weapon usually just doesn't get the same abuse on the haft as a sword does on its blade. I have a halberd with a haft skinned and stained with a wood stain. It looks great and the haft is still in excellent shape after many years of use. Of course your milage may vary.

Isabella's description of haft preparation is what I did also. Planning two sides of the haft lets you know the orientation of the head just by holding the weapon and also helps to keep the haft from twisting in your hands.

-- Gest

Thank you all. These answers confirm what i have though.

I use leather dye as well.

Uric

I believe Sir Vitus uses leather dye.

Shoe polish doesn't work for squat