This 14th Century Italian Warhammer is fitted with a pronged and spiked head of high carbon steel. Long side langets are riveted into place with embellished brass rivets. The haft is of polished and stained wood and is finished with a grip wrap of leather. Unlike many warhammers on the market, this one is not overly heavy and unwieldy – It may not have a huge striking head, but a large hammer-head is not needed to deal decisive blows and a head of this size was plenty capable of defeating a human opponent. Why make the weapon heavier than necessary? Warhammers such as this were purpose-built weapons intended to puncture, pry open or smash asunder sophisticated plate armor. The pronged hammer head is designed to prevent the head from skipping on curved or fluted surfaces of plate; the quad-prong arrangement grabs onto plate to better impart the full strength of the blow onto its target. The prongs also concentrate the force of the blow onto a small zone to better crush, deform or puncture the armor. The spike is designed to puncture armor and best used to finish a dazed opponent. The single spike is more likely to skip on the curved or fluted surfaces of plate that are designed to deflect such a weapon. But it is ideal for dealing the decisive coup-de-grace to a battered foe. Please Note: The color of the wooden haft may vary
