Adam Savage Explores Centuries-Old Combination Weapons at The Met

Early Combination Firearms

• 🛠️ The discussion begins with a French spanner, a tool for winding the mechanism of a wheel lock firearm, which also functions as a screwdriver and powder measure.
• 💡 Wheel locks operate by a spring-loaded wheel grinding against iron pyrites to ignite powder, a precursor to modern firearms.
• 🎯 The spanner's versatility is highlighted, serving as a multi-tool for firearm maintenance and preparation, akin to a Renaissance Swiss Army knife.

Multi-Functional Powder Flasks and Whips

• 🦌 A gilded brass powder flask, shaped like a hollowed antler, features a spring-loaded nozzle for dispensing measured powder charges and a reservoir for ammunition.
• 💥 A unique whip doubles as a breach-loading percussion pistol, designed for self-defense or controlling unruly horses, though its effectiveness is debated due to wear.
• ⚔️ The whip-pistol is noted for its intricate wrapping and beautiful construction, suggesting a blend of practicality and ornamentation from the late 18th/early 19th century.

Axe, Sword, and Spear Innovations

• 🪓 An axe with a concealed flintlock mechanism in its handle is presented as a crude but unique combination weapon, featuring the only known axe blade with an integrated flintlock.
• 🗡️ A sword with a gun barrel built into the spine of the blade showcases impressive metallurgy and decorative craftsmanship, allowing for both stabbing and shooting.
• 🐗 A double wheel-lock spear, designed for boar hunting, features two gun barrels and a crossbar to prevent a wounded animal from climbing the shaft, making it one of the most practical combination weapons shown.

Calendar Sword and Gun Shield

• 📅 A hunting sword features an etched calendar for 1529 on its blade, combined with a wheel-lock mechanism dated around 1540, indicating modifications over time.
• 🛡️ A gun shield, specifically a breech-loading matchlock shield belonging to Henry VII, served as both a defensive tool and a display of martial power, with approximately 60 such shields known to exist.
• 👑 The gun shield's purpose was likely more about intimidation and demonstrating royal authority than practical combat, showcasing the king's formidable presence with an armed retinue.