The Short Staff is one of the most studied and popular ofall polearms. It is a formidable weapon of approximately six to nine feet inlength, and was often described as the basis for all other types of polearms,such as the halberd and pollaxe. This weapon is known by several differentnames, owing to its use across a large time period throughout many Europeanmartial arts traditions. It has been variously called the staff, pole, shortstaff, quarterstaff, half-staff, and balk-staff. The moderate length of thisweapon allows its wielder to safely fight opponents at a long distance, whilealso allowing versatile and agile movements that would not be possible with alonger weapon.
For use in competition against another fighter using astaff, a Short Staff of 6’-7’ seems to be preferable. Against multiple orvaried weapons, such as would be encountered in war, a Short Staff of 8’-9’would be most effective. In either length, the staff should be made from astraight, smooth, and strong hardwood. The diameter should be no more than youcan easily hold in your hand, but also not so thin that the staff would not beable to withstand heavy blows, and not so thick that maneuvering the weaponwould be difficult due to its weight. Each dimension can vary slightly from personto person, so a custom piece would be desirable for those who wish to seriouslyadvance their training. Otherwise, for new practitioners or large groups, astandard weapon which matches these general guidelines will do the job.
