HALBERDS By far the oldest and most often used pole-arm, the halberd consists of a cleaver-like axe blade mounted on a staff averaging six feet in length. The axe blade is balanced at the rear with a fluke, and surmounted by a sharp spike, usually of quadrangular design. The fluke is sometimes replaced by a hook used to dismount cavalry. A halberd can be best described as a cross between a spear and an axe.