Brandistock
A brandistock (also called brandestoc, buttafuore or feather staff)<ref name=Kobold></ref> was a short type of polearm which was used by both infantry and civilians alike, primarily police officers in Italy between the 16th and 19th centuries. Measuring some Template:Convert long, the brandistock construction was unique for polearms in that it had a retractable blade; the weapon was able to be covertly carried as a walking staff.<ref name="Palladium">Template:Cite book</ref> The head consisted of either a single or a trio of long thin points, which were kept in a hollow aperture inside the rest of the shaft.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The blades would often be triangular or diamond-shaped.<ref name="Palladium"></ref> A sharp thrust of the weapon forward propelled the heads out, where they could be readily locked in place.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This weapon is essentially a spear with a sliding blade, or alternatively, a long handled out-the-front gravity knife.<ref name=Kobold>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>