In search of a spear

C

Charlie_K

Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
4,067
Might as well ask here.

Every so often I go in a binge for reading/learning about polearms, and I always return to the spear. Simple, humble, unassuming, incredibly effective, etc. And I always end up wanting a spear or two (or more) after reading on them.

Cold Steel spears are... more or less hit or miss in terms of availability from reputable dealers, and I don't want to get a terribly warped shaft on one. That's just not right.

I could go with the Bushman knife and affix it to a handle. I plan on doing that at some point, but it's just not the same.

Arms and Armor is probably the best to go to, but their prices reflect such and are simply out of my range right now.

At the moment the spearheads by Windlass Steelcrafts are probably my best go-to option for what I'm looking for. I really like the hewing spearhead, but I don't like the design. What I want has to have a central ridge for maximum structural integrity. So that leaves me trying to choose between the European and Greek heads. I want the Greek more for the extra size and more impressive profile, but then I'd feel tempted to go with the pointed buttcap as well.

Presently I'm leaning heavily on the European head. Not quite as impressive but still quite nice, only slightly smaller, and roughly the same price.

Unfortunately proper shafts are proving difficult to find. Just about everyone is presently out of stock in the 72-84" models. That's problematic, as I don't want to spend good money on a spearhead that's going to be mounted on a length of closet rod.
 
If you want something with more strength than a closet rod, go to a martial arts supply store and get a staff. They generally have tapered or straight red oak even at the most basic ones. The fancier the store, the more options you will have, or you can just order online. I would get a single taper White Waxwood staff, it has been the spear shaft of choice for centuries in China due to it's strength and resilience. Get one that's longer than what you will need so that you will have options on where to cut, the end of the taper might be too skinny to fit the spear socket. Staves with the skin on are stronger but lumpier, so if aesthetics or lightning fast slides are your thing get one that's milled. Avoid anything that says "Wu Shu," "competition," or "lightweight" in the title, those are not intended for anything more then light or accidental contact.
 
BitingSarcasm said:
If you want something with more strength than a closet rod, go to a martial arts supply store and get a staff. They generally have tapered or straight red oak even at the most basic ones. The fancier the store, the more options you will have, or you can just order online. I would get a single taper White Waxwood staff, it has been the spear shaft of choice for centuries in China due to it's strength and resilience. Get one that's longer than what you will need so that you will have options on where to cut, the end of the taper might be too skinny to fit the spear socket. Staves with the skin on are stronger but lumpier, so if aesthetics or lightning fast slides are your thing get one that's milled. Avoid anything that says "Wu Shu," "competition," or "lightweight" in the title, those are not intended for anything more then light or accidental contact.
Click to expand...

Can you recommend a particular material I should be looking for, and looking to avoid?
 
Bo staffs are a pole/haft resource. Depending on socket diameter, ash flag poles are fine for this, as well as street broom handles. Pruning pole extensions and more. Hit lumber yards, Home Depot etc. Look to Kult of Athena and browse spears, The big black one below was an iron from gggodwin and the haft a red oak bo staff (about $80 all in plus my time). The Hanwei spontoon an ash flag pole (about $100 all in) The A&A Freidrich was second hand. The Chris Makin small lance fitted as a short yari on a cut down tapered red oak bo staff. The gggodwin iron is about $40 and a lead sled but on a 1 1/4" bo with a deep socket is a real serious truck of a spear. The spontoon discontinued and had once been on the tapered bo that now sports the Makin blade. The Makin build uses cane ferrules and round thong. It seats on a coin.


long_short_002_50.jpg long_short_003_50.jpg

Cheers
GC
 

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Windlass Viking spear .
20200515-160219.jpg
 
horseclover said:
Bo staffs are a pole/haft resource. Depending on socket diameter, ash flag poles are fine for this, as well as street broom handles. Pruning pole extensions and more. Hit lumber yards, Home Depot etc. Look to Kult of Athena and browse spears, The big black one below was an iron from gggodwin and the haft a red oak bo staff (about $80 all in plus my time). The Hanwei spontoon an ash flag pole (about $100 all in) The A&A Freidrich was second hand. The Chris Makin small lance fitted as a short yari on a cut down tapered red oak bo staff. The gggodwin iron is about $40 and a lead sled but on a 1 1/4" bo with a deep socket is a real serious truck of a spear. The spontoon discontinued and had once been on the tapered bo that now sports the Makin blade. The Makin build uses cane ferrules and round thong. It seats on a coin.


View attachment 1442274 View attachment 1442275

Cheers
GC
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Of those four pictured I like the Freidrich spearhead the best. If a spearhead is going to have wings on it then I want them at the bottom of the socket, spaced furthest away from the head. To me that looks like it's where they'll do the most good.

The most difficult part I'm having is finding a good staff. The dealers that have the spear heads don't have the staves, and those with the staves don't have the spear heads. That means paying a lot of extra shipping at the moment.
 
Charlie_K said:
Of those four pictured I like the Freidrich spearhead the best. If a spearhead is going to have wings on it then I want them at the bottom of the socket, spaced furthest away from the head. To me that looks like it's where they'll do the most good.

The most difficult part I'm having is finding a good staff. The dealers that have the spear heads don't have the staves, and those with the staves don't have the spear heads. That means paying a lot of extra shipping at the moment.
Click to expand...

Those wings are to stop the blade from going in further. Say you stuck a charging boar it wouldn't just keep sliding up the shaft and reach you.

I understand from a forging point but to me it seems to make more sense to have them 90 degrees from the plane of the blade.
 
horseclover said:
Kult of Athena
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They were the first ones I checked. The spears I like are backordered or something, since the site says they don't ship for four months.

neo71665 said:
Those wings are to stop the blade from going in further. Say you stuck a charging boar it wouldn't just keep sliding up the shaft and reach you.

I understand from a forging point but to me it seems to make more sense to have them 90 degrees from the plane of the blade.
Click to expand...

I understand that point. I'm just saying the presentation looks far more pleasant and functional like this:
AA112_l.jpg


Instead of like this:
CS95MW_2_l.jpg
 
horseclover said:
Btw, the Freidrich IV hunting spear and somewhat longer in the spear headView attachment 1443242

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichi...ead_of_Frederick_IV_of_the_Tyrol,_c._1430.jpg
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I never realized that the spear head was not named after the holy roman emperor Frederick the fourth. I always just assumed... Live and learn...

I have a good number of ash staves of suitable lengths for use as pole arms. I wonder how they could be made round.

Also, depending on the intended use I think I might either keep saving pennies or else look to our Eastern European friends to make me something. Is arma Bohemia still a thing?
 
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So I've been doing some researching, looking, and contemplating.

I've found a martial arts supply store that has 6' tapered red oak staves in stock, and doesn't charge as much for shipping as they do the staff itself. Not the lightweight ones either, the ones that weight 3 pounds or more.

The Windlass European spear head has a blade approximately 9.5" long after the socket, and it's available on the big river store.

Assuming a perfect fit is had between the two, without needing to trim the tapered portion down any, that gives an overall length of 81.5" inches. Making it only slightly shorter than the Arms & Armor spears I'm looking at, and about on par with every Cold Steel spear I've been looking at.

I know from a practical standpoint this is more or less ideal in terms of size. But then in comes Skall' talking about how the height of a spear should be as high as you can reach, which in my case is 90".

If left to what I wanted, I'd be getting the Greek spear head and butt cap by Windlass, to mount on an 84" ash shaft. But I have no legitimate need for that.
 
I'm assuming you have zero wood working tools or shop space but I pencil tapered the non-tapered bo for that huge black spear, from its 1 1//4" to 1/4" using a wood rasp (stroke, turn, stroke, turn) and then a utility single edge razor blade as a scraper for final fit. It seated to very near the end of that socket. You can figure the taper with a ruler judging the two exterior diameters (largest and smallest) and subtracting wall thickness. Calipers would help a great deal.

Cheers
GC
 
Triton said:
I never realized that the spear head was not named after the holy roman emperor Frederick the fourth. I always just assumed... Live and learn...

I have a good number of ash staves of suitable lengths for use as pole arms. I wonder how they could be made round.

Also, depending on the intended use I think I might either keep saving pennies or else look to our Eastern European friends to make me something. Is arma Bohemia still a thing?
Click to expand...

Yes, Freddy of the empty pockets ;)

Draw knife to knock the edges off and then your own diameter spoke shave, which you could grind yourself ;) Or........

Arma Bohemia seems updated and there is also outfit4events

Cheers
GC
 
KOA lists a Deepeeka spear ala the Freidrich spear as in stock.
AH7220H
ah7220h-_1_.jpg
photo from the Deepeeka site




I am sure you will find your own way.

Cheers
GC
 
"But then in comes Skall' talking about how the height of a spear should be as high as you can reach..........."

It really is just a sad commentary at times.

:)
 
horseclover said:
Yes, Freddy of the empty pockets ;)

Draw knife to knock the edges off and then your own diameter spoke shave, which you could grind yourself ;) Or........

Arma Bohemia seems updated and there is also outfit4events

Cheers
GC
Click to expand...
Well I can easily get it to hexagonal shape with the table saw I did that with the one roncone I mounted. I wonder if I just kept taking corners off... Hmmm,
 
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