- Joined
- Aug 23, 2007
- Messages
- 621
OK... I got a little bored while working in my 1/4 scale Cold Steel Frontier Hawk... so I decided to take a break from it and make a spear... but then I decided to actually make a javelin...
I researched into the history of the javelin first... this can be a lot of fun... at least for me...
I am making an all-wood javelin, with various burn techniques on different areas. I experimented and found what looks good, while still trying to keep with what could have been an ancient design. But this is my design, so I am feeling free to experiment. Keep in mind that the first javelins were pointed at both ends, and had no metal point(s). The pointed ends were hardened by burning them.
The first Roman era javelins were made from elder wood, and my research shows alder wood to be just about the same thing. The characteristics of this wood are similar to hard pine, actually. So I started with an 8 foot long closet rod made from hard pine. The difficult part is finding one in hard pine that has good grain and it straight... real straight.
I discovered that javelins used for war were typically the same length as the warrior's height. My javelin is going to be 6 feet long. Javelins often had a 6 inch leather-wrapped area at the center to hold/throw, and it often included a loop off of this wrap to put fingers into to aid in throwing, and allow the warrior to give it some spin, sort of like a football. I decided to forego the wrap, and instead have this center area (also the 'center of gravity') larger diameter instead. Modern sporting javelins are sort of like this, and do not have the loop to place your fingers into. Modern javelins are about 8 feet long, also... but I don't want to follow that aspect... since this is not a sporting design.
My javelin is larger diameter out on the last 18 inches toward each tip... and the center 6 inches also. The 2 other areas between the tips and the center are a bit smaller diameter. I did a different type of burning on the ends and center than those 2 smaller diameter areas. The tips and center are burned black completely, and then steel wool was used to give the grain an actual texture that can be seen and felt. This effect took multiple burn/steel wool sessions. The smaller diameter areas are only burned enough to show the grain (they appear 'striped'), so they do not have the textured look and feel that the ends and center have... they feel smooth. The smaller diameter areas are just about 1 inch in diameter, while the other 3 areas are about 1 1/4 inch in diamter. The tapering to the points is gradual, and the tips are quite sharp.
I am just starting to spray the javelin now with satin poly finish. I intend to put a lot of light coats in this javelin. I have already used about 2/3 of an 11 ounce can, and have applied 4 coats. As the poly layer gets a bit thicker, I will lightly use steel wool on it between additional coats to keep the poly finish smooth.
I will try to get pictures ASAP to post here...
I researched into the history of the javelin first... this can be a lot of fun... at least for me...
I am making an all-wood javelin, with various burn techniques on different areas. I experimented and found what looks good, while still trying to keep with what could have been an ancient design. But this is my design, so I am feeling free to experiment. Keep in mind that the first javelins were pointed at both ends, and had no metal point(s). The pointed ends were hardened by burning them.
The first Roman era javelins were made from elder wood, and my research shows alder wood to be just about the same thing. The characteristics of this wood are similar to hard pine, actually. So I started with an 8 foot long closet rod made from hard pine. The difficult part is finding one in hard pine that has good grain and it straight... real straight.
I discovered that javelins used for war were typically the same length as the warrior's height. My javelin is going to be 6 feet long. Javelins often had a 6 inch leather-wrapped area at the center to hold/throw, and it often included a loop off of this wrap to put fingers into to aid in throwing, and allow the warrior to give it some spin, sort of like a football. I decided to forego the wrap, and instead have this center area (also the 'center of gravity') larger diameter instead. Modern sporting javelins are sort of like this, and do not have the loop to place your fingers into. Modern javelins are about 8 feet long, also... but I don't want to follow that aspect... since this is not a sporting design.
My javelin is larger diameter out on the last 18 inches toward each tip... and the center 6 inches also. The 2 other areas between the tips and the center are a bit smaller diameter. I did a different type of burning on the ends and center than those 2 smaller diameter areas. The tips and center are burned black completely, and then steel wool was used to give the grain an actual texture that can be seen and felt. This effect took multiple burn/steel wool sessions. The smaller diameter areas are only burned enough to show the grain (they appear 'striped'), so they do not have the textured look and feel that the ends and center have... they feel smooth. The smaller diameter areas are just about 1 inch in diameter, while the other 3 areas are about 1 1/4 inch in diamter. The tapering to the points is gradual, and the tips are quite sharp.
I am just starting to spray the javelin now with satin poly finish. I intend to put a lot of light coats in this javelin. I have already used about 2/3 of an 11 ounce can, and have applied 4 coats. As the poly layer gets a bit thicker, I will lightly use steel wool on it between additional coats to keep the poly finish smooth.
I will try to get pictures ASAP to post here...
