Ball Mace War Club Hey Uath L@@K

As to how a ball-headed mace was hafted in ancient times:

We don't have any surviving examples of ancient mesopotamian maces with the handles. We only have the heads, and they were in very widespread use; probably more so than swords and axes.

But by observing artistic depictions of ancient mesopotamian rulers, it's believed that the handle was made by taking a shaft slightly larger in diameter than the hole in the mace's head and carving it down for almost the entire length, leaving a large diameter portion right at the tip so the head doesn't come loose and fly off when swung. The head would be slid down the handle right to the tip until snug and probably set with a form of glue. Then the rest of the handle may have been wrapped the entire length with rawhide. This is just conjecture though.

In those days, a good, kind, and wise ruler was called a "good shepherd". A cruel and tyrannical ruler was called a "lord of the mace".
 
Wolf_1989 said:
As to how a ball-headed mace was hafted in ancient times:

We don't have any surviving examples of ancient mesopotamian maces with the handles. We only have the heads, and they were in very widespread use; probably more so than swords and axes.

But by observing artistic depictions of ancient mesopotamian rulers, it's believed that the handle was made by taking a shaft slightly larger in diameter than the hole in the mace's head and carving it down for almost the entire length, leaving a large diameter portion right at the tip so the head doesn't come loose and fly off when swung. The head would be slid down the handle right to the tip until snug and probably set with a form of glue. Then the rest of the handle may have been wrapped the entire length with rawhide. This is just conjecture though.

In those days, a good, kind, and wise ruler was called a "good shepherd". A cruel and tyrannical ruler was called a "lord of the mace".
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Uh-oh does this mean i'm creul and tryannical :p
 
I swear I was searching for just such a ball 2 nights ago for a similar project! Could you use a metal bar for the haft?
 
Holy Moses! That thing is crazy cool!
I was wondering around the yard setting up soaker hoses earlier today thinking about how I would make one of these!

So... How many of those ball bearings do you have?
 
Where did you get the ball? How did you anneal it? Wouldn't an Iron or brass ball work well? How About forged steel? I ended up buying a cold steel battle mace - but yours is much better looking.
 
scotchleaf said:
Where did you get the ball? How did you anneal it? Wouldn't an Iron or brass ball work well? How About forged steel? I ended up buying a cold steel battle mace - but yours is much better looking.
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I've had these thing's layin around for a few year's back when i was into dumpster diving.they're out of an electric motor.Any thing would work let your imagination run wild.
 
Any suitable material would work. The very first maces of this type were made of stone and for a long time it was common for the stone versions to be used on the same battlefield as the newer ones made of copper or bronze.

A bronze one would be cool. I don't have anything made of bronze. Yet.
 
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the bearing ball store has 2" soft steel balls for a good price.
"Soft Polish AISI 1018 Carbon Steel Balls are used in applications not requiring a hardened ball. They have a bright finish but are not lapped as are bearing balls. Soft Polish balls are not hardened and can be welded, drilled and tapped. Soft Polish carbon steel balls are less resistant to rust than chrome steel or stainless steel balls."

I', just saying///// :)

BTW, nice work, Coal Creek.
 
rwn2000 said:
the bearing ball store has 2" soft steel balls for a good price.
"Soft Polish AISI 1018 Carbon Steel Balls are used in applications not requiring a hardened ball. They have a bright finish but are not lapped as are bearing balls. Soft Polish balls are not hardened and can be welded, drilled and tapped. Soft Polish carbon steel balls are less resistant to rust than chrome steel or stainless steel balls."

I', just saying///// :)

BTW, nice work, Coal Creek.
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2 inch's would be pretty small,by the time your hole is drilled i'don't think you'd have much knock down power.I get these few used up i'll start dumpster diving again :thumbup:
 
I'd be real interested. Although I'm out of work (again) and I don't have enough time to use the toys that I already have.

I went to wally world, as I haven't been out of the house in 3 days due to a Final I have in a class tomorrow, and looked at tow balls. They would work, but you would have to figure out how to anneal them.

BTW, someone bought a tow ball, used it, and then returned it. You could tell cause all the chrome was missing from where it had been worn off in use. Some people really blow my mind as to how cheap they are.

That being said.
One of these days I'm going to get a special made something or other from Coal Creek Forge.
Axe, spike hawk, spontoon hawk, ball mace, or a Tomahawk... something or other.
 
SamuraiDave said:
I'd be real interested. Although I'm out of work (again) and I don't have enough time to use the toys that I already have.

I went to wally world, as I haven't been out of the house in 3 days due to a Final I have in a class tomorrow, and looked at tow balls. They would work, but you would have to figure out how to anneal them.

BTW, someone bought a tow ball, used it, and then returned it. You could tell cause all the chrome was missing from where it had been worn off in use. Some people really blow my mind as to how cheap they are.

That being said.
One of these days I'm going to get a special made something or other from Coal Creek Forge.
Axe, spike hawk, spontoon hawk, ball mace, or a Tomahawk... something or other.
Click to expand...
:eek:3 day's cooped up indoor's,i'd be flippin out after a couple of hour's
 
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