questions about spears

S

SkaerE

Joined
Sep 9, 2001
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428
i like the idea of the spear, not for any particular "practical" use around the house or anything but lately i've wanted one for some reason... happens from time to time.

anyhow, it seems to me there have been 3 major ways to attach a head of a spear to the shaft throughout history.

1.) take staff/tree/sapling and slit end, insert head and lash to staff


2.) create spear head that has a long "tang" and insert into hole bored in the end of shaft


3.) insert shaft into socket that is forged/cast into spear head.


i'm thinkin about making one, couple, whatever for $hits and grins and have been tossing the pros and cons of each type. seems 1 and 2 would have higher chances of breaking the staff since you have weakened it by splitting or boring. the third method i cant think of a good way to make since i dont currently have access (or the knowhow) to forge a socket.

before anyone brings it up, i don't want to buy a premade head from any of the museum replica websites. and i think the cold steel spears, while utilitarian, are ugly since they are stamped and you the socket is not a "true socket" (ie, you can see the end of the shaft if you turn the blade around)

i guess my question would be, has anyone made a spear/bought/used one made from methods 1 or 2 and how has it worked? suggestions to help strenthen the end. I was thinking of wrapping the end in a rope/fabric that has been soaked in fiberglass resin (kinda like a high tech sinew)

thanks!
 
I have seen a couple people using the sort of spear that you put the shaft into a socket that is part of the spear head , they were slightly eccentric types who like to go piggin with a dog a knife , and this time for kicks , a spear ...

this kind of spear seems to me to be a heavy duty implement meant to skewer and stop a fair siized animal .. not to be thrown really

I have made the type where you split the shaft , slip your spear head into the split

Used resin to glue the spear head into the slot ,resin we got from the grass trees , think natures epoxy , resin and roo poo for some filler ... every little gap has to be glued up or you risk splitting your shaft

Then you bind it as tight as you can , while its hot and setting up .. if youre using epoxy , glue it and bind it while the glue is setting I spose , same effect , compresses the joint so it glues up compressed nice and tight and the glue is kind of forced into all the grain and cracks and crevices making it a strong joint out of a weakish kind of design .

fwiw , dont just split the end of a stink and expect to sprad the split to hold a point ... its easier on the materials if you make a socket in the stick so you dont need to spread it a lot , some is needed , but not massive amounts .. its something you learn as you go tho .

the sinew shrinks a bit as it dries usualy , the downside is it will absorb moisture too and go loose so the whole lot of the binding is covered in plain hot resin when its dried out properly to waterproof it / blood n body fluid proof it

this is for making a throwing spear tho , basicly a sharp point bit delivery system ... the importance is more in a light shaft , preferably with flex to it if youre using a woomera / altal , not the kinda spear you hold as you skewer and stop charging animal with .... the shaft will not really put up with that for long .

IF youre really using these , you do need to maintain them , the resin will rub / wear away and needs replacing . depending on what the shaft is made from it may benifit from greasing now and then with just animal fat to keep it sealed and prevent splitting or over drying and hardening .

Hope this is a help :)
 
I bet you could make an ugly but potentially functional spear by getting some conduit or pipe with a shaft fitted to the inside diameter and a point fashioned by smashing/forging/welding/cutting the other end of the pipe and sharpening.

I've never done this... just thinking out loud
 
I got to try one made out of a nice thick piece of bamboo. The reason behind bamboo is they are light and strong. Wood gets HEAVY! to carry and manuver.
I am building an Atlatl as well.
 
I wouldn't knock the Cold Steel offerings. I have spent some time with the local SAR types with an improvised spear made from the first stick found and a Bushman knife. We treated that ugly thing like it had insulted our mothers and owed us money! That dang thing laughed off the abuse! I like the idea of carrying a spear in the woods. Just adds some bite to yer walking stick :) I don't have anything yet but I figure sometime this year I will make something up for giggles :D I think the socket style would be easiest to assemble in the field, but a split shaft with a wrap has worked for millions of years too. I have seen originals with antler and bone points that make me wonder how G10 would perform. It surely would be lighter than steel and I know G10 with a sharp corner will cut.
 
Tanged spears can be incredibly strong but are rather labor-intensive to put together properly. The tang is typically longer than the blade is, and the hole is bored and then the tang is burned into the hole to make a perfect fit. Often the tang is then pinned, and a collar or ferrule is mounted on the shaft under the head to prevent splitting. In almost all examples Japanese polearms were tanged construction.

The big thing with socketed heads is that you can only rely on a friction fit if you're only thrusting with it. Any lateral force will immediately loosen the head and you'll lose it if you don't have some sort of set screw or pin. For field attachment eye screws do nicely since you can grasp them with your hands to screw them in, and removal is equally easy if you break your shaft. Likewise it serves as a lashing point for extra security. :)
 
For whipping up a quick spear in the field, the Cold Steel Bush Man is cheap, easy, convenient and works better than you might think.

It took all of 5 minutes to rig this one up:

Halloween2010030.jpg


Here is the wind up:

Halloween2010031.jpg


Here's the throw:

Halloween2010033.jpg


And it's a STEERIKE!

Halloween2010034.jpg


I've used the Bush Man as a spear a bunch of times, and it's still in great shape. For about $20 bucks, you can't beat it.:thumbup:
 
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Also you might look at getting the Assegai as just a spearhead and the sheath for it. Use it as a trowel until you need it as a spear, and if you add a shaft to it in the field you have a small shovel! :cool:
 
I have a concept for something along those lines drawn up but it'll probably be a while before I'm able to get it made.
 
very cool looking knife. looks of a flint knife but with the benefit of a tang. i could see a spear being made very similarly. i kinda like the G10 blade idea too, wonder if you could get away with it mounted on a hiking staff since i'm not sure it would be classified as a knife, not being metal... but maybe still a weapon. this is of course assuming you were hiking somewhere where a "real" weapon isnt allowed. probably still get frowned on by the rangers. =/

i still like the tanged head idea best i think...

i was also thinking of using micarta rod as the shaft... 1'' either rod or tube should be pretty damn sturdy...
 
damn, probably would be. looks like the density of micarta is about double of wood. a 1'' staff made from micarta tube with .25'' walls would be about 8lbs vs maybe 5lbs for a dense wood :)

1'' solid would be over 10lbs. :O
 
Just don't try cutting anything without a set screw--the head will loosen and fall off. :p
 
Fiberglass might work but you might want it to be slightly hollow to lighten it a bit. Sort of like a thicker version of the CS City Stick.
 
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