Spear

[Kineas]

So, some time ago Craig Manning of Manning Imperial was interested in making a heavy Greek Cavalry spear, except that after much discussion, we used a head that is probably a heavy javelin for hunting and war, mounted or dismounted.

Here is the line drawing of the original, from "Die Angriffswaffen aus Olympia" .


The head is such a magnificent job that I'm a little hesitant to describe hafting the thing as work--Craig did the craftsmanship. But, there was work involved.

First, I got a 6' stave from Exotic Woods. After some conversation, the wood experts (who didn't have Cornel Wood, which is Dogwood, and said that none of them had ever seen a stave of it longer than 3 feet) proposed that I use GONCALO ALVES, a South American wood that, they claim, has the same density and weight of Cornel Wood. It is one of the most beautiful and consistent woods I've ever used, and the recent purchase of a Lee Valley Pattern maker's rasp made the socket setting a snap. I then heated the socket to blue hot (tinge of red at the base of the socket--blade was still cool!) and burned it on the last 1/4 inch for a perfect fit. I then re-quenched the socket, re polished it all (leaving a little blue tinge because I liked it) and epoxy'd the socket to the shaft. This is a javelin (albeit of Dory size!)--it will be thrown a great deal and eventually this shaft will break. So no pin.

Then, at the butt end, I cut a 3 3/4 inch by 1 inch strip of 24 gauge Bronze, which, if you aren't a math major, is 1/4 inch bigger than the circumference of 1 1/8--pure luck in my guess. Then I used a combination of files and luck to get a 24 gauge deep groove for my ferule/butt cap. Then I took the bronze strip, tapered the ends, wrapped it, pinned one end, took it off and heated it and put it on hot and hammered it to a perfect fit, bound it tight with pliers, drilled it and pinned it. That's my impression of how sheet bronze butts were done--I've only seen one, and that may be conjectural. I wanted a ferule because this will be my "walking spear" for trek. That may not be a period problem!

Finally, I polished the haft with 220, 400, 600 grit paper and then with super-fine steel wool until it shone like glass, and then put linseed oil on. I was going to paint it, but frankly, it's too nice. I'll put ten or fifteen coats of oil on instead.

See what you think!





No, I didn't taper the shaft. That jury is still out, and I thought I'd start with a simple weapon project and not get carried away. Besides, as soon as one asks for a tapered shaft, one has to ask exactly where the taper should begin and end... Final project is about 7'6".