pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Aug 17, 2019 3:29:56 GMT
For mine I just put a rotary sanding disk on my electric drill. Propped the drill stationary and rotated the shaft with a support at end as I would when I was blowing glass. It would have been helpful if I had some transfer material so that I could detect the high spots as I was nearing completion. I didn’t so I substituted lipstick. If you should go too far it is possible to shim with tape. Both ash and red oak will work fine.
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Post by Timo Nieminen on Aug 17, 2019 3:56:59 GMT
Is there a particular type of rasp that is best for tapering the shaft end to fit in the spearhead socket? I use a plane, spokeshave, or drawknife (whichever I find first or feel like using). Also,what is the best type of wood to use for the shaft? Of the available poles I've seen, ash is most often available. What about red oak? Ash is good and traditional. A Japanese red oak staff will work well, too. If at all possible, find one with grain running continuously along the whole length. If the grains runs off the side, it can break at that point by splitting along the grain. (In the old days, spear hafts would be saplings or coppiced poles, or split, all of which preserve the grain along length. These days, they saw and turn which doesn't respect the grain. So you have to select a good piece.) |
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christain
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Post by christain on Aug 17, 2019 4:09:41 GMT
The long bladed hewing spear is awesome but sometimes...to be honest.. I guess I just can't always arsed to do extra work with a shaft,etc. Well, think about it....A spear is only a short sword on a reeeeaaally long handle. You can have the best spear-tip on Earth, but if you have crap in your hand to place it...What good is it?  Even if you have a catastrophic fail on your spear head, at least you have a long stick. (Somehow, that sounded totally wrong.  ) |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2019 4:56:57 GMT
As you work the taper, just rotate the pole/haft in the socket. The shiny parts are high spots.
The two bo in the picture were from a vendor shipping free. The Hanwei spontoon was a free ship Amazon ash flag pole. A nerd note, naval pikes were most often scraped "white". I use a hand held utility razor blade for final finishes and fine tuning, as well as generating facets on a haft. I'm never in a rush. The same martial arts vendors also have waxwood, which I have seen on spears and handled one but they are tacky unless powdered. I like a smooth haft for pool cuing thrusts The tapered bo on my short yari is actually pretty awesome. The Texas Knife Supply site for metal cane tips and ferrules
Cheers
GC
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Post by demonskull on Aug 17, 2019 11:31:30 GMT
I do the shaping the same way as the others here except a few slight differences. The first is I stop shaping when the head will fit all the way down except the last 1/4". I then make several groves in the tapered section from different angles about an 1/8 -1/4" deep. Before I fit the spear head to the socket, I place the socket in my gas grill. I heat it up for a few minutes with a wet cloth around the blade to insure the heat won't transfer. Once it is hot to the touch but not red hot, I put it on the haft and tap it down. I then pour water over it to speed the contraction of the socket.
I get a perfect fit every time and the contracted socket grabs the groves better then it would without them. I then use screws, nails or decorative nails to additional secure the spear head.
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christain
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Post by christain on Aug 17, 2019 14:16:09 GMT
I never thought about heating the socket for a final fit! Good idea!  My Viking spear should be arriving today.  Still haven't gotten a shaft yet, but I'm gonna check out Home Depot and Lowe's before I order a potentially crooked one from anywhere. At least if I'm right there looking at them I'll know exactly what I'm getting.  |
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Aug 17, 2019 14:40:16 GMT
Reading some of the methods used makes me want to throw out a word of caution to those doing it for the first time. And this is only FWIW, don’t make the join between the head and spear too permanent. There may come a time when sharpening is necessary. Depending on your sharpening method it might be easier with no haft attached. I resharpened two of mine this past week.
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christain
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Post by christain on Aug 17, 2019 14:56:35 GMT
My Hewing spear was already mounted when I took the notion to sharpen it. I just put the head in a bench vise with a towel around the socket. Loosening the vise allowed me to rotate the head to any angle I needed. Took about 20 minutes with a fine-toothed file and a couple of stones. I've heard of people putting swords, spears, etc. between the spokes on the back of a wooden chair to hold it while sharpening. Doesn't sound like the greatest---or safest---idea, but if you have nothing else.......  |
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Aug 17, 2019 15:50:19 GMT
If one is able to sharpen while the head is mounted is great, but just something to beware of. Of the two I sharpened I disassembled one and the other I did mounted. Used a my Work Sharp got both paper cutting sharp. Both penetrated ¾” of rugs to completely penetrate filled plastic gallon jugs. They had dulled to the point that wasn’t possible.
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christain
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It's the steel on the inside that counts.
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Post by christain on Aug 17, 2019 17:15:19 GMT
If one is able to sharpen while the head is mounted is great, but just something to beware of. Of the two I sharpened I disassembled one and the other I did mounted. Used a my Work Sharp got both paper cutting sharp. Both penetrated ¾” of rugs to completely penetrate filled plastic gallon jugs. They had dulled to the point that wasn’t possible. Rugs and like material can be very very hard on edges depending on the make up, Sometimes there can be other materials sewn into it,backing,etc. Carpet is especially brutal on a cutting edge. Maybe they should have worn carpet instead of chain mail back in the day! Sorry...couldn't resist. |
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Aug 17, 2019 18:10:46 GMT
Rugs are not my general targets. But I do proof the thrusting ability by using multiple plies of rugs over a free standing filled gallon plastic jug. At present it’s 4 ply due to the thickness of a rug. When this supply is exhausted I may very well have to adjust in order to get the approximate thickness as I did for this batch. I use rugs only for proofing for the thrust, whether for the point, flex, whatever and on a new untried sword if I think it might be up to it. I do not attempt to cut through one. I have no blades with that ability on a free standing plastic jug target. My German Bastard Sword went through 2 ply to sever a pig’s leg once, but that wasn’t free standing, and only a one time deal. I started the practice after receiving my rapier, my first European sword, and was comparing it with a katana. I used only one ply the katana failed. No harm to the katana but the impact shock was enough never to try that again. The rapier past through multiple plies effortlessly. I do appreciate the heads up though.
PS You got my curiosity up and tested both spears that I recently sharpened that passed through the 4 plies of rugs once each and both remain paper cutting sharp. I also tested my recently acquired CS Backsword that passed through 3 plies twice. once for proofing and the second time for a video. it just glides through paper, so no harm done. The sword was not up to 4 plies. I would feel better if it was but at 3 it is serviceable. Since the sword has been proofed there is no reason to do that again. I had one of the spears for 15? years and the other for several and realized neither had been proofed. No need to that again either. The older spear has a somewhat flexible rattan haft which proved to be no issue. The other wax wood that I didn’t question.
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Post by Rabel Dusk on Aug 19, 2019 23:01:16 GMT
The long hewing spear arrived. Now I have to staff it. The photo shows it with the Del Tin DT6161 dagger with its 16.125 inch blade for comparison.  |
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christain
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Post by christain on Aug 19, 2019 23:15:37 GMT
It's a MONSTER, ain't it?!?!  Just wrap the socket with your choice....instant short sword.  |
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Zen_Hydra
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Aug 19, 2019 23:33:17 GMT
I remember seeing more than one report that the Windlass hewing spear has a weak spot at the meeting point between blade and socket. One might keep that in mind when trying to cut with it, since an unyielding target might cause it to take a severe set.
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christain
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Post by christain on Aug 20, 2019 1:09:20 GMT
I remember seeing more than one report that the Windlass hewing spear has a weak spot at the meeting point between blade and socket. One might keep that in mind when trying to cut with it, since an unyielding target might cause it to take a severe set. I don't plan on stabbing/cutting an 'unyielding target', except maybe a water bottle....if you consider that 'unyielding'. I have yet to find a single fault, except my own, in which I should have bought TWO of them.  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2019 1:22:21 GMT
I remember seeing more than one report that the Windlass hewing spear has a weak spot at the meeting point between blade and socket. One might keep that in mind when trying to cut with it, since an unyielding target might cause it to take a severe set. On the hewing spear the socket ends at the base of the blade. (see pic linked below) www.museumreplicas.com/hewing-spearheadThe long bladed hewing spearhead is slightly different, looks like it may be a bit stronger. www.museumreplicas.com/long-bladed-hewing-spearhead |
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Zen_Hydra
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Aug 20, 2019 2:40:59 GMT
I have no skin in this game. I'm just passing along what I've seen reported by others.
In my personal experience, I prefer either a light, optimally maneuverable spear, or a proper polearm. Half measures (e.g. winged spears, ranseurs, or partisans) don't really work for me.
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Post by Rabel Dusk on Aug 20, 2019 17:57:48 GMT
FWIW, all 13 reviews at MRL are very positive. (No reviews at KOA - I wonder if reviews there will ever come back?) The socket is 5 inches long, stopping about 3 inches short of the beginning of the blade.
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Post by juster on Aug 20, 2019 19:06:56 GMT
I had a 3' 1.25" pole lying around, I tapered it with a craft knife, testing fit frequently. There is a slight shoulder on the wood, since it is slightly wider than the large hewing spear. The metal seems solid enough, so I have a handy home defence assault spear. Once it is on, it would be difficult to take off. Sharpen before fitting indeed.
Really, you can't go far wrong with this guy.
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Post by Rabel Dusk on Sept 4, 2019 5:12:00 GMT
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Even if you have a catastrophic fail on your spear head, at least you have a long stick. (Somehow, that sounded totally wrong. 
)
My Viking spear should be arriving today. 
Still haven't gotten a shaft yet, but I'm gonna check out Home Depot and Lowe's before I order a potentially crooked one from anywhere. At least if I'm right there looking at them I'll know exactly what I'm getting. 
Just wrap the socket with your choice....instant short sword. 
