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Post by Mad Jim on Mar 28, 2020 2:05:33 GMT
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Post by Mad Jim on Mar 28, 2020 2:32:51 GMT
For some reason I cannot add a description with the above images so it's here. I was after a staff for Jochiam Meyer's halberstangen. Mostly I use the standard Asian Martial Arts 6ft red oak staff as longer staves are hard to get here (in New Zealand) and the places that can make (up to 3m long) hickory or ash 'doweling' that's suitable decieded that making their standard products was in the 'to hard basket'despite a good handful of us here wanting such items!
So I went into the bush and found a nice straight piece of Kanuka, a common hardwood found throughout New Zealand which the Maori peoples used for tools and weapons like the mighty Tiaha (a short bladed spear like weapon, deadly in skilled hands).
I had asked Tane, the God of our forest and birds to grant me a choice tree to take a staff from, in turn he granted me a nice straight wind felled, and seasoned trunk of the Kanuka!
With that I cut it down with my bench saw to a suitable size and shape, then cleaned it up with a grinder with a sanding disk. Oiled with boiled linseed oil. It is just over 7ft (2250cm x 35mm..ish) and weighs in at 2.2kg (4.85 pounds). It's heavy but not too heavy, I could possibly take it down a little more to get it to around 2kg, but that won't change the handling by much. It's balanced almost in the centre of the staff which is pretty good considering it's all made by eye.
In the picture above, the trunk would have been about 90-100mm in diamiter, in the last image the staff is next to a 6ft red oak 32mm staff.
It's a hefty beast, the wood is fairly easy to work with and after playing about I can see why the Maori used such wood. I'll try fire hardening at some point but not with this piece. I may also cut the extra 4 inches or so off so it's at 7ft, but that won't affect it to much either I don't think?.
Anyway there it is. Later down the track I'll look at making a tiaha, a tewhatewha (which you sort of need to be a rangatira (a leader/chief, person with much knowledge and Mana to weild such a weapon) and a putu.
So now back to practicing the deadly arts of J.Meyer's halberstangen!. tchuss Cheers Mad Jim.
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Scott
Member
Posts: 1,675
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Post by Scott on Mar 28, 2020 3:58:03 GMT
Nice work! I'd like to see the tiaha when you make it.
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Post by Mad Jim on Mar 28, 2020 5:29:24 GMT
Nice work! I'd like to see the tiaha when you make it. haha yea so whould I. Someday soon I hope.
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pgandy
Moderator
Senior Forumite
Posts: 10,296
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Post by pgandy on Mar 28, 2020 13:58:53 GMT
Thanks for sharing. I love staffs and carried one briefly but switched to a cane as they are more manageable. My staffs range from 5’ to about 5½’. The last one was 6’ but I decided to go with what is called natural length (eye brow length). It handles a little better but I wish that I hadn’t. My favourite is a 5’ double tapered staff that I dearly wish that I had in a 6’ version. It is extremely fast and easily handled. The deciding factor in going to canes was that the staffs didn’t fit well on a bus especially when crowded and a taxi required to hold on to it through a window. I do like those oil finishes compared to varnish. I’ve stripped more than one cane of its varnish.
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Post by Sir Thorfinn on Mar 28, 2020 15:01:30 GMT
Ha! You made me look those up. Learning... Please do make examples of the others, and great job on the staff!
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Post by Mad Jim on Mar 29, 2020 2:04:14 GMT
Cheers, I have to learn a bit of carving and the gathering of tools to really make a tiaha!
I have thought about smaller staffs to walk about with, but then I'd be inclinded to use it like a longsword haha
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