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Post by Zwilnik on Aug 25, 2020 18:21:48 GMT
I've always been interested in the assegai. Anybody have one and like it? Pics? Cutting/throwing videos on Youtube?
edit: Oops, I meant the Iklwa, the shorter Zulu version.
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Post by paulmuaddib on Aug 26, 2020 1:03:36 GMT
I don’t have one but I was going to buy one in May of 2019 at the MRL store. Salesman brought it out and it had a small shaft. About one inch or less in diameter. The spearhead was flat steel that had been rolled for the shaft and just cheap looking. And it wasn’t assembled. I wasn’t impressed at all. The salesman said I’ve got something to look at. He brought out a Windlass Zulu Iklwa. Wow, a world of difference. The shaft is 1 1/4” and it had a real spearhead. It was about $5-7 more and about 100% better. Bought it on the spot. If you want an iklwa I highly recommend the Windlass. I think you will be disappointed in the Cold Steel.
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Post by treeslicer on Aug 26, 2020 1:22:38 GMT
IMHO, Cold Steel totally missed the boat on their African spears (not just the Zulu ones), but then I have an original Samburu cattle guard spear to compare them with. The Windlass Iklwa at under $50 from a number of sellers is a much better deal than Cold Steel's stuff, IMHO.
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Post by paulmuaddib on Aug 26, 2020 1:28:33 GMT
IMHO, Cold Steel totally missed the boat on their African spears (not just the Zulu ones), but then I have an original Samburu cattle guard spear to compare them with. The Windlass Iklwa at under $50 from a number of sellers is a much better deal than Cold Steel's stuff, IMHO. 100% agree treeslicer. Cold Steel has some good and even great products but their spears are totally lacking.
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Post by Zwilnik on Aug 26, 2020 18:35:43 GMT
Awesome! I actually prefer Windlass to Cold Steel, and the Zulu Ilkwa is exactly what I'm looking for! Thanks!!!
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Post by howler on Aug 26, 2020 19:45:49 GMT
The CS Assegai sure isn't something you want to hang on a wall as an aesthetic beauty or historically accurate specimen, but you can get them sometimes for mid $30 range (polymer blade cover included). The shovel like shape makes the blade a sharp as hell slicer and reviews have been good over the decades for the Assegai line.
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Post by howler on Aug 26, 2020 19:49:02 GMT
Awesome! I actually prefer Windlass to Cold Steel, and the Zulu Ilkwa is exactly what I'm looking for! Thanks!!! It sure beats the CS on looks, but I'd bet real money (a true gamble, as I've never handled the Windlass) the CS makes a better weapon. Really, at these prices, get BOTH.
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Post by paulmuaddib on Aug 26, 2020 20:29:07 GMT
Awesome! I actually prefer Windlass to Cold Steel, and the Zulu Ilkwa is exactly what I'm looking for! Thanks!!! It sure beats the CS on looks, but I'd bet real money (a true gamble, as I've never handled the Windlass) the CS makes a better weapon. Really, at these prices, get BOTH. Howler, I promise you that you would lose that bet. If you ever do get to handle the Windlass, I think you would agree.
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Post by howler on Aug 26, 2020 21:00:33 GMT
It sure beats the CS on looks, but I'd bet real money (a true gamble, as I've never handled the Windlass) the CS makes a better weapon. Really, at these prices, get BOTH. Howler, I promise you that you would lose that bet. If you ever do get to handle the Windlass, I think you would agree. In that case I'll have to really eyeball that Windlass, as they each sound like good price point weapon options. Lucky I ended my post with "get BOTH".
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Post by paulmuaddib on Aug 26, 2020 21:33:50 GMT
Howler, I promise you that you would lose that bet. If you ever do get to handle the Windlass, I think you would agree. In that case I'll have to really eyeball that Windlass, as they each sound like good price point weapon options. Lucky I ended my post with "get BOTH". Yes, when in doubt, get both. 😏 I this case I’d rather have two Windlass. One to leave original and one to customize the shaft. Two things I forgot to mention is the Windlass is not sharpened but can be and it doesn’t have a sheath. Not having a sheath is the reason I haven’t sharpened mine. I think I remember reading that a Cold Steel Boar Spear sheath will work on it but I’d rather have a leather sheath made for it. I bought mine at the MRL yearly sale in May and like I said above the price difference was only about $5-7. Even if it had been $10-20 higher I would still have bought the Windlass. The only reason I was looking at the Cold Steel was to bring the price of my purchase up to get the max discount. Wasn’t really gung ho to get a spear. I know the salesman from frequent visits to the store so he kinda knows what I like and can afford. A few days later I brought him a SOG used hatchet I got on eBay as a tip. ( I knew he throws hatchets). He showed me a much better product and only made a few more bucks for the company . Anyway, sorry for the ramble.
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Post by paulmuaddib on Aug 27, 2020 1:39:27 GMT
Well Paul, You just convinced me... I grabbed one right now. Came out to under $50 shipped because I used a coupon code and some rewards points that I had. I also own a CS Boar Spear so I can also check on the sheath compatibility. Brother Nathaniel, if you are the least disappointed in it you can call me all kinds of nasty names on here. But I don’t think you will be. Have been re-examining mine since this thread got started. It does have some polishing circular marks in it but they could easily be polished out. But with the Covid lockdown I just don’t have the time or the energy.😏I’ve been on here for about 5 years and still don’t think I know enough about swords to evaluate them. Just don’t think I’ve handled enough of them to know what they’re supposed to feel like if you know what I mean. But with this spear, I’ve literally only looked at the Cold Steel and this Windlass. And it just looked, and more importantly, felt right. Lots of polls on here about ‘What sword you would you choose for (insert situation here)’. This is my first weapon (after a gun of course, who are we kidding here, that is if I hadn’t lost all of them in the great boating accident of 2020. [Just one more reason to HATE 2020]) that I would stick in an intruder, several times hopefully, then pull out a sword. I guess what I’m saying it feels good to give back to a forum that I’ve learned so much from with no reservations. Really hope your happy with yours and definitely want to know about the sheath.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Aug 27, 2020 17:26:38 GMT
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Post by paulmuaddib on Aug 27, 2020 17:54:43 GMT
Pgandy, you are correct that the CS will cut better since the Windlass is not sharpened and penetrate better for the same reason but only slightly in that case. Could you do me a favor and measure the shaft diameter. I would appreciate it. When I looked at it I just remember it being smaller than the Windlass. As far as tempering I don’t know how well the Windlass does theirs. Their swords are pretty good I hear so I expect they did a good job on this. I’m not sure how to test that and not sure I want to. 🙂. Thanks for chiming in. It’s always good to get different opinions. Edit: I like the tacks idea.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Aug 27, 2020 22:12:38 GMT
Could you do me a favor and measure the shaft diameter. The haft being of a natural material varies slightly in roundness but 1.150” would be a good representative figure. The middle spear in the comparison is a Windlass. It’s nicely made but I believe the CS is more robust, and I know the CS is more effective. But the Windlass is more eye pleasing. All have been sharpened.
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Post by paulmuaddib on Aug 28, 2020 0:05:24 GMT
Thanks for the measurement pgandy. Not sure which Windlass spear that is but it’s not the Zulu Iklwa. The Windlass iklwa has a head more like your CS. The head is 13 1/2”, head plus socket is 19 3/8”. Below that is 4 1/2” of brass wire wrapped tightly around the shaft. Total length is 50”. And like I said above the shaft diameter is exactly 1 1/4”. It might be pine, not sure. The CS is ash. Edit: Oh yeah, the width of the blade is 2 3/8”. I think the measurements are similar to the CS.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2020 5:29:29 GMT
I own one. Its a fantastic weapon and Cold Steel seems to be the chosen brand for many spear hunters all over the world. It is very sharp and would penetrate flesh very easily
However, it is not pretty. It does resemble a shovel, but a thick blade would't necessarily make it any better for penetration. One could argue people used to make them that way for a reason, but I have a feeling half that reason could be soft metal. They do their job well. But they are not pretty
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Sept 1, 2020 16:54:12 GMT
Ardhanari’s Assegai Spear.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2020 18:19:37 GMT
Ardhanari’s Assegai Spear. Thanks man. It's a good spear, tho I could benefit from a better shaft
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2020 1:04:30 GMT
I find them suited for different purposes. If I wanted to punch through mail, windlass it is. Bears? I kinda like cold steel. I need that MAXIMUM PENETRATION
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Post by howler on Sept 4, 2020 1:09:10 GMT
So the Windlass Zulu spear came in today and even though I do not own the CS Assegai, I have to agree with Paul that is a nice piece and I'm thinking it's every bit the weapon that the CS is. I will sharpen it and give it some testing to confirm it's build quality and then update. You do realize that it's only a matter of time (weeks...days...HOURS...) before you get the CS in order to get a comparison, right? The price seems right for both models which means I gotta get the Windlass. Question is, is there even a third choice for this type weapon?
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