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Post by legacyofthesword on Nov 30, 2020 7:48:14 GMT
I bought a spear head and butt cap from Windlass today. Now I need a shaft. I know ash was used, as well as bamboo, and I think I remember birch for a Viking spear, but what are some other good woods that were used for spear shafts throughout history?
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marcofthecovenant
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Post by marcofthecovenant on Nov 30, 2020 13:38:36 GMT
I used a bo staff for mine (Ligustrum lucidum) pretty tough. I used a wood rasp to fit the head and cap till I had a tight interference fit. I glued everything with what we used to call "Gorilla snot". Same stuff used to glue the left grip on your motorcycle. Pliobond 25.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Nov 30, 2020 14:03:14 GMT
My red and oak bos would serve. I have a slight preference to the red oak. Ash as you know is an old standard.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2020 15:50:53 GMT
Any good hardwood should suffice. Historically, our ancestors used whatever they could get their hands on. I happen to like hickory as it is domestic to the US and has excellent strength. I buy mine from Baird Brothers from their website.
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Post by legacyofthesword on Nov 30, 2020 17:30:51 GMT
I used a bo staff for mine. pretty tough. I used a wood rasp to fit the head and cap till I had a tight interference fit. I glued everything with what we used to call "Gorilla snot". Same stuff used to glue the left grip on your motorcycle. Pliobond 25. Looks great. What kind of wood is the bo staff you used? Any good hardwood should suffice. Historically, our ancestors used whatever they could get their hands on. I happen to like hickory as it is domestic to the US and has excellent strength. I buy mine from Baird Brothers from their website. Baird Brothers looks like a great place to buy wood from. Looks like the price to ship spear length pieces to where I'm at is pretty steep though.
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Post by legacyofthesword on Nov 30, 2020 17:32:35 GMT
My red and oak bos would serve. I have a slight preference to the red oak. Ash as you know is an old standard. Red oak is good stuff, I had a friend who was making a bokken who had some red oak pieces. We did some abusive testing and they held up really well to hard impact.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2020 17:42:59 GMT
Baird Brothers is a good option depending on where you live. Even though I am rather close to Ohio, the cost of shipping one dowel is brutal. It's more economical to place a big order with them.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2020 18:47:03 GMT
Lowe's Home Depot Local lumber yard Walmart garden center etc etc etc For awhile martialartsmart used to list a wide variety of staffs and shipped free (a decade ago) but they don't carry as many any more. There are some other online stores worth checking, including Purpleheart Armoury. In copying some of my recent replies in another venue these past weeks "Diligent searching will find online sources for staves, bo and poles etc. Call KOA, as their ash are listed as 1.25. Purpleheart, Bruce Lee, Karate Supply are just three I have browsed over the years. The red oak bo on the big black was listed as 1 1/8" but was actually 1 1/4" . That was from Martial Arts Mart iirc but that was a long time ago and may have been someone else. Lumber yards in your area. Purpleheart has been around forever. I have an 8' octagonal I bought online that was cheap and was a pruning pole extension. That was from Amazon but was direct from some company. Might have been amleo.com (Leonard) has 7 1/2' and 12' hemlock pruning poles that are listed as 1 1/4". Home Depot lists Waddell hardwood poles and an oak 8' 1 1/4" for $16. Flag poles, as mentioned." "A rasp (surforms are excellent examples), or grinder. The taper on the big black one in my picture started a couple/few inches back on the pole and then was to very near the end of the socket. Measure the OD at the mouth and small end. Subtract wall thickness. Write them down. Calipers help. Measure the mouth ID against the pole and shoot for that as to where the socket will seat and taper to suit. Wood pushes around pretty easily. I blended my taper instead of determining a flush (or greater) seat. I did that as described. Stroke, turn, stroke, turn. Yes, it took some time. Work an angle at the pointy end for awhile, then progressively move the angle back. Once you are getting close, spin/turn the haft in the socket and the high points will show shiny." The big black one was tapered down to 1/4" and very near the end of the socket. Calipers and patience in hand will give you a good result. If you keep turning while you stroke, it will be dead straight. Good luck GC
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2020 18:58:28 GMT
I made mine out of pine, because despite being surrounded by forests, Canada doesn't sell any seasoned hard wood dowels in the hard ware stores and I refuse to go find a hard wood store just so I can have an expensive, unworked plank of hardwood lol. With all the tools I'll need to work that I might as well just buy a bow staff and taper the end (though good news is my local knife store has red oak bo staffs!)
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Post by legacyofthesword on Nov 30, 2020 23:17:07 GMT
My original question was actually "what kinds of wood was used for spear shafts, historically", but I appreciate all the tips anyhow.
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Greg E
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Post by Greg E on Dec 4, 2020 2:59:45 GMT
I have used staves and such from PurpleHeartArmory www.woodenswords.com They have different sizes of mostly Hickory and have used Ash pole from Kult of Athena.
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marcofthecovenant
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Post by marcofthecovenant on Dec 4, 2020 5:14:58 GMT
I have used staves and such from PurpleHeartArmory www.woodenswords.com They have different sizes of mostly Hickory and have used Ash pole from Kult of Athena.
2nd from the top, that thing is dope!
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Greg E
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Post by Greg E on Dec 4, 2020 23:43:38 GMT
My original question was actually "what kinds of wood was used for spear shafts, historically", but I appreciate all the tips anyhow. I don't mean to be flippant about it but probably whatever is growing in the region of the type of spear you have in mind. Ash, oak, hickory, walnut, poplar etc..
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Post by legacyofthesword on Dec 4, 2020 23:47:30 GMT
My original question was actually "what kinds of wood was used for spear shafts, historically", but I appreciate all the tips anyhow. I don't mean to be flippant about it but probably whatever is growing in the region of the type of spear you have in mind. Ash, oak, hickory, walnut, poplar etc.. Honestly, I think you make a good point. I might just use some poplar, get a big plank and split it down to get the grain running straight throughout. Or maybe I'll try and find a good sapling and use that.
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Greg E
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Post by Greg E on Dec 4, 2020 23:48:17 GMT
I have used staves and such from PurpleHeartArmory www.woodenswords.com They have different sizes of mostly Hickory and have used Ash pole from Kult of Athena.
2nd from the top, that thing is dope! Spear from Balaur Arms off Kult of Athena site. Attachments:
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Greg E
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Post by Greg E on Dec 4, 2020 23:56:00 GMT
I made mine out of pine, because despite being surrounded by forests, Canada doesn't sell any seasoned hard wood dowels in the hard ware stores and I refuse to go find a hard wood store just so I can have an expensive, unworked plank of hardwood lol. With all the tools I'll need to work that I might as well just buy a bow staff and taper the end (though good news is my local knife store has red oak bo staffs!) The red oak bo staff sold at my local martial arts store are cut so bad I had slivers and larger wood pieces stuck in my hand after handling just one of them. Make sure to look it over good unless it is just for show and not to be practiced with or held.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2020 23:57:56 GMT
I made mine out of pine, because despite being surrounded by forests, Canada doesn't sell any seasoned hard wood dowels in the hard ware stores and I refuse to go find a hard wood store just so I can have an expensive, unworked plank of hardwood lol. With all the tools I'll need to work that I might as well just buy a bow staff and taper the end (though good news is my local knife store has red oak bo staffs!) The red oak bo staff sold at my local martial arts store are cut so bad I had slivers and larger wood pieces stuck in my hand after handling just one of them. Make sure to look it over good unless it is just for show and not to be practiced with or held. You know, thanks for the tip. I would have assumed it to be of good build and smooth like the ones they used to have at my dojo. And to top it all off, the products on the floor aren't always the ones you take home with you
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Post by bruntson on Dec 6, 2020 1:35:32 GMT
The wood for a good spear shaft must be stiff, dense, hard and especially shock resistant to prevent splintering upon impact. Hickory is a great combination of these attributes with Ash coming in as a close second but it flexs more. Red Oak splinters a bit to easily but it will work for decorative pieces.
Hickory can be found in India, China, SE Asia and North America, and It used for spear shafts in those locals. Hickory in not native to Europe. Ash can be found in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Hickory and Ash is the wood of choice for other items that must take heavy blows such as axe and hammer handles, war clubs, shovel handles, baseball bats and bows.
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Post by nebulatech on Dec 29, 2020 4:12:08 GMT
I didn't see it listed yet, so I'll mention rattan. I have some escrima sticks made of rattan, about 1.25" diameter and 24" long. Also my staff from kung fu is rattan, about 1.75" by 6'. Rattan is like bamboo but solid all the way through. Its mildly flexible, but won't break very easily and its very light weight. Its only drawback is the ends can split but not with caps on the end (like your spear head). Mine are over 25 years old. I taped the ends with sport tape when I bought them and there's no splitting, original tape. I even chopped on the escrima sticks with a sword a few times. I'm not a great swordsman, but I could only manage to penetrate a couple of multimeters.
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Post by Adventurer'sBlade on Dec 29, 2020 5:25:47 GMT
I didn't see it listed yet, so I'll mention rattan. I have some escrima sticks made of rattan, about 1.25" diameter and 24" long. Also my staff from kung fu is rattan, about 1.75" by 6'. Rattan is like bamboo but solid all the way through. Its mildly flexible, but won't break very easily and its very light weight. Its only drawback is the ends can split but not with caps on the end (like your spear head). Mine are over 25 years old. I taped the ends with sport tape when I bought them and there's no splitting, original tape. I even chopped on the escrima sticks with a sword a few times. I'm not a great swordsman, but I could only manage to penetrate a couple of multimeters. Rattan is great for a javelin. A little flexible and not very dense for a bigger thrusting or hewing spear, IMO.
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