pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Dec 29, 2020 12:58:33 GMT
I have a spear of rattan and another of wax wood. I’ve had no problems either. Wing Lam Ent. use to sell rattan shafts of various flex for spear making. I feel rattan light for the most effective spear limiting penetration or for a strike if decided to use in that manner. On the other hand it’s fast and tough. I like it or would not have kept it all these years. The wax wood feels more solid, heavier, and would make a thrust more effective. This is what Wing Lam says about white wax wood “White Wax Wood is the most common material in China to use for a staff, bo, or spear shaft because it has amazing strength and durability yet it is light weight and flexible. It can also absorb shock without breaking.” I like red oak and it’s probably easier to obtain. But when used for bo material it’s been known to break on a ground strike. Most schools do not teach that move. I personally think the move has limited applications. For one a hard surface is needed to make the rebound work. Whatever you chose a single tapered shaft will make you work easier.
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Post by nebulatech on Dec 29, 2020 16:37:30 GMT
I see your point. I can see a pole arm needing to be rigid, like a kwan-do. My rattan staff has some flex, which could prevent breakage, but I did not think about hewing. When I studied northern Chinese martial arts, the spears and staffs were made of wax wood (is that a real wood?) and were extremely flexible. I had to custom order my staff to get something more stiff.
Chinese spear techniques do include slicing, but technique may vary from European styles, which is a factor for consideration.
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Scott
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Post by Scott on Dec 29, 2020 18:09:19 GMT
Wax wood is broad leaf privet, ligustrum lucidum, also known as Chinese privet.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Dec 29, 2020 18:29:04 GMT
Rattan and I assume wax wood can be bought in varying degrees of flex. So to say that either is flexible or not due to the type of wood alone is not valid. And at one time Wing Lam gave this as an option. The rattan in my spear is very flexible, too much so for a cut. But neither spear head on my long spears were designed for such. My rattan bo is more rigid but will flex to a degree. And both of my rattans I consider too light for cutting. They do offer other options such a speed, agility, and I believe one would be hard pressed to break either types of wood. I'm not pushing any one type of wood nor Wing Lam. It's been perhaps a decade since I was into the oriental martial arts. Just throwing this out there for you consideration. Here's a link wle.com/products/natural-finish-single-tapered-wax-wood-staff?_pos=17&_sid=35f0edb59&_ss=r
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Post by nebulatech on Dec 29, 2020 20:46:54 GMT
Thanks pgandy for elaborating!
So for a good spear to hunt boar for example, rattan would not be ideal.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Dec 29, 2020 21:28:51 GMT
Thanks pgandy for elaborating! So for a good spear to hunt boar for example, rattan would not be ideal. When ordering rattan or wax wood I’d ascertain from the vendor that the flex or lack of it is within the range that I want. Regardless of flex I’d say that rattan is too light and would lack the momentum for the penetration needed on a boar. Hickory, ash, and my original suggestion red oak would be much better.
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Post by Sir Thorfinn on Dec 29, 2020 22:03:22 GMT
Here's my local rattan vendor if you want a price range etc. www.shop.mastereirik.com/If nothing else, it will let you know if your source is cheap or not.
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Post by paulmuaddib on Jan 6, 2021 18:07:23 GMT
Guess I’ll chime in here since rattan is being talked about. Don’t have a spear with one. I bought my rattan from Cold Steel over 30 years ago. A 6’ staff, two 3’ jo sticks and a 4’ lahti. The lahti was the first purchase and in the CS catalogue was advertised as what the Indian riot police used as their staves. Ad copy also said if broken it would not splinter like bamboo. Use to be (probably still out there) video of Lynn using some of the jo staffs on a heavy bag. I’ve never used mine on anything hard. Oh, and I did buy a second 6’ staff from them but it came with a bend near the end. Was going to return it but a guy I worked with wanted it for a frog gig pole. Bend didn’t matter for that. Traded it for a bunch of frog legs. YUM!
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