Spear shaft

[Vishal]

Hello friends ,
Please forgive me if Im posting in wrong area .
Im new here and from India .
Recently Im trying to make a spear to take it during my walk through dense forest . I'll get the spear head from any local expert black smith .( Will be very happy if you also give me any idea of a good spear head size , weight etc for lethal blow ) !

The black smith here showed me two types of spear head - one to go into the shaft and another type in which the shaft should go into . Which type is better ?

Im facing problem regarding the spear shaft also .
I need the shaft that would be really strong but light and reliable to use in need and beautiful to look at . It should not break easily . Ive seen shaft of black palm wood but it's too heavy to use regularly . Bamboo is another good option and easily found here but finding one straight , strong and really matured , is really a hard work . Ive seen sites praising for ash tree wood but don't know about it in India . Will wood be more strong , flexible , and really less breakable than bamboo ?

So please inform me what should be the best to be used as spear shaft , its perfect height , diameter etc ( Im 6 ft tall ) .
Thank you .

[Dan D'Silva]

Welcome.

Are you making this spear for a specific historical impression or would you rather like to know what would make a good spear regardless of historicity?

[Vishal]

Nothing of history .
I just need one suitable for my need .

[M. Demetrius]

IF the socket is at least 500mm long, that is probably the stronger point. Those that go into the shaft require that the shaft have a hole drilled into the wood, thereby weakening the wood at its thinnest point. To combat that weakness, a metal band, or wrapping of cord around the end is required. I don't think that would be sufficient for bamboo, however. Bamboo splits easily, and the edges are very sharp, and can cut your hands.

http://tutorials.livinghistory.ie/Home/m...on-a-forge

You might consider getting a "tool handle", like those used for rakes, shovels, commercial mops, or other work function. If those are not long enough, find out what kind of wood is used for them in your area, and get a straight shaft from a lumber seller. My general recommendation would be to go with the harder (denser) woods, even if you have to shape them yourself to help straighten them, and the socketed spear heads.

It would do little good to tell you which woods grow here in Texas, as your trees are no doubt considerably different. Oaks are strong, but not very flexible, nut trees are usually sufficiently strong, but rarely straight. Talk to a local carpenter. He can probably advise you or even make the shaft for you.

https://www.google.com/search?q=socketed...0QGDtYHYAw

Are you planning on hunting Bengal tigers with a spear? Brave man! :-o

[Titvs Statilivs Castvs]

Are you planning on hunting Bengal tigers with a spear? Brave man! :-o

I hope not as they are an endangered species. ;-)

[M. Demetrius]

If one crosses your path in the forest, it would be YOU who were the endangered species, in the form of "tiger lunch". :!:

[Robert]

Hunting tigers whatever way is called poaching and should be punished with a sharp thrust of a spear.

I agree on using a socketed spear, but the shape of the blade does not have to be really long. It does depend on what you plan to stick with it. For wild pig, a long spearpoint with a crossbar throught the socket would be advisable, for instance.

Acacia is native to India and is a very strong and resilliant wood (babul acacia -- Acacia nilotica) Teak could also be used, but acacia has very long, straight fibers which make it good for handles and bows.

[Vishal]

Oh no ! No tiger ! no bear ! no animal to be killed ! I just need one to keep in my hand while walking through the jungle for emergency ( you know how friendly few wild animals are ! ) .

I have been looking into the density chart of few wood in India . East Indian Rosewood seems the strongest but not so flexible and light weight . Though teak is not so strong but flexible .
which one to use ?
And how long , diameter of the shaft should be ?

[Robert]

If it is just for self defence, a length of 1.80 would be fine. I would go for a diameter of 25-30 mm. If you were to use the acacia, 25 mm would be fine. Any longer will be very unhelpfull in a forest, much thicker would become too heavy. I would make the blade a common, wide leafshape, about 6-8 cm (2.5 inches) wide and 20 cm long. The socket should be about as long as the blade, so you can set the handle in with a long taper. Do not weld the socket closed, as if you leave the gap where the two sides meet open, this will help grip the socket on the spearshaft. A small hole at the base will allow you to hamer in a single nail.

Oh, forgot. Add a sharp buttspike! That is very good for preserving your wooden shaft, it can be used as a secondary weapon and it allows you to use the spear as a walking support, as it digs into the ground. A buttspike is made in the same way as a socket for your spear, I make them from triangles of sheet iron 2.5 mm thick.

[Vishal]

Your suggestions are helpful .
I have a doubt : will the shaft made of wood break easily than the bamboo shaft ! Im really worried !As if the shaft breaks in emergency , there's no other way but to be killed .

[Robert]

Well, I do suppose the acasia is a very good wood. It is much better then teak because like ash it has long, strong fibers. I would NOT use teak for a spearpole. But the easy way to find out is make the spearhead and a acacia handle and attack a heavy wet sack with it, weighing 15 kilo's, lifting it off the ground. Mind you, if you are not familiar with using a spear in defence from attack, you may want to study a bit of martial arts. The buttspike helps balance the spear, by the way.

[Vishal]

O. K .
I'll search for acacia wood to make shaft as it is not a commercial wood and so I have to search a bit more .

Anyway , thank you very much for your suggestions and I'll disturb you again if needed .

[Robert]

Well, you could try to find ash (Fraxinus excelsior). What you want is to find someone that makes masts for ships or flagpoles. It does not have to be acacia, but any wood with long straight fibers that will withstand bending without breaking.

[Vindex]

I have moved this into Off Topic as it is not referring to ancient weaponry.

It is also an unusual inital post request in that it is referring to the making of an offensive weapon, albeit stated for self defence purposes as opposed to an accurate, well researched, historically based re-construction of an archaeological artifact which is our usual business on this Forum.

RAT is not intended for giving information on the construction of modern weapons.

To that end, any further contributions should be via PM not via this thread, which is now locked.