Spears

[Vuk]

Hello all, I have some questions about spears, and was wondering if someone knew some good sources or helpful information.
I want to try my hand at making some fighting spears (real ones that would work on a medieval battlefield), but am not sure where to start. I have made fighting sticks before (so that I did not have to buy real ones) out of some heavy hard wood. The problem with them is that they split in a few months as they dried out. I was wondering how you avoid the splitting.
Also, which part of the tree do you get the wood, and how? I am guessing that you get it from the trunk of a tree, and do not just use a branch, but if so, how do you make a spear out of it? Do you split it out down the trunk?
Also what wood work best, and which are ones to avoid at all costs?
If anyone had some info or sources on this, I would greatly appreciate it.

[Fisherking]

Spears and pole arms were traditionally made from Ash [Fraxinus excelsior (European Ash or Common Ash)]. The pole was made from the whole tree selected for its diameter. The bark was removed and the shaft would be turned to a uniform diameter and straightness. The typical length was about 8 feet.

The treatment of the wood would vary due to location and time. It may have been fire hardened and or impregnated with oils, risen, or bee's wax(melted). In any case the end is heat treated as the smith would shrink the iron collar with the point onto the end of the shaft, for a tight fit. Then two to four short spikes would be driven in to prevent it slipping off. Rivets all the way from one side to the other would only weaken the shaft at the head.

Square spikes work best as the hold better in the wood. They might have even been hammer welded to the head but don’t try this. Modern Steel can not be hammer welded. If you want them permanently held in place a small band of steel shrunk over the heads would work best.

Hickory is another excellent wood for shafts and is most often the wood of choice today. That is if you can find it in an 8 foot length. If you make the shafts your self from hickory, the bark can be left on. It does not split off and will last for years.

Don’t use pine, fir, or poplar. It is best to use the whole tree and not split and turned shafts as they would be more prone to split or crack.

Chances are that you may need to make the shafts yourself.




Channeled from Ottar Ragnarson, master weapons smith...

[Vuk]

Spears and pole arms were traditionally made from Ash [Fraxinus excelsior (European Ash or Common Ash)]. The pole was made from the whole tree selected for its diameter. The bark was removed and the shaft would be turned to a uniform diameter and straightness. The typical length was about 8 feet.

The treatment of the wood would vary due to location and time. It may have been fire hardened and or impregnated with oils, risen, or bee's wax(melted). In any case the end is heat treated as the smith would shrink the iron collar with the point onto the end of the shaft, for a tight fit. Then two to four short spikes would be driven in to prevent it slipping off. Rivets all the way from one side to the other would only weaken the shaft at the head.

Square spikes work best as the hold better in the wood. They might have even been hammer welded to the head but don’t try this. Modern Steel can not be hammer welded. If you want them permanently held in place a small band of steel shrunk over the heads would work best.

Hickory is another excellent wood for shafts and is most often the wood of choice today. That is if you can find it in an 8 foot length. If you make the shafts your self from hickory, the bark can be left on. It does not split off and will last for years.

Don’t use pine, fir, or poplar. It is best to use the whole tree and not split and turned shafts as they would be more prone to split or crack.

Chances are that you may need to make the shafts yourself.

Hey Fisherking, thank you for the info. I am just curious, what do you mean by turned to a uniform diameter? I am sorry, I am ignorant on the subject of wood work.
Also, how would one get resin and how would one treat the wood with it?

[drone]

Hey Fisherking, thank you for the info. I am just curious, what do you mean by turned to a uniform diameter? I am sorry, I am ignorant on the subject of wood work.

I imagine he means the tree shaft is put into a lathe. The ends are centered on the longitudinal axis and spun, while chisels remove the excess down the length as it spins to get a smooth, even shaft of wood.

[Vuk]

I imagine he means the tree shaft is put into a lathe. The ends are centered on the longitudinal axis and spun, while chisels remove the excess down the length as it spins to get a smooth, even shaft of wood.

Ahh, thank you very much. Do you think that one could get satisfactory results with a plane?

[drone]

I don't have any experience making spears, but I imagine it would be difficult with a plane. In wood- and metalworking, lathes are used to create symmetrically round pieces, like stairway banister supports, table legs, baseball bats, etc. You could make a fairly round shaft with a planer, but it would be difficult to make it straight. Since the lathe spins the piece on the longitudinal axis and the material is removed at the same distance to that axis the entire length of the piece, you are guaranteed (if you don't screw it up...) a straight, consistent diametrically, staff.

Of course, once you have the straight pole, you would need to be careful it doesn't warp on you. I suppose the resins/oils would help prevent that, but I don't have any clue about that.