New Throwing Spears

[Ringulf]

New Throwing Spears

Hello Rangers!
I just got back from a fantastic weekend event called "The Martinmas Moot" that was held here in Central Florida, at Camp Ocala, By the Kingdom of Trimaris, of the SCA.

I was helping with the Archery and Thrown Weapons ranges and got to participate in the tournaments as well. I actually won the Thrown Weapons Tournament, I tied for first place then had to throw a tie breaker to win it.

Although my axe throwing is my forte, I believe that the greatest improvement came from the new Spears and Knives and was what won the tournament for me.

The knives are a bit larger and heavier than I was throwing before so they actually threw well on the same marks as my axes (much less to mark when ranging). They where a set of Rough riders and I will feature them seperately.

The spears however are being produced by a friend and I and I will be decorating them as well. Here is a look at them, I am going to put them up on my "For Sale" thread: Axes, Seaxes and Pointy Sticks





This guy is very strong and not nearly as heavy as it might appear, in fact the heft of the piece gives it great momentem with the proper realese elevation. The girth allows a beautiful "football spiral" to be placed on the release when throwing. Even in a pretty stiff breeze I was consistantly hitting the inner scoring rings and bulls eye from 20+ feet.

[Erhilir]

Wow !!!!!

[Willrett]

Thats a good looking spear. CONGRATS on the win.

[Ernildir]

Very nice looking spear.

[Odigan]

Not to dissent merely for the sake of it, but they look rather like a ground down garden spade.
If they thrown fine, as you say, then that's great for competition, but I find them rather grotesque in appearance.

[Ringulf]

Odigan, they are ground down tools.
I did not think that was ever in question, I mean...look at them!
Oh believe me, they had the same affect on me visually, but these were designed for strength and durrability. They are being thrown hundreds of times an event(by the trained and untrained) and even the most period correct spears won't hold up that well or as expendably by comparrison to that.

Now if I were going to run through the woods and try to look as historical as possible doing so, I would make my own spear in a period correct style and technique, I might even kill some game with it if the rest of my hunting skills would allow it. But for what we are doing with them I would rather take my ugly "Jeep" than a "classic Rolls Royce".

So in sumation, Yup your right, they could be viewed as grotesque. Also, yes you are correct, they throw very well and are fine for competition...or having fun, or learning skills, or constucting without great expenditure.

[Kiriana]

Ringulf.. for the spears and such you are making to merchant.. are you going to make spear tips to sell WITHOUT the shaft? Reason being we are looking to get good useable tips but we want to make our own shafts.

[kaelln]

Hey Ringulf, I *love* the spear, and I love it even better that it's a ground down tool! Details, sir, details! (And I guess you can tell which side of the "period correct" debate I fall on! )

[Peter Remling]

I like them, they look like they'll take a beating.

A marketing suggestion: Once the spears catch on, which I believe they will if the price is right, you might want to make some with more defined barbs (behind the blade) and market them as harpoons. There are a good many museums and communities that made their starts as whaling communities in the north. These modifided versions would make excellent display and collectables in any of these museums, shops and just perfect for the nautical collector.

[Ringulf]

That's a cool idea Pete, I have a few real whaling harpoons and striking irons that have been passed down in my family for years, unfortunately even for me it is like an act of congress to get to them as there are a few in Mystic seaport and a few in the Sag Harbor Whaling museum in LI. They are kinda my heritage.My family was mostly from Newfoundland and the men were all whalers and sealers and nautical miscreants of one form or another.

In the meantime thanks for all of your view points I welcome them all positive and constructive (I don't consider critisism negative unless it is mean spirited and I have never found that to be the case here) and will continue to try and factor them all into the future descisions.

I can make some socketed heads for use with your own shafts, I would just need to do some snooping around to get what I need to make them as sturdy as these. How many would you need Kiriana? Would you want a set screw hole in them or a through pin like a boar spear? They could be done either way but the single set screw works well enough on these.

[Kiriana]

that would be up to Erich hehe Not sure what he would prefer really

[Frothgar]

Am i the onlyone who thinks the heads are beautiful?

Brutaly, Beautiful.

ill be moving to Maine for a time, but once i get settled i will likely be in the market for a couple heads.

Frothgar

[Ringulf]

Hey Frothgar!

For a fellow Norse/Dunadain I am sure it is do-able!!

BTW where are you headed up there? I lived in Castine for two years going to MMA and then in Bucksport for a year and finally ended up on MDI in Seal Harbor for my last year, My Daughter was born in Blue Hill, I miss that place like crazy!

[Frothgar]

I'll be in Augusta Maine for pretty much all of 2012. Working with the Maine Energy Education program. Teaching groups about energy, and energy conservation.

any idea on prices for the heads?

And because its never too late: "Pointed sticks! Oh Oh Oh We want to learn how to defend ourselves against pointed sticks do we?!!"

Frothgar

PS. i posted this answer in your for sale thread, thinking it was this one. so if you see this twice understand that you are not going mad.