Constructing a Spear

[NJM]

Here in Washington State, we had a giant windstorm that knocked out our power for 7 days and took out a lot of trees. I was out inspecting the damage on Monday after the storm was long gone, and I found myself wandering in the small patch of wood near my house. Only one large pine fell there, and I was looking it over to see if I could go back later and chainsaw off some firewood, but then I noticed something rather odd; The pine, as it fell, had caught a young maple (maybe 7-10 years) by it's top and ripped it out of the ground as if it was a weed.

I inspected the maple, which was so young that it only had two shoots coming off of its trunk. One of the two shoots was about 20 feet and incredibly straight for the first 10 or so feet. I looked it over, and realized that it had the perfect width and gradual diameter decrease for a spear.

I cut it off, brought it back to my house, whittled it to the white and set it to dry. In a few weeks I'll order a WLE combat steel spearhead, and then sand the shoot to smooth the surface and buff out the choppy areas where the branches were cut off.

I believe that this piece of wood would make an excellent spear because:

*> Maple is very flexible
*> Maple is very dense
*> Maple is very light
*> This particular maple was young, just out of the sapling category; The Native Americans used maple saplings to construct bows, because the wood stores tension well and will not easily break when flexed.

Anywho, I had a few questions about spear wood construction. First, I was wondering how "wax wood" is created, because if it is something I could do (or duplicate) at home I would prefer the spear to be waxed, though if I can't I'll use a stainer. Second, has anyone else ever made their own spear or staff? If so, please throw me any pointers you have. Thanks all, and merry Christmas/other holidays.

Pic of shoot against wall:
http://img131.imageshack.us/my.php?image=spear1ma8.jpg

Pic with Jow bottle for size comparison- large end
http://img131.imageshack.us/my.php?image=spear2du4.jpg

(Just so you know, it's a lot fatter and longer than it will be after sanding and cutting)

[Tom R]

Sounds awesome. That's a man's spear.

Have fun with the one-handed stuff in Tai Lang spear or the big swinging stuff in Lok Hop spear. I have a big spear, but it doesn't have the combat head, and that stuff is still a challenge. The greatest blast is when you switch to a lighter spear right after a few reps with the He-Man lance.

[Tom R]

Anywho, I had a few questions about spear wood construction. First, I was wondering how "wax wood" is created, because if it is something I could do (or duplicate) at home I would prefer the spear to be waxed, though if I can't I'll use a stainer. Second, has anyone else ever made their own spear or staff? If so, please throw me any pointers you have. Thanks all, and merry Christmas/other holidays.

I think wax wood is just a type of wood. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wax_wood

I've never used a maple staff or spear - only wax wood, rattan, and oak - but my bass has a maple neck. Finishing is up to you, though I prefer unfinished, sanded wood for weapons. A glossy finish catches and sticks too much for me, both on weapons and instruments.

Make sure to give it a few good whacks on the ground in case of internal defects. Better that it splinters now than later, once you've put more time into it, plus the $ for the head.

[NJM]

Thanks Tom, I've decided that once it's all sanded I'm just going to give it a stain and probably not a finish. Anyway I did give it a few good whacks against a log, then a rock, then a tree well... it's not going to break anytime soon. It can also flex (with a lot of pressure) about 45 degrees left and right from the middle point, but I didn't want to push it any further. By the way, by "glossy finish" were you talking about the finish on spears like this spear?:http://www.wle.com//products/w030.html Beccause if it's the one I think it is, it has a shiny, smooth finish. I think we have a larger, now discontinued wle spear at our kwoon too, which has a deeper color and has a very glossy finish.

[Tom R]

Thanks Mark

The name's Tom.

Anyway, I don't think the spear you linked has a finish. Here's a staff that has a glossy finish on it (or at least it did back when I worked at WLE): http://www.wle.com//products/w204.html

[NJM]

Either that has become a reflex, or it's from the infomercials. And yes, I meant that the spear we have has a finish like the staff you linked.

[NJM]

I just finished sanding the spear shaft and I'm going to order the spearhead and stain the wood this weekend. I'll post pics when it's done.

[NJM]

Just an update; I haven't made the order for the spearhead yet, because I haven't been able to spare 50$ lately.

I did, however, start another project, which is making a wooden scabbard for my DaDao. I'm almost finished with this project, and I'll post pics of its finished state around Monday. It is made out of two Peices of poplar which I jigsaw-d out into the shape of the sword, each with a center cavity carved out with a router tool. It was surprisingly easy to create, although I had to give the scabbard a constant width to accomodate the wide end of the sword. All I have to do now is sand it, glue the peices together, sand it again, stain it and then give it a finish. This can be done in one day.

[NJM]

Update: I now know a guy in Ohio who's a blacksmith. He forged a spearhead for me, which I should obtain sometime in August. Once I finish the spear, I'll post pics.

[J.M.Mroz]

Say, how have you been storing the shaft part? I made a new monkey pole, and things were great...then as it dried it bent. I was thinking of soaking it and weighting it...


Jon

[NJM]

Say, how have you been storing the shaft part? I made a new monkey pole, and things were great...then as it dried it bent. I was thinking of soaking it and weighting it...


Jon

Mine has been dry for a few months, the trunk fell over in a December windstorm. The shaft would have bent had I not stored it horizontally on the ground. Obviously if you lean your shaft against something, it will shape itself to it over the drying period. If it gets bent yo ucan just lay it flat and let gravity fix it, or lay it the opposite direction of the bend against the wall.

I'm currently looking for ways I can treat the wood to preserve its durability, any ideas? I was thinking that just a stainer would work at first, but now I'm having second thoughts. I've never come across instructions on how to treat staff/spear wood.

[ogrelee]

Get minwax wood hardener, and paint it deeply with the stuff. Pay special attention to the raw end, letting them drink their fill of the stuff.

This is the same type of chemical we use in knife making to stabilize wooden handles.

[NJM]

Get minwax wood hardener, and paint it deeply with the stuff. Pay special attention to the raw end, letting them drink their fill of the stuff.

This is the same type of chemical we use in knife making to stabilize wooden handles.

Does it make the wood brittle? Because a spear should be able to flex. In any case, thanks for the reference; its the first time someone has known any treatment type.

[ogrelee]

It will probably effect the flexion of the wood, but not severely. The stuff is a penetrating resin that fills the gaps between the cellulose cells of the wood, and filling ruptured cells. A good treatment of this stuff will make wood resistant to sea water, just painting it on works absolute wonders.

It's kinda like instant pakkawood.

[NJM]

It will probably effect the flexion of the wood, but not severely. The stuff is a penetrating resin that fills the gaps between the cellulose cells of the wood, and filling ruptured cells. A good treatment of this stuff will make wood resistant to sea water, just painting it on works absolute wonders.

It's kinda like instant pakkawood.

Is this treatment avaliable in your average home improvement/hardware store, or is it something I would have to order?