The Armour Archive

So I got my one handed rattan spear tipped and nicely set. Now it needs a counterweight. (or sauroter)

I checked the balance and what I need is a very unobtrusive but heavy at 3 lb weight that I can attach safely to the spear butt. It will make the weapon balance the way I need it to, which is near the bottom...

So what type pipe, fitting, weight etc, that is low profile, no loner than some 10 inches, and weighing 3 lbs can I use for a safe rattan spear?


Thanks!

Glaukos the Athenian

drill a hole axially through the butt. fill with white metal. should work out ok.

Remember the 1 pound per foot rule....


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Dilan wrote:Remember the 1 pound per foot rule....


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I obviously missed something from the Marshals Handbook. This is for a one handed spear to be used for stabbing and not swinging. How would this affect this weapon?

Thanks!!

Glaukos

Pound per foot rule? At the society level, ain't no such animal. Single hand weapons have to stay below 5lbs... but that's the only caveat.

Dilan wrote:Remember the 1 pound per foot rule....


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I forget - outside of Caid, a couple of decades ago, what is this rule ?

what Hrolf said to get the weight up. Seal the end with epoxy and then slip on a pipe cap. Tape that down. I would cap it with something though to help protect the drilled out rattan from splitting. Steel for more weight, or plastic just to cover it.

Cheers!

Years ago I picked up a spear at Pennsic that had a lead counterweight cast around a bit of 1/4 inch threaded rod.
The spear had a leather plug that the threaded rod fitted into.
Adding weight can easily up the force of the thurst quite a bit.
Keep an eye on calibration.

Could get a weight bar screw cap (the proper name escapes me) big, heavy metal thing that'd fit right over the end of the rattan.

Maybe something can be done with these?

http://www.divers-supply.com/Scuba-Lead-Hard-Block-Weight-3Lb-P345.aspx

Sorry! Old Midrealm rule on long weapons.... My bad.




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Lead is cheap and easy to work. I got mine at a local contractor's supply for $3 a pound. It was sold by the foot in sheets.

Cheers,
Steven

Steven H wrote:Lead is cheap and easy to work. I got mine at a local contractor's supply for $3 a pound. It was sold by the foot in sheets.

Cheers,
Steven

white metal is cheap too, but casting it won't give you cancer

[quote="hrolf"

white metal is cheap too, but casting it won't give you cancer [/quote]

Dude, you would have to be chained to to the mold for a lifetime to get cancer from lead-casting. Lead-poisoning CAN happen , especially if you don't wash before eating, and don't ventilate your work area.
Real Life: Most guys with heavy-metal poisoning problems do it as a full-time job, not as a one-off or even occasional hobby casting for bullets or lead figurines.
Relax, worry more about that cheap foreign-made pewter goblet you drink out of all the time...

hrolf wrote:

Steven H wrote:Lead is cheap and easy to work. I got mine at a local contractor's supply for $3 a pound. It was sold by the foot in sheets.

Cheers,
Steven

white metal is cheap too, but casting it won't give you cancer

Some of the greatest geniuses of the Medieval and Renaissance period did there writing with plain sticks of lead. 30 or 40 years after they started this they were still geniuses.

The application I'm suggesting doesn't actually require casting or melting. You can wrap lead sheet around the rattan, hammer it smooth and then tape it.

And I wear a mask while casting it just in case.

Cheers,
Steven

Go to Lowe's, purchase a roll of wire (tie wire, electric fence, etc.) flatten about 2" of wire, bend at 90D so that it lays along the shaft, begin wrapping wire making sure to overlap the flat, when you reach the end of the spear shaft drill a small hole to insert the wire to hold, if needed squeeze a dab of epoxy,silicone or latex caulk, wood glue, gel superglue etc. into hole to prevent back out or wrap/glue strip of leather or tape to secure.

william gryffyn wrote:Go to Lowe's, purchase a roll of wire (tie wire, electric fence, etc.) flatten about 2" of wire, bend at 90D so that it lays along the shaft, begin wrapping wire making sure to overlap the flat, when you reach the end of the spear shaft drill a small hole to insert the wire to hold, if needed squeeze a dab of epoxy,silicone or latex caulk, wood glue, gel superglue etc. into hole to prevent back out or wrap/glue strip of leather or tape to secure.

Excellent idea, but I am not sure I'll have enough weight that way, unless I double or triple the coverage.

At that point though, by simply stabbing someone, with all that steel around, the coil is going to start generating some serious electrical current...

On the other hand, lead solder wire might do the trick. I need to check the cost as well.

Thanks!

Glaukos

Method 1. Buy a bag of lead shot from a sporting goods store (used in shotgun shell reloading). Drill a hole in the end of the spearbutt, pour shot into hole, Adjust amount to get the balance you want. then mix glue and shot together and stuff it into the hole. Does not hurt to cross-drill an inch or two down and epoxy a dowel or pin to ensure the lead STAYS in the shaft.

Method 2. Wrap sheet-lead around butt of spear. Wrap filament tape and duct over it.

Naughty boys load up too-light mace and axe heads in these ways.

Method 3. Buy a large diameter rattan shaft, and plane the forward end down as far back as necessary to get the balance you want. Add lead if necessary.

I like Clinker's idea with one change - leave an inch or two for the shot to move - a dead blow spear Ok, that would be wrong. I like the solder idea too.

olaf haraldson wrote:Pound per foot rule? At the society level, ain't no such animal. Single hand weapons have to stay below 5lbs... but that's the only caveat.

Well the spear is finished. The balance is not perfect but it is good. I remembered I had 50 caliber round balls... not as dense as small shot to fill a hole, but usable.

BTW the spear will be used with only one hand, but it is made to the specs of a two handed rattan spear weapon since it can only be used for thrusting.

Glaukos

you could always buy some shot from a sporting goods store, reloading supplier. Then fill in around your 50cal slugs. Add weight pretty well. How did you seal the end up?

Cheers!

Milan H wrote:you could always buy some shot from a sporting goods store, reloading supplier. Then fill in around your 50cal slugs. Add weight pretty well. How did you seal the end up?

Cheers!

Funny you ask.

I bought a 5" piece of pipe and a cap. I drilled a 1/2 inch hole on the back of the rattan and placed about 5 50 cal balls in it. I rolled thin foam on the rattan and attached the pipe to the butt. Then I filled the pipe with 50" all the way and closed with the cap. I placed a 1/2 inch disk of "blue foam of death" over the steel cap for extra safety, then I taped with fiber tape and duct tape over it.
The POB is not exactly where I wanted it but about 4-5 inches forward, which is acceptable.

Targeting is quite interesting with this weapon. Reminds me of air gunnery. Because of the flexion of the shaft and the fact that a one-handed grip makes the weapon curve a lot, you don't aim to where the target is but rather where the target and the tip of the spear will intersect.

I hope to have some time to practice before Pennsic...

In any case, I am taking it as a "reverse secondary weapon". I'll have my sword and shield with me and I am perfectly fine dropping the spear and pulling out the sword to continue the fight as a regular sword and board guy....

Cheers!

Glaukos the Athenian