Next project: a Dori

[Glaukos the Athenian]

Well, as my hoplite kit keeps coming together, I learned that a decent Dori or one handed Doric spear can be built to SCA safety standards. The pole needs to be 1 1/4 (not bad then as I understand historical dori were about 1" diameter). It should not be not too flexible and it can have thrusting tips on both ends, as long as they are 2" or larger.

Here is the kicker: I have used 2" ball hitch covers to shape the tips of weapons and they feel a little too rigid, so that the give of the thrusting tip is diminished. Can anyone suggest a different method to make a durable 2" thrusting tip with a more forgiving give?

Also, I am thinking about using a Kong (such as they are used for maces) s a counterweightsomewhere near the bottom section of the spear, (like in a Roman scale) behind the grip, so that it can be held one-handed and in balance without being impossible to manage, though a little heavier. Has anyone done this before and care to share experiences?

I know that this can only be used in the beginning of melees, before being dropped and resorting to sword, but somehow a hoplite kit felt incomplete without one...

Thanks!

Rowan

[Eamonn MacCampbell]

I don't have any inf on how to make the tip, but here is a vid of His Excelency,Sir DaHoud using one....I have to get out to Ely's today I'll pick his brain and see how they did the tips for the Doris they use when fighting as the Spartans...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka1lkdbuNto

[Leopold der Wolf]

Looks like he used a standard foam tip and used foam to build the blade part.

For my greatsword I built a 2 inch wide tip then pushes a screwdriver through it. Then put some leather through it and taped it down to keep the tip held up.

if you do that then you can attatch weapon quality foam around the tip to make the blade.