Thrust and Throw Javelins

[Momotaro]

Do you use them? Do you like them? Are they effective?

[Biau-douz de la Mere]

I too would like to know...

[Christophe de Frisselle]

I have three. Throwing is hard with gauntlets. At least with my Ward gaunts. So, I do find it hard to aim. Effective, well if you can get a good face shot in.

[Diglach Mac Cein]

I do. I use finger gauntlets. You don't throw them like a football - what how track and field javelin is done (hand and arm position).

After a lot of practice, I can get point forward about 80% of the time. Most of my misses are when they get hit by another weapon going in. Most hits are taken, body or face.

[Syrfinn]

It's actually something I am thinking of doing for next season, is start carrying 2 with me, to start battles with, in my greek kit. Just figuring out what to use, and to be honest, worried about throwing a 6' throwing spear and hurting someone, which is why I didnt do it this year.

[Diglach Mac Cein]

I think 6' are over the thrust and throw length limit. My current ones are double layer siloflex - had them for 4 or 5 years now. 5' long.

[Syrfinn]

i would need to look again. But I could of swore, the rules stated 6' rattan thrown spears was legal, when i was looking to make some for Pennsic. Granted. one of the reasons I didnt, was cause I didnt feel like having 6' sticks of rattan walking off the field.

5' siloflex on the other hand I could deal with, and I also wouldnt worry about it hurting anyone, like I was with the rattan.

[Valstarr Hawkwind]

Umm.. let me see. We've had a few rounds of discussion on these in the past 10 years, an IIRC, one of my fellow Ansteorrans came up with some great step-by-step instructions on making some. Let me see if I can find it.

[Valstarr Hawkwind]

A couple of folks who posted on that thread should be able to help you. Iaenmor is the fellow Ansteorran who was super-active with them.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=46021&p=558387&hili ... ow#p558387

[Diglach Mac Cein]

I plan on putting some more practice in with spear and shield this spring, since it would be a style my portrayal would fight. Including thrown.

[Syrfinn]

Diglach, make sure you practice a lot. I am actually recovering from fighting all Pennsic Spear and Aspis. Pretty much fought every battle with it, only switching to sword a few times.

I had fought all summer with the style in melees, but that was it, did a little bit of pell work.

I partially tore a tendon in my wrist doing it all Pennsic, and yeah it might of came from something else, but well since the motion and form it was to do the spear single handed, is the exact position that caused me to finally go get it checked at the doc. Basically tendonitis in the wrist, and while they were doing a sonogram on the wrist, to put the cortazone shot in, they noticed the partial tear also.

So make sure you get a lot of pell work in. I am telling guys, treat it like you were just learning a wrap shot. Let the body and muscles get used to it and strength up to do it.

[Diglach Mac Cein]

Cool. Thanks for the info.

[Valstarr Hawkwind]

While we're on the topic, are the siloflex ones legal in Gleann Abhann?

[Syrfinn]

Forgot to mention this Diglach. For most of this summer I was using a 6'. Right before Pennsic, I tried out a normal, no head 7.5' one, since I would of been using an 8' in reality, so wanted to get closer to that. The one I used at Pennsic, had a foam head on it, and was 7.5'. I have a feeling, if I would of stuck with the 6' I would of been fine. The extra 1.5' plus fighting the added weight from the foam head, might of been the breaking point, since I hadnt trained with it.

[Diglach Mac Cein]

Cool. Hey, tell you what - I'll get up to speed, and bring it to Blackstone! See if I can get across from you... Greek vs. Irish!