I just noticed that the MRL Deal of the weekend is the Hewing Spear for only $15.00.

I don't think that you will find one at a better price. So if you ever wanted anything like it now is the time.

http://www.museumreplicas.com/p-557-hewing-spearhead.aspx

Hmmmm....May have to bite on that one. :) I wonder how difficult it would be to make cut-outs in the blade to give it a more Celtic look. Anyone have a clue as to the steel hardness? I hear that the BIG hewing spear (25") makes a great cutter. Kinda like a Gladius on a stick, or as Jeff Dunhams character 'Jose Jalapeno' would say---"On a steek." :lol: .......McM

I'm pretty sure that's the same as the spearhead I have; if so, it's good. It was the first spear I owned, and testing its abilities really put the fear of the spear in me! It's no wonder that a spear was such a popular weapon, requiring so little steel and being so effective.

I'd estimate the hardness as being a bit softer or perhaps equal to the windlass swords I have. I bent the tip a touch when I got it, though to be fair, I was jabbing it into hard wooden targets. I've been meaning to give it a cutting edge, but haven't gotten around to it.

I think that a dremel with the reinforced cutting discs + a tile cutting hacksaw blade would cut it no problem.

Thanks, Peter. That's kinda what I was thinking. But, heck, .....at that price you can buy two...one to mount as-is, and another to Frankenstein on. :lol: These particular spear designs were , however, meant as thrower/swinger/stabbers for soft targets...four legged or two legged. The blade's a bit thin for sticking in hard wooden targets. Luckily, your tip was easily straightened, I hope. :D ....McM

Aye, that is most true! It wasn't too difficult to straighten - I actually bought a boss at the same time as I bought the spear so I was in a shield testing mood as well :D

I'm throwing a viking themed party for my birthday soon that will include several viking games and these will be perfect! Gonna set up some axe, spear throwing and a few other balance games. Should be fun! Thanks for posting this :D

-Reece

Well Happy B-day, Reece! :D A Viking-themed party ,eh? That sounds way cool! Hope you get lotsa sharp, pointy presents! :lol: ...........McM

Mine arrived in the mail today.... It was larger than I expected.

Looks nice. Not really a typical viking spear though. The most likely candidates for viking hewing spears (based on socket with) have straighter edges.
However, since these are cheaper than just about anything else out there, I have considered geting one and converting it to one of the narrow Pettersen type K "featherspears."

Robin: How is the transition between the socket and blade? And how thick is the blade?

The originals have socket and blade forged together, so that the socket effectively becomes the spine of the blade.
Here is a translation of Pettersen's section on spears, with some pictures; https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByGTCCQBcXUZZGlIck5HUW9hejQ/edit?usp=sharing

This gallery also has some nice viking age spearheads (as do many of the other galeries, but these are the easiest to find);
http://www.vikverir.no/ressurser/hist_mus_bergen/

Hey Phil,

I want to thank you for posting this. I went over to MRL and bought two of them as soon as I saw this post. That's the first time I've bought anything from them in years. They just arrived today, and I love 'em I ground off the "made in India" part and drilled a bigger hole for my rivets. Does anybody know the best way to put a cutting edge on it?

Thanks.

Can anyone post a photo of theirs laying next to a dollar bill or ruler, something of known size so we can see the size of these spear heads?

Hey Ben,
I will try and post a pic later this evening(unless someone beats me to it)but here are the specs for this beast from the MRL page:

Overall: 19-1/2"
Blade: 3/16" thick, 2-1/2" wide, 13" long

Sorry for the crappy pic... That is a draftsman's scale next to it.

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Here it is next to a 20 and the MRL Coustille...it definitely meant for hewing...

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