Some Western lance heads.

From the left, we have the Hanwei replica of the British 1868 head (and butt). This is still used by the RCMP (the Mounties). Next are 3 British-style lance heads. I'm told these are from India, under British rule. Similar to the Hanwei, but a bit fatter and shorter. The sockets on these are threaded (see detail pic). The middle one of these 3 has been repaired, apparently with the head being welded back onto the socket after being broken off. Which suggests that these were actually used, perhaps for tent-pegging (as RCMP lances are still used today).

Next two shorter ones. The first of these is flattened diamond cross section, and the second is hollow-ground triangular (like all the rest, except the immediately previous head). The cross-sections of all are shown in a pic. Perhaps the diamond-section one is a pike head, rather than a lance head.

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Western lance heads

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cross-sections

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screw-thread sockets

Some Indian, or Persian, or Ottoman lance heads:

The first from the left is probably Indian. Square cross-section. The second is also probably Indian. Square section for most of the way, but ending in a chisel tip (see pic). I don't have any other chisel-tip lances, and have seen few if any, so not usual.

The middle one is 17th or 18th century, probably Ottoman or Persian. Composite construction, with a hardened point welded into a probably lower carbon and softer body. Flattened-diamond section.

The last two are Indian, flattened diamond section.

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Indian, Persian, Ottoman lance heads

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Chisel tip head, from side.

Chinese, Qing dynasty. Flattened diamond section.

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Chinese lance head

Japanese (possible) lance heads.

I can't tell if these are lance heads or pike heads. Apparently square, or almost square diamond section is almost certainly a lance head, but these are equilateral triangular section (sei-sankaku-yari), which were also popular cavalry lance heads. (Flattened diamond and flattened triangular (hira-sankaku-yari) are probably infantry spears/pikes.) But it's possible that these are infantry spears, rather than lance heads. 1st and 3rd from the top have 3 lacquered fullers, which is common for lance heads. The 2nd from the top is unfullered, and the bottom one has one lacquered fuller. The scabbard/sheath for the top one is old, but perhaps not made to fit it, just a generic old one that fit. The other scabbards/shirasaya are moderm. The tang of the bottom head is rusted into the shirasaya and doesn't want to come out. The 1st and 3rd heads are probably modern, since the holes in the tang appear to be drilled, rather than punched/drifted. 2nd one also appears to be modern.

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Japanese lance heads

North American.

Plains Indian lance head. Thin diamond section. These are pretty much like their late metal infantry spears, since they got iron and horses at about the same time, and also guns, which reduced the use of armour, and made flat thin heads like this more general-purpose. This is a modern unsharpened brass replica. I haven't seen an original brass one, but ones of this shape were made out of iron/steel, and also horn and bone. AFAIK, stone heads were usually shorter.

Heads like these (at least iron/steel ones) were also mounted as knives or as blades in gunstock clubs.

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American lance

ooh, VERY interesting, Timo, the japanese ones surprise me the most, since most yari blades i typically see tend to be a fair bit longer,

Nice array of lance heads.

Do you know wether the Hanwai head is very soft or does it stand up to normal use?

Hanwei spear heads, from what I understand, are largely cast from carbon steel. I think the question of whether they are heat treated or not is inconclusive, but Kult of Athena doesn't label them "battle ready".

That said, they aren't bad spear heads. They will sharpen up and as long as you don't do anything crazy with them, they should work just fine for putting the pointy end in. For heavier use the Windlass heads are better quality; their Greek sauroter would actually make a pretty decent lance-head now that I think about it...