Hello,

Do antique pikes of the types we see spanning the 16th through 18th century always have langets? If some don't, do they appear to be in a severe minority? I've seen spear-y things without them from the period but I'm never sure if they're the lengthy foot long devices we term "pike" rather than something shorter like a lance, basic spear, or "boarding pike".

Has anyone established any kind of study or categorization on pikes / pike heads or anything of the sort? Looking around trying to answer my own question, I see all kinds of head types.

I have a generic socketed spearhead laying about and I am wondering if it would be fine enough to serve as a pike head, or if the details would be too far off:

http://www.kultofathena.com/images/SNAW1110_2_l.jpg

Pike heads actually also seem to be usually pretty short, so I'm wondering if I should get one of these instead:

http://www.kultofathena.com/images/SNAW1111_2_l.jpg

Can't say I can be liable to go welding langets on the things if they're a key part of calling it a pike, that's for sure.

Thanks,

M.

Can't tell you about langest, I'm afraid--I probably knew more 20 years ago...

I had seen those KOA spearheads, though, and find them dissatisfying. That "rough polish" is clearly modern harsh grinder marks and black paint. If it were *hammer* marks and natural forge scale, I'd love them! But if you have to spend the time and effort to clean them up, might as well spend a couple bucks more and get one of these:

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=1823092800

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=1823092900

You could still paint them black and be ahead of the game. And you *might* get away with just nailing langets on the shaft after mounting the point, not necessarily welding the langets to the socket, but I don't know how accurate that is. (Then make some fringe out of a piece of red wool and tie it on around the joints to hide them!)

Mind you, if I got hold of one of those KOA black spearheads free or really cheap, sure, I'd be happy! But only after a session with the angle grinder and buffer to clean it up. I just don't see the point in spending money on a bad one and then improving it when a better version is available.

Yay, pikes!

Matthew

Hello Matt, long time no chat! I believe we used to be on the Bronze Age forums together, years back. And it dawns on me we're on the same state.

Yeah I had picked up the larger one when it was on sale - quite inexpensive. At the time I had thought to just make a regular 6' or so spear. Hadn't bought a proper pole for it, though. I'll agree that it is pretty clear to me that it is machined and painted though from 3' it looks alright.

Some little ways back I interfaced with a very local living history group for St. Mary's City, and that reminded me I've wanted a pike (and an old style lance) for ages, and that's where I got the idea of seeing about reusing the head I've already got. If I'm able I may start being involved with the group since it did seem like fun; if that's the case, I'd naturally want to make my kit as accurate as I can get it.

The ones they had on site both had and did not have langets (and had a variety of head tyes, see this picture here: link. That said, I'm aware of "reinactorisms", and spotted a fair few things less than accurate in some of their kits (breastplates going down to the hips being one). Not that I'm knocking their effort, just using my context clues. According to the master at arms for that group, all of the heads were made by a now-decised individual back in the late 80s/early 90s.

It's not a super immediate project, since if I'm going to bother, I figure I'd get proper wood for the haft (the living history group uses pine, since it's available and they don't hit things with them), and that's something like nearly $200 for a 16' one when you ship it. Gives me some time to see about heads of different types and the like! Worst case scnario I can always just hang it on my wall.

M.

Heck, I had forgotten that you are in Maryland! Why the heck weren't you at Saint Mary's in September? It was a pretty good turnout. Good grief, that's pretty much in your back yard! You're sitting on Longship Company turf, too.

Up north here (near Baltimore) we have World of Hardwoods, 809 Barkwood Court, Suite 1, Linthicum, MD 21090, http://worldofhardwoods.net

I went there and they were kind enough to rip me a 10-foot+ length of "8 quarter" ash for 20 bucks for my Macedonian sarissa. Give 'em a call to see if they have anything longer, but I think the piece they used for mine was a good 13 feet. (Longer than would fit in my minivan!)

With a square-section piece instead of a dowel, you can mark lines for a nice tapered shaft and cut to the dimensions you want with a circular saw, then knock off the corners and round it.

There must be other specialty wood stores that are closer to you. Or scope around for a local place that carries handles for tree trimming companies, they might have 12' ash poles in stock. And even a round one can be tapered, it's just a little tricker eyeballing it. Hmmm, or just snuggle up to the Vikings of the Longship Company, and heist a spare oar or spar when they're not looking, to whittle down, hee hee hee...

In the end though, it's all futile. I'm a musketeer, see, and I'll cheerfully let you close to 20 yards before drilling you.

Good luck!

Matthew

PS: Wanna do Greek hoplite? I got spare kit...

Matt,

I was at the Muster in September - first I've ever attended in the 28 years living in St. Mary's.

Pictures for the interested: Link

While I've been aware of the militia and St. Mary's City the entire time, I'd never been free to attend a muster and had only visited the site two other times my entire life. Not out of lack of interest so much as transport - life was not conducive of this kind of thing at all until quite recently. Even right now things are rather tenuous on that front, again.

I looked around at some local hardwood places a few years back but none were dealing in anything of length at the time - was looking to do quarterstaff back then, as I ran a small HEMA club briefly. Might be worth a look again. I'm occasionally up near Baltimore, though I drive a Civic these days so nothing lengthy would work too well, I think.

What diameter pole do you think is ideal?

I did have a very brief interaction with The Longship Company - just over a decade ago now - on their ship outing. Sadly things got in the way and I was never able to keep up with them. I'm not even sure where they are, if they're even still together.

Not done the kid of wood work involved in shaping squares to rounds (I had been wondering how to do an even taper for a spear head for a while). It would be a learning experience. And an equipment buying experience.

On a long enough timeline I would like a musket (been on my to do list for more than a decade). If I did anything in the militia I'd probably generally prefer a bill or suchlike.

If you're selling off said kit, maybe - depends on timetable and finances meeting an agreement. Shoot me a PM with details.

M.

EDIT: Fixed link to photos.

Wade Allen and his collection of pikes are somewhere in northern North Carolina.

You will also want the volume from Brill on staff weapons.

We may have spoken, but I can't recall. I did mill about with the members asking questions (still got the membership sheet sitting on my desk - need to submit that).

Corrected photo link for those interested - the one above has also been fixed: Link

I spent most of the time around the weapons tent (of course) and also the field medic's display. I'm inordinately shorter than most, so I'm easily misplaced in a crowed.

I'll see what I can find around here next time I'm out in town - if the whole thing must taper evenly from start to finish, it may be best to start thicker than the socket by a fair bit, as it would counterbalance the weapon well. I live close to an 84 - if they're able to source and cut, it's well within walking distance.

I may be needing to touch bases with Bruce again - I last saw him at a job I'd worked and he had recently suffered a heart attack. I learned the essentials of forgework (another thing not done in ages) from him at his old shop.

I may budget for a hand planer first - trying to do...14 or 16 feet with a rasp would probably send me to the madhouse. Still need to figure out the head, anyways!

M.

Aha! Photographic evidence! I see me in my bright yellow doublet, wearing my helmet because of the wind. And that's my armor and helmet leaning against the tree. Hey, video of the battle, cool! Hot little action, eh? My old bang stick went off every time.

There were several groups there, and at this point I frankly don't remember the name of the greencoats I fell in with! Usually I turn out with McLean's, just cuz I know most of them. Maybe you have a form for the St. Mary's militia? Logical choice to go with what's closest.

The *proper* hand tool for a weapon shaft is a drawknife, but they can be tricky to use. You have to reverse direction when you get to the other side of the piece or you can rip too deeply into the grain. Also a spokeshave, which I don't have--there is apparently no such thing as an inexpensive spokeshave! (Well, I may not have just browsed Amazon!) Rasps are much more forgiving, but you need to sand more afterwards.

Thanks for posting the photos!

Matthew

According to Roger Boyle, Earl of Orrery, some pikes in the second half of the seventeenth century in the British Isles lacked langets, but he recommended against such pikes and encouraged langets.

I actually only got my cuirass a couple years ago from a friend who was selling it off. I believe it was made by an armorer named Cole in the UK. The helmet, too, though I've had that longer. I trimmed the sides of the cuirass because it was a little big on me, and replaced the odd tasset attachments with simple straps and buckles, but never bothered about the length since there wasn't much I could do about it. Overall it looks better than anything I could make myself! So I'm glad I didn't have to try.

Yeah, I hate winter. Any decent Saturday might see me out with the planer or angle grinder, making a mess on the deck!

Matthew