I thought a few of you might be interested in seeing these, now that they are all done.

These are hand-forged custom Celtic spearpoints made by John Heinz of Herugrim ironworks.

The large "flamberge" spearhead is based on the Octroi de Beaucaire find.

The gap-edged spear (some suggest a very stylized crane/heron head in shape) is based on one found at La Tene.

The small wave-bladed spear is based on a (unprovenanced?) 1st century BC British find. This may again be a stylized crane/heron/kingfisher form.

Hope a few of you enjoy looking.

N

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Wow! This is a nice sword ;) I can tell just by looking at the definition of the fuller :D I do not recognize any of the swords in your collection as currently shown on this web site. What sword is it? I guess an Albion Geibig type 3.

The spear-head look fine too, but I cannot appreciate them as much. Having dealt with John Heinz, I have little doubt that he did a good job.

alexi

Looks more like a Giebig Type 4 to me.

Oh for the love of Pete :eek:
I knew I shoulda cropped that....

Well anyways, it's the Jarl, which is a nice sword, a fine sword, a very fun sword. I think there are more than a few pics of a Jarl with black grip out there though...

The spears, gentlemen, it's the spears---those are a little more unusual! :p

But the Jarl is a really nice sword, too :)

Alexi;

The waviness might just be stylistic but might have uses when parrying and might work a bit like giant serrations?

Funny, I read somewhere that these wavy edges had no enhanced cutting capabilities when applied to large twohanders by some "expert" in some book ! ( don't remember where though )

I tend to disagree with that idea: In a chop these waves may not do much, but I would think they would be very agressive in a draw cut. Not sure if the Ivory tower type who said they had no practical use was just repeating what some other Ivory tower type may have written 50 years before.

Also, these points just look mean! And the psychological factor, fear of being run through by one of these, could be in part the reason for the wavy lines.

Beautiful, Nate!

I am especially fond of the top two, although the smaller head is also endearing in its own way. What are the inside measurements of the sockets?

David

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the comments (spears and sword ;) )

I am not sure whether the wavy edges affect the wound channel, however, the contemporary Roman writer Diodorus wrote of celtic spears with a wavy edge which not only cut but "tore and mangled" the flesh. So at least some of the Celts' opponents thoght they caused more damge!

With respect to the center spear from La Tene, the barbed notches likely would tear the flesh rather than leave a nice thin cut, thus opening the wound channel and making a wound that bled more, and was harder to heal cleanly....nasty business!

Clearly, the visual intimidation factor is there!

I have the dimensions of the smaller one listed in "my collection"; I hope to do the same for the others. (yes, eventually my Jarl will be there as well---still a good handful of things I have not in "my collection").

I can say that these spears are very light, but with a strong midrib. The midrib is thick, but still has distal taper. The edges are thin, almost butcher knife thin, as appropriate, and are quite sharp. I was doing a bit of polish and clean up on the larger flame-blade and managed to cut the ka-snickens out of myself multiple times, often with knowing I had done it :eek:

Folkert---the smaller one is classified as a "javelin", but it's not clear whether it really was. The complete spears at La Tene, with 2m. shafts, were found to have heads on them that were rather small, and otherwise might have been classed as javelins. When you look at your Gournay II, and map out the measurements of some of these, you might see interesting things, too. Short, wide spears with relatively more edge than point---more suited to cutting thrusts than high-penetration stabs, yet the size would make one think "javelin".

One answer might be that the smaller heads that look like they are suited to a nasty cut or stab were meant for the longer (conical sectioned) shafts---making it easier to wield, strike and maneur with accuracy due to the small head.

NOte the smaller one has waves not just in profile taper, but has undulations when viewed edge-on. Perhaps again to open a bigger, messier wound?

These will all get mounted up entually, but I am not yet set on what style to mount them.

Stats to follow later when I am home, and this weekend I will have access to Chad A's accurate scale.

Thanks,

N

Large Flamberge spear:
BL: 13.25" or 33.6 cm
BW at widest: just under 2.75" or 6.9 cm.
OL: 16.25" or41.2cm
socket inside diameter: just under 7/8" or 1.9cm

Gap-edged spear:
BL: 12" or 30.45cm
BW at widest: 2 1/8" or 5.35cm
OL: 13 7/8" or35.2cm
socket inside diameter: 5/8" or about 17cm

I must also include design credit, Steven Peffley did some very painstaking design work, including some computer modeling and ratio studies to model these spears. Originally, he had done mock-ups of these and several others for Albion, to have made in India. He since substantially updated the designs and revised them, resulting in the schematics for these spears. Also some basic mucking around with spear and shields at Marching Thorugh Time and Roman Days gave us some more dynamic insights.

Steve, yeah blood is not only a very bad polishing agent, it's downright counterproductive. Came back from some traveling to find some mysterious staining on one blade, that I had to polish out....at first I thought "where the heck did all this blotchy patina come from? :mad: Then I remembered, "oh yeah...... :blush: "

Hi guys

Let me put down an interesting quotation out of the Gournay II book; (page 238 bottom paragraph

Quote:

A variant shape with a flame ornamented with openwork would be a proper type during two centuries. In this case, the external aspect of the spear-head could be the mark of the rank or the special function of the person who held it. This is obvious when the openwork ornament of some specimen makes the use of the spear difficult for fighting.

What do you think of that??

Something else;
a socket inside diameter: just under 7/8" or 1.9cm, or even 1,7 cm
isn't that small?? :eek: I mean even the pole of my garden broom is thicker than that...
Handling a pole that thin would feel awkward, Or would they use thicker poles, and then thin de pole down at the tip in order to accommodate the spearpoint, then again, that place of attagement would be the weakest point of the whole weapon wouldn't it?

Nathan, The flamberge spear is that one based up on the drawing in the gournay II book page 123 drawing #6 ???

Folkert

Those are really cool Nathan! I can't wait to see them mounted. Can you tell us if they are heat treated or not? For that matter do we know if the originals were or not?

Nate do you have any intention of mounting these on shafts, or just leaving them as is?