[Nathan Robinson]

Today's update:


Spearheading Donations
A new contest!


Arms & Armor Javelin
A hands-on review by Bill Grandy


Arms & Armor Iberian Mace
A hands-on review by Chad Arnow


Arms & Armor Iberian Mace
Added to Chad's collection

As always, you can see our Complete History of Updates listed right from our home page.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Good reviews as usual and I can confirm the impressions of the mace but add that some twohanded use is possible as well as choking up on the handle for faster recovery a bit in the way one holds a hammer closer to the head if one is getting tired after doing a lot of hammering or if the hammer is heavier than one can use for extended periods of time holding at the end of the handle: One can also slip one's grip back and forth depending on how hard one want's to hit or how much trouble one has in accurately hitting a nail(s) i.e. same thing with a mace but a different kind of " nails " to nail
(Bad pun alert ! ).

The review of the javelins is also interesting and I have a couple myself but haven't had the chance or the space to try them out, so I can't comment too much on effectiveness.

Since they do seem to be on the light weight side of the spectrum of throwing spears I wonder how well they would penetrate an un-armoured target and if they would have some effect on light armour ?

Oh, I did have a chance to throw a much heavier spear for one try at a recent cutting party and was surprised about how hard it was on my shoulder, in " OUCH " ! Way too easy to pull a muscle. I stopped trying that day because I wanted to leave my shoulder still in shape for the rest of the day's cutting practice.

If I wanted to try this again I would warm up my shoulder first and slowly get used to the movement of accelerating the spear: I think the problem was in not being used to throwing a spear and the too sudden chock to the muscles .... with a bit of practice I figure that this would no longer be a problem.

Oh, I found throwing an axe much easier both on my shoulder and with accuracy, at least accuracy as far as being on target laterally but getting the range right and how high to throw was tricky: Either way over the target or if holding on too long to the handle or a bad release having the axe go into the ground way too close !

Anyway, spear and axe throwing technique should probably be a new Topic. But the review of these javelins does answer some questions but also stimulates curiosity about throwing " stuff " in general.

[Gavin Kisebach]

Jean I've found that there is a sweet spot between heavy throwing spears and "darts". I have a 3" tanged dart which is really sort of an over-sized bodkin on a 1/2" dowel. Thrown properly it goes just as far as my heavier throwing spears, but really lacks punch.

I recently had a chance to throw spears at some hanging targets made of maille over compressed burlap , with interesting results. There was a hollow ground, triangular lance that pierced the maille very well; whereas a much heavier, shoulder wrenching spear with a leaf profile rarely did more than split a couple of rings.

The gentlemen that I was throwing with were amazing throwers with axe, knife or spear. One guy could consistently hit a torso-sized target at about thirty paces, and with great force; enough to pierce the maille and drive several inches into the burlap.

Axes are easier to throw without doubt, but having thrown many axes I begin to wonder if they are as effective as I first imagined. I think thrown spears would be far more devastating, and rocks would be cheaper.

[Jean Thibodeau]