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Martin Catania




Location: Chicago
Joined: 06 Oct 2010

Posts: 2

PostPosted: Wed 06 Oct, 2010 7:20 pm    Post subject: Need a hand locating resources for reproduction crafting         Reply with quote

New member here, so i hope this is appropriate discussion topic. I'm trying to find a good location for purchasing hardwood dowel (or whatever shoudl be used!) for crafting replica polearm weapons. I'm currently experimenting with a Windlass Greek spearhead. Primary use is costume, but I would like them to be sparring and "combat ready" ideally, although I have no direct intent to use them as such.... Authenticity is not a huge concern at this point (hope I'm not offending anyone with here with that...). I'd like the entire spear to come in under 6' (for practicality purposes) so I think I'm looking for a shaft around 5'.

This is my first foray into these sort of things as well, so I'd greatly appreciate any advice or assistance. I've been combing through some of the other threads and it seems like there are quite a few experienced crafters out there doing this sort of thing, but so far I've struck out with my local lumber yards and hardware stores.

Here's the item description from swords of honor:

""The Greek Hoplite was a heavily armed foot soldier whose principal weapon was ""the long shadowed spear."" It was a weapon that varied in length from 6 to 18 feet, and could be used both as spear and pike. Shorter versions were used as throwing weapons. The earlier versions were made of bronze, but iron, once it was available, became the material of choice. Made by Windlass Steelcrafts®. Overall-16"" Blade-11"" long, 23/4"" wide Wt.-1 lbs. 4 oz.""
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Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:12 am    Post subject: Re: Need a hand locating resources for reproduction crafting         Reply with quote

Martin Catania wrote:
New member here, so i hope this is appropriate discussion topic. I'm trying to find a good location for purchasing hardwood dowel (or whatever shoudl be used!) for crafting replica polearm weapons. I'm currently experimenting with a Windlass Greek spearhead. Primary use is costume, but I would like them to be sparring and "combat ready" ideally, although I have no direct intent to use them as such.... Authenticity is not a huge concern at this point (hope I'm not offending anyone with here with that...). I'd like the entire spear to come in under 6' (for practicality purposes) so I think I'm looking for a shaft around 5'.


Don't worry about offending anyone here just because your need for authenticity is not a high priority: The membership here has a wide variety of personal views about what they personally desire in authenticity going from not very important to the highest levels of living history criteria for their weapons armour or civilian kit.

This can even vary for the same person depending on specific context or objectives: I can easily not care about authenticity for one project or object and care a great deal for another. In any case all views can happily coexist here as long as the views of others are respected.

Some people have found sources for ash poles but what I do is buy " Bo " staffs made of white oak from eastern martial arts stores. Usually they have white or red oak and they are very robust as they are used hard against each other in practice.

The ones I have used for quarterstaff training almost look new after months or years of use.

Here are a few sources you can order from if you can't find anything local to you:

From purpleheart armoury, these are available in hickory which is particularly resistant to damage.
http://www.woodenswords.com/WMA/staffs.htm
http://www.woodenswords.com/WMA/index.htm

Here from Kult of Athena ( A very good reliable vendor I use all the time with AAAA+ customer service ):
http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...Spear+Pole

Note Kult of Athena is local to you in Chicago and you can visit their show room and buy there instead of ordering by e-mail: http://www.kultofathena.com/showroom.asp

Chivalry Bookshelf, a book seller that also sells a variety of Medieval kit, armour, training weapons that also has octagonal staffs that can be used as quarterstaffs or mounted for polearms. ( Note with certain polearms octagonal, square or even rectangular poles where used ):

http://revival.us/ashoctoganalpoleaxehaft114.aspx
http://revival.us/

A & A also has ash poles:
http://www.arms-n-armor.com/pole118.html
http://www.arms-n-armor.com/

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Martin Catania




Location: Chicago
Joined: 06 Oct 2010

Posts: 2

PostPosted: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 4:43 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Excellent. Thank you Jean. I'll let you all know how things work out. Not sure how google failed me on this one, but perhaps it was for the best!
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