"It wasn't the reward that mattered or the recognition you might harvest. It was your depth of commitment, your quality of service, the product of your devotion -- these were the things that counted in a life. When you gave purely, the honor came in the giving, and that was honor enough."
                -- Scott O'Grady

Author Topic: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted  (Read 14224 times)

Sir Rodney

  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Acolyte
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,118
  • Inquit Corvus
    • The Mercenary Company Nevermore
Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« on: 2015-09-29, 03:06:39 »
Yet another project that sat on my shelf far too long!  The Windlass Hewing Spear is inexpensive and it looks good from 10 feet away.  The historical inaccuracies are obvious and far too numerous to mention here, but that’s not the point of this post.

The point is I had $20 burning a hole in my pouch at the War of the Lilies (SCA - Calontir, Kansas City) two years ago and this shiny object caught my eye.  Fast forward to last week when I picked up a 6 foot long 1.5 inch diameter pole at the local hardware store.

The pine pole was nothing fancy, but it was straight and the grain was true.  I clamped it to my workbench and used an old school hand plane to give it a gentle octagonal shape with an average finished diameter of 1.25 inches.

The business end of the pole was further planed to accommodate the spear socket.  Most of my time was spent test fitting the spearhead then planning a little bit more. Repeat.  Once satisfied with a snug fit, I hand rubbed three coats of boiled linseed oil into the shaft allowing a day drying time between each coat.

The spearhead had two little holes at the base of the socket.  I made two little arming nails from carpeting nails I had laying around.  The nails were placed in a vice and the heads gently shaped with a small ball peen hammer to appear handmade.

The spear head had rusted a bit after two years on my shelf.  I used 1000 grit sandpaper to remove the rust and a buffing wheel with metal (black) compound to bring it back to life.

I applied slow-cure epoxy to the tapered end of the shaft and firmly seated the spear head.  The two arming nails were added to ensure this was never coming apart.

The final tally is $25 in materials and 2 full hours of labor spread over several days.  Not bad for a spear that looks good from 10 feet away!
"Oh, what sad times are these when passing ruffians can say Ni at will to old ladies. There is a pestilence upon this land, nothing is sacred. Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress in this period in history." - Roger the Shrubber

Sir James A

  • Weapons & Armor addict
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,043
Re: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« Reply #1 on: 2015-09-29, 15:43:16 »
Excellent!
Knight, Order of the Marshal
Sable, a chevron between three lions statant Argent

Sir Nate

  • Nathan
  • Yeoman of the Order
  • Forum Acolyte
  • **
  • Posts: 1,702
Re: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« Reply #2 on: 2015-09-30, 15:18:37 »
Nice job.
Nathan Phillip Max
Knight of the Order
"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil"

Sir William

  • Cogito ergo sum
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 7,154
Re: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« Reply #3 on: 2015-09-30, 18:48:57 »
You make it seem so easy, Sir.  Looks great!  I have a similar spearhead (the Windlass Euro) that I've needed to mount over a year now I'm sure.  Suppose I should get on it, eh?
The Black Knight, Order of the Marshal
'Per Pale Azure and Sable, a Chevron counterchanged fimbriated argent.' 
“Pride makes a man, it drives him, it is the shield wall around his reputation.  Men die, but reputation does not.”

Sir James A

  • Weapons & Armor addict
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,043
Re: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« Reply #4 on: 2015-09-30, 22:43:58 »
You make it seem so easy, Sir.  Looks great!  I have a similar spearhead (the Windlass Euro) that I've needed to mount over a year now I'm sure.  Suppose I should get on it, eh?

I'm thinking it's been 2, maybe 3 years, if that's the same one we talked about a few years ago  :P
« Last Edit: 2015-09-30, 22:44:07 by Sir James A »
Knight, Order of the Marshal
Sable, a chevron between three lions statant Argent

Sir William

  • Cogito ergo sum
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 7,154
Re: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« Reply #5 on: 2015-10-01, 14:13:08 »
You callin me old, Sir James?  I know how many years it was!  Ok, so it was two.  lol

Same one, obviously.  I'm the duke of procrastinators!
The Black Knight, Order of the Marshal
'Per Pale Azure and Sable, a Chevron counterchanged fimbriated argent.' 
“Pride makes a man, it drives him, it is the shield wall around his reputation.  Men die, but reputation does not.”

Sir Rodney

  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Acolyte
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,118
  • Inquit Corvus
    • The Mercenary Company Nevermore
Re: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« Reply #6 on: 2015-10-04, 02:14:14 »
Thanks all! 

Sir William, I have tons of half-started projects lying about my shop and sewing room.  You're not alone.

This one was truly easy; I just had to get off my butt.

I'm in the process of refinishing my workbench (yet another old project).  Once completed this week, I'll be able to continue with some more unfinished projects.   :)
"Oh, what sad times are these when passing ruffians can say Ni at will to old ladies. There is a pestilence upon this land, nothing is sacred. Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress in this period in history." - Roger the Shrubber

Sir William

  • Cogito ergo sum
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 7,154
Re: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« Reply #7 on: 2015-10-07, 14:39:48 »
Thanks all! 

Sir William, I have tons of half-started projects lying about my shop and sewing room.  You're not alone.

This one was truly easy; I just had to get off my butt.

And there's the rub...once I sit it down in its custom-fit couch pad, I think Atlas has an easier time of getting up than I do.  lol
The Black Knight, Order of the Marshal
'Per Pale Azure and Sable, a Chevron counterchanged fimbriated argent.' 
“Pride makes a man, it drives him, it is the shield wall around his reputation.  Men die, but reputation does not.”

Sir Rodney

  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Acolyte
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,118
  • Inquit Corvus
    • The Mercenary Company Nevermore
Re: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« Reply #8 on: 2015-10-12, 18:33:02 »
I'm in the process of refinishing my workbench (yet another old project).  Once completed this week, I'll be able to continue with some more unfinished projects.   :)

The workbench has been refinished!  On to more projects...  :)
"Oh, what sad times are these when passing ruffians can say Ni at will to old ladies. There is a pestilence upon this land, nothing is sacred. Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress in this period in history." - Roger the Shrubber

Sir James A

  • Weapons & Armor addict
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,043
Re: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« Reply #9 on: 2015-10-12, 22:08:28 »
Excellent!
Knight, Order of the Marshal
Sable, a chevron between three lions statant Argent

Sir Edward

  • Forum Admin
  • Commander of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • *****
  • Posts: 9,340
  • Verum et Honorem.
    • ed.toton.org
Re: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« Reply #10 on: 2015-10-19, 14:22:22 »
The workbench has been refinished!  On to more projects...  :)

It's so clean and organized! Something is clearly wrong with this. I insist you do a project and leave stuff scattered all over it... ;)
Sir Ed T. Toton III
Knight Commander, Order of the Marshal

( Personal Site | My Facebook )

Sir Rodney

  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Acolyte
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,118
  • Inquit Corvus
    • The Mercenary Company Nevermore
Re: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« Reply #11 on: 2015-10-20, 02:52:50 »
The workbench has been refinished!  On to more projects...  :)

It's so clean and organized! Something is clearly wrong with this. I insist you do a project and leave stuff scattered all over it... ;)

You’re right, of course!

I’m a little particular about my tools, shop, etc.  I once loaned a throat-less sheet metal shear (Beverly shear) to a friend and he cut round stock with it.  The friendship didn’t end, but loaning out tools did.   >:(

My wife’s a high school varsity volleyball coach in a department with little money.  As soon as I’m done repairing and rebuilding the last ball cart, I’ll get back to more fun stuff.
"Oh, what sad times are these when passing ruffians can say Ni at will to old ladies. There is a pestilence upon this land, nothing is sacred. Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress in this period in history." - Roger the Shrubber

Sir Wolf

  • He Who is Not to be Named
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 5,389
  • i have too many hats
    • man e faces
Re: Windlass Hewing Spear – Mounted
« Reply #12 on: 2015-10-20, 14:58:28 »
bah too clean, this is not a shop!