the point

Dear fanatical DBA-type types,

I am embarking on my first replace-the-spears project.

I have a pretty neat set of pliers/sidecutters that I think will be good to flatten and snip snip the ends of wire to make spearpoints. What I need to know is:

1. What wire?
2. What gauge?

In anticipation,
your most humble etc.
Blunt End.

Brass rod.
Size depends on scale.
You'll know it when you see it.

Regards, Bob.

Brass rod or Piano wire.

Brass rod is softer and easily flattened and shaped.
Piano wire is much springier, but harder to flatten and shape.

I prefer piano wire for 15mm figures and brass rod for 25mm.

The besy way is to take a figure to your local shop and buy what looks best, as King (13) said:
"You'll know it when you see it."

David

For 15mm figures I use pins. Sometimes I dull them down a bit with a file, but I believe in letting my figures protect themselves, so sometimes I don't. Clip off the bottom end to length and you've got a beautiful little spear or javelin or pike; they are also dirt cheap and very sturdy.

For 25mm I just bought 0.062" (1/16) styrene rod. I use the pliers to flatten the point and then trim it to look like the end of the pike. I like the plastic since I found I stuck myself too often handling figs with the pins. The plastic bounces back straight, doesn't stab me, is easy to shape points on and paints well.

If you do metal make sure to sand or wipe the metal with alcohol or nail polish remover to remove any lubricant which will stop paint from sticking. I've found a hard time getting pins to stay put unless I abrade the whole length. Chrome is an excellent release surface so prep well.

I bought 0.040" styrene rod for 15mm. I think I got 50" total length for $2.19 in both sizes. Styrene rod comes in increments of 0.005-0.010" and sizes as small as 0.005" which is way too small but you should have no problem finding it at your local railroad modelling store.

[ September 01, 2004, 10:21: Message edited by: Roland Fricke ]

I bought the thickest brass rod I could find at hobby lobby, 20 Gauge. Michael's didn't seem to carry wire that thick. I like it because you can make some pretty sharp points...like David, I think my guys should be able to fight back against clumsy users/onlookers.

I haven't tried using plastic rod, but I've heard great things about it. A wily old wargamer I knew in Baton Rouge suggested getting a cheap broom for the dollar store that has plastic bristles and using those.

Ivan wrote:
"like David, I think my guys should be able to fight back against clumsy users/onlookers"

It does have a certain appeal I must admit (does that make us some kind of pyschopath?). It is one reason I like piano wire, especially for pikes, very sharp once clipped and very strong - ie. it does'nt bend out of shape when you accidentally place your hand on my unit of 16 pike. If I had a pound (1£) for every time I have had to remove that unit from someones hand, well......
Honestly, it makes hedgehogs look soft

David

Originally posted by Ivan:
I like it because you can make some pretty sharp points...like David, I think my guys should be able to fight back against clumsy users/onlookers.

But for every time the spear weilders strike out at an enemy or bystander, there are about three incidences of freindly fire . That was my experience with one of my earliest figure purchases. I had a Peter Liang 15mm Theban army pack. They acutally provided plain old pins as spears.

As an alternative to flattening the wire out yourself, Olympian Games <www.Olympian-games.com> in Australia sells various lengths of Brass Rods with spearpoints made. As the Oz Dollar starts to descend during the election period maybe the US buyers can dive in and snap up a bargain or two.

Cheers

Thnaks all.
Or even thanks.
I have plastic rod around the place - I was thinking of something more robust. How does it cope after the dozenth bend Roland?

And yes Macbeth, I was in mid sentence to Olympian Games when I said "Get Real!" Surely I can manage my own spears!

I'm torn. I have small kids. Pins will keep them away. But do I *always* want to keep them away

At this apex, the acute sticker I need to pinpoint regards length (can't think of a pointy word for that one)

For lance/kontos, twice the height of a man?

I have use plastic rods quite a bit. One problem to be aware of is that certain glues will weaken the material and result in breakage at the glue point, usually the hand. I use 2 part epoxy mostly for figures, only sometime crazy glue. Both weaken plastic. Now I use white glue for holding in the middle of the piece but put some epoxy at an end, if held up right for example.

Originally posted by Roland Fricke:
For 25mm I just bought 0.062" (1/16) styrene rod. I use the pliers to flatten the point and then trim it to look like the end of the pike. I like the plastic since I found I stuck myself too often handling figs with the pins. The plastic bounces back straight, doesn't stab me, is easy to shape points on and paints well.


I bought 0.040" styrene rod for 15mm. I think I got 50" total length for $2.19 in both sizes. Styrene rod comes in increments of 0.005-0.010" and sizes as small as 0.005" which is way too small but you should have no problem finding it at your local railroad modelling store. [/QB]