tanged spearheads

[Steve]

Hi all
Just wondering, I'm making a spearhead atm and was wondering is there any historical/practical evidence of a tanged spearhead being used. is it practical or would it just fall off? i'm thinking for light javelins, I have a stock of dowel 20mm diameter and about 2.5 ft long. is this good for small javelins to?
thanks

[Errant Knight]

hi Steve,

Most of the ones i've seen use a cone, which can then be nailed to the shaft.

I guess the only real way to tell if it is practical or not is to try it and see.

[pmel018]

Hi Steve
a socketed spearhead seems to be the norm for western weapons, small or large. The japanese yari (spear)does have a tanged head, although even some of them had a socketed head.
Phil

[ChronicD]

leading on from the example of the yari the japanese had abother weapon called the naginata which is equilant (generally!) to a western glaive. these had long tangs going into the shaft - typically equal to the blade!. if you think about it the tang would provide considerable strength to the area which was hit the most.

Onto my discussion between tang and socket. basically you can say that a tang is easier to make, will increase the strength of the shaft against strikes that are perpendicular to the shaft but will also increase the chance of splintering/splitting of the shaft as you have effectively stuck a wedge into it.

a socket spear head is a bit harder to make, will also protect the wood (though only as far as it covers and also will not decrease the strength of your shaft.

which leads me onto my next observation - arrows were made with as it did not really matter if it broke the shaft in to on impact from the compression of the shaft onto the little metal wedge in there. Also they are not getting struck like spears are.

hope it helps
dan

[pmel018]

Hi dan
I'm not Japanese weapons expert, but I think that most of the long weapons I have seen with tanged blades also had some sort of sleeve on the outside of the shaft to help prevent spliting . As for arrow heads, most european heads were socketed for both the bow and crossbow. Once again I believe the Japanese tanged their arrowheads. Maybe it had something to do with the materials used for the weapon shafts and arrowshafts. Bamboo already has a central hole.
Another trip to the V&A and Wallace Collection I think (They both have good accesible Japanese collections, although the main emphasis is on swords)
Phil

[Carl]

[Freebooter]

Stibbert collection, Florence.

The finest "Occident and Orient" display I have ever seen.

N

[Víkarr]

Heya Steve, this is the only practical piece of info I have ever come across regarding tanged spearhead construction. It might be some small help to you. Nothing historical afaik.

http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor/atli_spear/top_index2.htm

[Brynnus]

the osprey warrior book 5 (Anglo-Saxon Thegn 449-1066)

Has tanged spears though they were most likely light throwing javelins.

I have also considered this and wonder if you sheathed the end of the shaft in steel if it would provide the strength to the shaft where it is weakened by the tang(ing) also i think something harder than pine dowel would be needed.

let me know if you want more info on the osprey reference

[pmel018]

Similar information in Osprey Warrior series #3 "Viking Hersir" also in Stephen Pollington's "The English Warrior from earliest times till 1066" and J. Kim Siddon's "Viking Weapons and Warfare". All seem to use the same source material and identify the tanged spearheads as javelins.
Phil

[Steve]

thanks guys. will be trying some arrowheads with a pointed socket. do'nt think it should be much of a problem for javelins to. I'm not going to be piercing armour with them!