Chinese Halberds/Dagger Axes

[ethan]

Getting ready to paint some Qin and would really like to replace the halberds/dagger axes with something less flexible than what they were cast with. With spear/pikes/lances I just use wire and all is good. But I want retain something of the look of the halberds/axes and wonder if anyone has come up with a good solution?

Some things I have considered:

- cutting the heads off and gluing to wire. A PITA to do and I suspect I wind up snapping off the heads of the halberds an awful lot. Pretty hard to get a strong enough bond.
- using straight wire and gluing on some projecting bits. Probably less snappying, but still pretty fiddly to do. Not sure it would look very good.
- using straight wire, making a halberd end out of milliput or something with a socket for the wire to go into. Possible solution, not sure I can model it well enough in putty.
- straight wire, use milliput to make a sleeve around the cut off head from the lead halberds. Possibly, would wind up pretty "fat" around the sleeve.

Anyone else have other ideas, things to consider?

[hammy]

What about using thin fuse type wire to wind round the end of the main shaft and make a spike?

Either way it is not going to be easy.

[Steve63]

Renegade Waring states have seperate dagger axes, email them and see if they will sell you some.

[Mehrunes]

Check this out:

http://www.s.netic.de/arnim/dbmseiten/p ... n_neu.html

He used railings from ship models for the spikes.

[sergiomonteleone]

Getting ready to paint some Qin and would really like to replace the halberds/dagger axes with something less flexible than what they were cast with. With spear/pikes/lances I just use wire and all is good. But I want retain something of the look of the halberds/axes and wonder if anyone has come up with a good solution?

Some things I have considered:

- cutting the heads off and gluing to wire. A PITA to do and I suspect I wind up snapping off the heads of the halberds an awful lot. Pretty hard to get a strong enough bond.
- using straight wire and gluing on some projecting bits. Probably less snappying, but still pretty fiddly to do. Not sure it would look very good.
- using straight wire, making a halberd end out of milliput or something with a socket for the wire to go into. Possible solution, not sure I can model it well enough in putty.
- straight wire, use milliput to make a sleeve around the cut off head from the lead halberds. Possibly, would wind up pretty "fat" around the sleeve.

Anyone else have other ideas, things to consider?

Why not using Chi'n from Essex? They are very historical in particularly regarding halberds/ dagger axes.
It's important to use right colours, but you can find a lot of good historical sources, for example Osprey books and in internet.
Sergio

[kevinj]

If you cut the head off, could you then drill through where the shaft would go and then pass the wire through? More of a PITA than glueing, but would hold up better.

[nikgaukroger]

Why not using Chi'n from Essex? They are very historical in particularly regarding halberds/ dagger axes.
It's important to use right colours, but you can find a lot of good historical sources, for example Osprey books and in internet.
Sergio

Because Ethan wasn't asking about figures, but replacement dagger-axes - the Essex Qin will have bendy weapons which he is trying to avoid.

[ethan]

Why not using Chi'n from Essex? They are very historical in particularly regarding halberds/ dagger axes.
It's important to use right colours, but you can find a lot of good historical sources, for example Osprey books and in internet.
Sergio

Because Ethan wasn't asking about figures, but replacement dagger-axes - the Essex Qin will have bendy weapons which he is trying to avoid.

Yep, I am using the Essex Qin which indeed are very nice figures. Just trying to make them a bit better

[ethan]

If you cut the head off, could you then drill through where the shaft would go and then pass the wire through? More of a PITA than glueing, but would hold up better.

One thought I had was to cut the top off a lead halberd but leave a bit (5-10mm?) then glue that to a wire shaft but wrap the joint in something (paper, aluminum foil, other?) to strengthen the joint. The trick would be getting the wrapping to lie flat/not wrinkle.

I have also had some luck in similar circumstances simply taking the lead shaft and glueing an equal length wire onto it to reinforce, but this leads to a somewhat awkward looking thing that is big and oval shaped.

[Mehrunes]

Has anyone clicked the link I provided? Although it is in german, the pictures are very clear. I found the solution easy and very durable.

[ethan]

Has anyone clicked the link I provided? Although it is in german, the pictures are very clear. I found the solution easy and very durable.

Yeah I did, it looks interesting (google translate was moderately useful on this one). Will have to investigate.

[kevinj]

Has anyone clicked the link I provided?

I looked at the pictures!

[philqw78]

Has anyone clicked the link I provided?

I looked at the pictures!

But the words did not include giros, pommes, mayo or bier so I was lost

[ethan]

I am experimenting with cutting the heads off the lead halberds and then gluing them to wire with a wrap of Aluminum foil around the joint. Preliminary tries seem pretty good, will post some pictures when I am a bit further along.

[footslogger]

Do you have a good concept list for the Qin? Something that will work out of theatre as it were?

[ethan]

I think you want all 8 chariots, max LH (4BG), both spear BGs (offensive spear and lt spear/sw) as armored and then I would take the halberd groups as protected. I am not certain as to 4xTC or IC, 2xTC both have points in their favor. A total of 12-14BG all told.

[footslogger]

And the portable obstacles for the halberd groups?

I'm just trying to sort out how an army like this would deal with serious mounted opposition.

[ethan]

And the portable obstacles for the halberd groups?

I'm just trying to sort out how an army like this would deal with serious mounted opposition.

Yeah. I think there are a number of options that are valid, depending on what you feel comfortable going with.

[spikemesq]

Long ago I made some dagger-axes for figures that arrived without weapons.

I used brass control rods for the spears.

To make spear heads, I would hammer the tips flat and then trim them to a point with utility scissors.

To make dagger axes, I hammered out a length of the brass rod into a flat strip and then cut cross pieces from that. I drop of super glue fixed the cross piece to the flat end of spear head. Again, some utility scissors were all I needed to trim and shape the final piece.

All you need is something that works as an anvil. Any bench vise will work. Worst case, you could clamp a second hammer to a sturdy work space and use it as an anvil. Just hold the wire with needle-nose pliers and pound away.

HTH

Spike

[ethan]

Thanks spike. On further examination my wrapping solution won't work, joint is still too flimsy.

I think your idea seems workable, will probably give that a shot next.