Slitherine

Use brush bristles. Cheap as chips, never snap, you never get bendy pike syndrome and they always look good as new.

peterrjohnston wrote:

ShrubMiK wrote:(some manufacturers sell separate weapons, so you might be able to find something of the right dimensions, or a piece of rigid wire cut to length. I haven't ever gone this far myself, but I have seen people fix units suffering from droopy pike syndrome with good results.

Xyston sell packs of wire pikes/spears, although they are pricey. Piano wire is also supposed to be good.

Buy a plastic broom or brush. The bristles make excellent spears/pikes/javelins that will flex but not break or break off and will return to straight rather than get permanently bent. The end can be flattened then trimmed to a point.

peterrjohnston wrote:Xyston sell packs of wire pikes/spears, although they are pricey.

I use the Xyston spears/pikes and like them, they look very nice and really couldn't be easier to use. They are a bit pricey (20p each or so I think) and they can be a bit hazardous as the points are quite sharp...

ethan wrote:

peterrjohnston wrote:Xyston sell packs of wire pikes/spears, although they are pricey.

I use the Xyston spears/pikes and like them, they look very nice and really couldn't be easier to use. They are a bit pricey (20p each or so I think) and they can be a bit hazardous as the points are quite sharp...

Northstar makes good copper spears

grahambriggs wrote:

lonehorseman wrote:And what do I use to drill the holes with? This seems like the best plan of action in my eyes

I use a small modelling drill (Dremel in the UK). You might be able to get one in a model aircraft/model railway shop.

More tedious but also viable is a small pin vice. It is slower by far, but offers more control. That, and my flex-shaft died long ago.

Skullzgrinda wrote:...It is slower by far, but offers more control. That, and my flex-shaft died long ago.

Too flexible now??????

Sharpened spears can also deter the children from picking them up again
David

I like to use brass control rods for spears. They come in various thicknesses, and I like 1/32" for 15mm spears, etc.

You can find them in most hobby shops and art supply stores.

You can cut them with scissors (utility scissors or basic office scissors).

You can flatten them with a hammer on a steel surface (bench vise top, a second hammer clamped in place, etc.) This allows you to flatten tips and trim into spear heads/glaives/whatever. I also have made Chinese dagger-axes from gluing a flat cross-piece. For my Sassanids, I even flattened them into swords to arm some cavalry figs.

HTH

Spike

I hate when your flax shaft is dead...................

Hobby LObby has pre=painted stuff in their jewelry making section that work great BUT you will have to drill the hands

Send the kid to military school

wait until he is old enough to paint and hold down a job. while you are waiting make sure you cover your hobby bench with reminders of what he did. make sure every time you look at the reminders make sure your blood boils with rage so that your desire to seek revenge is maintained. once he has a job and spends his own money on miniatures and spend his own time painting them asked to she them and then run them over with your car. it will take a little longer to accomplish, unless the already buy and paint their own, but it will be worth it. also make sure you encourage all kids you see to pick up and play with his miniatures.

When you drill with your dremel dip the drill bit is dish soap. Acts as a coolant and keeps the drill bit from getting stuck in the metal.

Old Model railroad trick
Irondog

lawrenceg wrote: ↑Sun May 30, 2010 6:30 am

peterrjohnston wrote:

ShrubMiK wrote:(some manufacturers sell separate weapons, so you might be able to find something of the right dimensions, or a piece of rigid wire cut to length. I haven't ever gone this far myself, but I have seen people fix units suffering from droopy pike syndrome with good results.

Xyston sell packs of wire pikes/spears, although they are pricey. Piano wire is also supposed to be good.

Buy a plastic broom or brush. The bristles make excellent spears/pikes/javelins that will flex but not break or break off and will return to straight rather than get permanently bent. The end can be flattened then trimmed to a point.

I know is a very old post but I wanted to thank all of you for the brilliant solution: I finished a Seleucid army in 15mm for ADLG/DBMM with a LOT of pikes made from a small portion of a brush I'd like to post a picture but I haven't found out how

Conteshard wrote: ↑Tue Feb 09, 2021 10:14 am

lawrenceg wrote: ↑Sun May 30, 2010 6:30 am

peterrjohnston wrote: Xyston sell packs of wire pikes/spears, although they are pricey. Piano wire is also supposed to be good.

Buy a plastic broom or brush. The bristles make excellent spears/pikes/javelins that will flex but not break or break off and will return to straight rather than get permanently bent. The end can be flattened then trimmed to a point.

I know is a very old post but I wanted to thank all of you for the brilliant solution: I finished a Seleucid army in 15mm for ADLG/DBMM with a LOT of pikes made from a small portion of a brush I'd like to post a picture but I haven't found out how

Can you upload a photo to the image hosting and indicate a link in the message? The topic is very interesting and how hard you were looking for a solution to the problem, arouses admiration and interest in your work.

ok, I discovered how to do it:

It's fantastic! How did you have the patience for such a painstaking job? The question is rhetorical. Motivation is the best source of patience. I myself can spend hours collecting diamond mosaics, but that's another matter.

SunnyLeslie wrote: ↑Fri Mar 05, 2021 3:49 pm It's fantastic! How did you have the patience for such a painstaking job? The question is rhetorical. Motivation is the best source of patience. I myself can spend hours collecting diamond mosaics, but that's another matter.

actually the pikes making part is quite straightforward and non particularly time consuming. this army is more or less a record for me: a 200points Art De La Guerre army ( the pikemen are a small part of it) in one and a half month; I've never been a fast painter but I was motivated for a December 2020 tournament... that was cancelled, of course, but the army is done at least and it will see the day on its Field of Glory

Conteshard wrote: ↑Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:55 pm

SunnyLeslie wrote: ↑Fri Mar 05, 2021 3:49 pm It's fantastic! How did you have the patience for such a painstaking job? The question is rhetorical. Motivation is the best source of patience. I myself can spend hours collecting diamond mosaics, but that's another matter.

actually the pikes making part is quite straightforward and non particularly time consuming. this army is more or less a record for me: a 200points Art De La Guerre army ( the pikemen are a small part of it) in one and a half month; I've never been a fast painter but I was motivated for a December 2020 tournament... that was cancelled, of course, but the army is done at least and it will see the day on its Field of Glory

I wish you victory in the tournament! I hope your work will be appreciated, because it looks really cool!