Javelin- Short Spear- High Carbon Damascus Steel- 36"

11 reviews

A hand-forged javelin with a pattern-welded Damascus blade on a wooden shaft, 36 inches overall, supplied with a fitted leather sheath. Short, light and balanced for one hand.

Specifications

• Overall length: 36"
• Blade: Pattern-welded Damascus, 352 layers
• Steel: 1095 high-carbon core with folded carbon steels
• Shaft: Wood
• Included: Fitted leather sheath

The oldest weapon that leaves your hand

Before the bow, before the sling, there was a sharpened stick thrown hard. The oldest complete wooden weapons ever found are a set of ten hunting spears recovered from a lignite mine at Schöningen in Germany — between about 1.8 and 2.5 metres long, worked from spruce, tapered at both ends and weighted forward in a way that only makes sense if they were meant to be thrown.

Their age is still argued over. Early estimates put them near 400,000 years; thermoluminescence dating brought that to roughly 300,000; a 2025 study argues for closer to 200,000 and attributes them to Neanderthals. Whichever figure holds, they are evidence of something that was not supposed to be there — planning, cooperative hunting, and a real understanding of how wood behaves.

The javelin never went away because nothing replaced what it does. Greek skirmishers built a role around it. Roman legions carried the pilum, designed to bend on impact so it could not be thrown back. Hunters across every continent used some version of it. A thrown spear costs almost nothing, needs no mechanism, and works.

The Damascus

The blade is forged from a folded billet worked through five cycles to reach 352 layers, with 1095 high-carbon steel at its core. The 1095 carries the edge; the folding gives the blade its pattern and its resilience. Every billet is worked by hand, so no two blades carry the same figure.

Care

Damascus is carbon steel and will rust if neglected. Wipe the blade dry after handling, keep a light film of oil on it, and store it out of the sheath in damp conditions — leather holds moisture against steel. The etched pattern softens over years and can be brought back; our guide on re-etching Damascus steel covers how.

What it's for

Collecting, display and re-enactment. At 36 inches it handles comfortably indoors and mounts easily. More in our guide to types of spear and their uses, or browse the full spear collection.

Shipping times refer to carrier transit time after an item ships. They do not include production time, custom work, engraving, etching, or other preparation time before shipment.

In-stock items typically ship within 1 to 4 business days, though this can occasionally take longer during high-volume periods or for items requiring extra handling. Engraving or etching on in-stock items may add 1 to 3 business days before shipment.

Custom, engraved, altered, made-to-order, backordered, and specialty items (including armor and chess sets) may require additional production time before they ship. Fully custom items typically take 4 to 8 weeks, but complex requests may take longer depending on the design, materials, approvals, and production requirements.

Once an item ships, delivery time depends on the shipping method, carrier, and destination. If you need an item by a specific date, contact us before ordering so we can confirm whether the timeline is realistic.

In-stock items with no customizations can be returned free within 30 days, as long as they show no signs of use. Returns are handled through our return center.

Items that have any customization (such as engraving or etching) or that show signs of use cannot be returned. Custom and made-to-order items are produced specifically for your order and are not eligible for return.

If your item arrives damaged, incorrect, or defective, contact us with your order number and photos so we can review the issue.