Spears

The spear was the commonest weapon of every army before gunpowder, from the Greek phalanx to the Chinese infantry line, and it is the simplest thing we forge: a hardened steel head on a hardwood shaft. This collection gathers every spear and spear-headed polearm Battling Blades makes, from a 36-inch javelin to the 84-inch fangtian ji, in pattern-welded Damascus, 1095 high carbon or stainless steel.

Choosing a spear

Patterns

The hoplite dory is the Greek infantry spear with the leaf-shaped head, here at 45 inches in Damascus. The medieval leaf spear and the two war spears are the European infantry patterns: a broad leaf head on a long shaft, from 50 to 70 inches, in Damascus, 1095 and stainless. The javelins, including the Zulu-pattern iklwa, are the one-hand throwing and thrusting spears at 36 to 39 inches. The qiang is the Chinese spear with the red tassel below the head; the guan dao (kwan dao), the ji and the fangtian ji are the Chinese halberd-spears with a blade or crescent on the head, and the full set of those lives in Chinese polearms. The yari is the Japanese straight spear and the naginata the Japanese glaive, both here in Damascus and 1095 at 71 to 79 inches. The mini dao spear is a 13-inch display piece.

Length

Javelins and the dory at 36 to 50 inches fit a wall like a sword. Full-length spears at 66 to 84 inches need floor-to-ceiling wall space or a corner stand, and some ship in two sections; the product page says which. Overall length is listed on every product.

Steel and shaft

Heads are Damascus (layered high carbon, patterned), 1095 high carbon or stainless steel, fitted to a hardwood shaft with a socket or tang and pinned. Damascus and 1095 heads are hardened and tempered; stainless heads are the low-maintenance display option. Each product page states whether the head ships sharp or dull. Keep carbon steel clean, dry and lightly oiled; the cleaning kit covers it. A spear can also be built to your own length, head shape and shaft in the custom spear builder.

Related

The spear is one branch of the pole weapons: the halberds and poleaxes add an axe or hammer to the head, the naginata has its own collection, and the whole family is gathered under polearms. For the matching sword, the Greek swords pair with the dory and the Chinese swords with the qiang. The whole range of types across every tradition starts at swords.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a spear and a javelin?
Length and use. A spear is held and thrust; a javelin is shorter and lighter, made to be thrown. The Zulu iklwa is a short stabbing spear that sits between the two.

What is a hoplite spear called?
The dory: roughly seven to nine feet long historically, with a leaf-shaped iron head and a bronze butt spike, carried in the phalanx with the round hoplon shield. Ours is a 45-inch display-length version.

What is a qiang?
The Chinese spear, with a red horsehair tassel below the head. It was the standard infantry weapon of Chinese armies for two thousand years and is called the king of weapons.

What is the difference between a yari and a naginata?
The yari is the Japanese straight spear with a double-edged head for thrusting. The naginata carries a curved, single-edged blade on the pole and is used for cutting as much as thrusting.

Do the spears come assembled?
Most ship with the head fitted to the shaft; the longest designs ship in sections with the joint fitted. The product page states which.