"28mm Figures: Open handed or soft metal lances and flagpoles" Topic

One for the figure makers to take note of I hope

Do we prefer figures cast with open hands or with soft metal lances cast onto the figure?

My vote would be for open hands (in 28mm or larger)

rabbit

I hate spagetti weapons. I prefer open hands in white metal so that I can fit brass spears.

Both methods appear to work in hard plastic but moulded on weapons tend to look better.

I don't care how skilled the sculptor or caster are. A lance in a hand is invariably a weak point.
I would prefer a solid hand that the modeler can drill out. Open hands require a lot of scraping out to fit the lance, and closing with a needle nosed pliers. Drilling and fitting is the easiest, and sturdiest method.

I agree with John.

I agree with John.

I prefer the open hand not only so you can fit a brass spear or lance but other weapon choices. Yes as John stated it can be a weak point but I make sure to use a small round file to rough up the inside of the hand and do the same to the brass rod before gluing them together with an epoxy. The work with the file provides a bit of extra grip to the bond. Then the model is primed. I learned my lesson the hard way to never prime spears and model separately.

I'm with John as well, it's annoying having to make the open hands look closed and also one of the reasons I've stayed away from WF ancients.

I am with the OFM in metal for sure (I use steel pins for lances and spears).

In hard plastic cast with the hand is better and far more durable.

If they're just straight shafts then I'd rather have only sculpted spear heads the way Ral Partha used to do, for either supplied brass or steel rod or the same that I provide.

I'm okay with soft metal if it has nice sculpted details (lance handguards etc). I expect some will break and I'll replace with stiff wire replacements, but my replacement pieces won't look as nice.

Personally I prefer open hands. A closed fist that I drill out has to take a narrower shaft than looks correct for the scale. Sure I can assemble a correct thickness shaft with sleeves around the wire, but that's more effort.

Admittedly I model for fantasy where sculpts are exagerrated.

Solid and drill…open if necessary…have replaced most of the spears on the 25's over the last few years…the old wires finally broke loose from the inadequate (30+-year-old<grin>) glues in open hands, and the cast-ons looked like spaghetti!

I agree with john, but wish that the manufacturers would put a dimple in the fist to give me something for my pin drill to sink in to. Just a small indentation

I prefer either open hands or hands that can be drilled to hands with cast-on spears. The latter nearly always fail and, especially in smaller scales, look way out of proportion.