"Brass rods for colour poles & kurzgewehrs." Topic

Another contributor asked last week where to acquire metal rods for flag poles.

Hello, 95th Regiment:

Our local Hobby Lobby, here in Texas, carries "K&S Engineering, Chicago, IL" brass rods and flat bar of various sizes. I also found them at a "national" hardware store which has since closed down.

I use thinner rods for sergeant pikes/halberds/kurzgewehr's, and sometimes for colour poles. I also like the a thicker size, when I can find them, for colour poles.

They also make flat strips,1/64 x 1/32, which I have used to give Victrix British officers a rapier-like brass sword blade to replace the plastic. I sense that these are too thin, but the 1/64 x 1/16 is just too thick.

GdeP

I much prefer brass rods to steel "piano wire".
They do not dull flush cut nippers, are easier to pound into spear tips and shape with files.

And bend easier. I'll stick with piano wire.

Since I can't find piano wire anywhere,I'll check Hobby Lobby again. I didn't see anything like that the last time I went,maybe I overlooked them,thanks.

Bob

Here in Paris, they are in the back of the store, on an aisle with plastic toy animals, painted plastic soldiers, and the like. They are near "green stuff" (actually gray/white), and xacto tools. That whole area – brushes and oils on the right, to a great selection of acrylic paints on the left – is a good place to spend an hour!

GdeP

Try model train shops.

I use brass rods I buy at a train store. Man, if you need piano wire because brass bends you must be doing some heavy duty melees.

I have all I will probably EVER need now! lol! Picked up 2 sets of the Perry lances/spears,and ordered a couple sets of 100mm spears from a place in the UK. NOW, I need to find flag toppers for my 40mm AWI figures….

Bob

Did you try Front Rank? They do finials with cords (and cravats for French) for their 30mm-ish range, but these look pretty heavy so might be about right for 40s.