 Flashman14  | 16 Apr 2019 3:07 p.m. PST |
For many, the practice of replacing cast lances, pikes and long spears with brass wire is the default. Perry's seem sturdy enough to me. Should I use or replace them? I'm about to do 50 Cossacks worth. |
| Markconz | 16 Apr 2019 5:22 p.m. PST |
Absolutely replace, especially with that many figures!
Will save you a lot of heartbreak down the line. Even if cast lances appear 'sturdy' they are bendy and will just turn otherwise great looking figures into shabby looking spaghetti carriers soon enough if you are going to be using them for wargaming. North Star is good, this is what I use for my Napoleonic lances.
link |
| JLA105 | 16 Apr 2019 9:08 p.m. PST |
I concur with Markonz, and use the North Star lances as well. There is also the added bonus of encouraging careful handling of your minis when they have sharp pointy bits on them. |
 Artilleryman | 17 Apr 2019 1:33 a.m. PST |
Definitely go with stiff wire (another vote for North Star). The soft metal lances will never be perfectly straight and they will bend 'with use'. |
| Decebalus | 17 Apr 2019 9:18 a.m. PST |
Broom bristles are much better than wire spears. Absolutely straight, making a tip is simple and flexible, if necessary. |
| roundie | 17 Apr 2019 11:23 a.m. PST |
I totally agree with Decebalus
check out this you tube link
YouTube link |
| von Winterfeldt | 18 Apr 2019 5:32 a.m. PST |
I agree with the use of broom bristles as well. |
| Cavcmdr | 18 Apr 2019 9:25 a.m. PST |
I found one with brown plastic bristles. They are acceptable even if some paint comes off. These have been used as 15mm pikes and 25mm javelins and spears plus standard poles for all sorts. Use nail clippers to shape your pointy stick after flattening the tip with pliers. Oh, they are cheap too.
Have fun. |
| Flashman14 | 18 Apr 2019 11:43 a.m. PST |
I went with broom bristles for my Blue Moon ECW pikes, but they are too slender for 28s. So another broom with larger bristles was purchased and butchered this afternoon for the Cossacks. Inevitably this will be a good call as I have many strands left over for the militiamen's pikes as well. |
| Markconz | 19 Apr 2019 1:20 p.m. PST |
Interesting idea with broom bristles, ideally a broom with brown or black bristles I imagine! |
| Glencairn | 23 Apr 2019 3:47 a.m. PST |
I used plastic rods cut down for my Austrian lancers, works perfectly, they dont bend over, or break. |
| DHautpol | 25 Apr 2019 5:32 a.m. PST |
The broom bristles approach really works. I had planned to use plastic rod with my 10mm Pendraken LoA pikemen. The plastic rod looked really good but was too soft and the pikes were prone to breaking easily. I replaced them with broom bristles which are more robust as they have more spring to them. |
paints brigs for the British fleet.
