New Boar Spear

[Ji in Hawaii]

I like to go foraging in the woods here for fern shoots, bamboo shoots, and various wild fruits in season. On one recent trip I was in the foothills of the Ko'olau mountains above Honolulu. I was looking for bamboo shoots while my younger son looked for Jackson's Chameleon for a pet. I was able to collect about a dozen shoots but my son not so successful finding these elusive lizards. On the trail back to the road my son who was walking ahead about 50 yards stops and stairs up the slope. Then he walks back towards me and asks "dad, are there wild pigs up here?" I replied yes there are. He says he thinks he just heard one right above us. We walk together down the slope and when we get to where he heard the sounds all of a sudden we hear the frantic barking of a dog as it attacks the pig and grabs on. The pigs starts squealing bloody murder. I have just my machete, and I'm trying too figure out how to get up the cliff to where the dog and pig are battling it out. I tried several times to climb the slippery slope but too steep so I slide back down. Only way up is to double back a quarter mile to get on top of that cliff. After about 10 minutes the pig escapes with dog in hot pursuit. I later found at head of trail a note left by a local pig hunter about his lost dog. I give him a call telling him exactly where I heard his dog, he's happy and says he'll be right there to get his dog. I don't stick around though. This made me think that I need a better tool for pig protection and stealth pig poking if the need arises. Firearms not allowed in this area due to it being a popular hiking trail. Also a spear could freak out unaccustomed hikers. I went on eBay and found a Cold Steel Bushman knife for $22.00 shipping included. I then went to the local hardware store and picked up a 6' Douglas Fir closet rod for $5.99 picking out one with close, dense, straight grains for extra strength. I got home and tapered the tip to accept the knife handle. I then installed a threaded insert to accept a matching thumb screw. This makes it quick and easy to install, and remove this hollow handle knife onto the spear shaft. I added a copper pommel on the bottom end using epoxy putty for added strength. Then I French whipped a grip using tarred marline (hemp) twine, and finished it with two turk's-heads above and below. The shaft itself I rubbed down with several coats of a 50/50 mix pine tar and boiled linseed oil an old Scandinavian favorite for preserving wood. I wear the Bushman knife on my hip using a spear shaft as a walking staff, but should porcine trouble arise I can quickly get the spearhead on the shaft in a matter of seconds. I think it turned out well. Now all i need is another pig to disturb my next hike.

Boar Spear


Business end


French whip & turk's-head grip


Cold Steel Bushman knife spear tip


Copper pommel

[Pitchy]

That is one nice spear, great job bro.
Spect you`ll be eating pork soon.

[2ndovc]

Ji, that's just awesome!!

I bought one of those knives a few months ago and one of Cold Steel's
War Hammer's. I've done a workover on the War Hammer that I'll put up a post about
but was thinking about what to do with the Bushman.

Way Cool!!!

jb

[gamekeeper]

Nice work with the twine, very neat..
I've seen those Cold Steel Bushman knives over here and often thought, do I really need one... I guess now we have wild boar roaming parts of the UK I should get one, but then, if I come across a wild boar it may get in my way while I'm climbing the nearest tree!

[.45colt]

Wow.!! Great Job.if You should run across some 2 legged varmits in the woods that spear would give them something to think about.just not for piggies. .

[Cliff]

Looks good Ji, I would suggest if you can get a split out piece of wood out of hickory or some such. If split right the grain of the wood will run the length of the shaft. If tempered right it will not break and splinter at a bad time. I use this method making ram rods for my long rifles. Also on tempering a lot of the old timers would use kerosene and soak it for a month or two. I found a better way, using any type of Automatice Transmission Fluid. Use an approriate length of tubing or pipe capped on one end, put the shaft inside and fill the resultant tube with ATF, cap the open end, insuring the shaft is completely submerged and put it away, a warm place is nice, for 3 or 4 months, then take it out, wipe it down, hang it up high and let it hang for a while (More ATF will come out) until it seems to be drained. Then finish as you want. These will bend not easilly broken, if they do break shouldn't give off splinters. For now your "Boar Spear" looks great. Best of luck to you.

[handirifle]

I like that spear. If i understand correctly, the brown cap goes on when the knife comes off?
is the knife threaded onto the shaft?

The ONLY improvement ( in my little mind anway) would be a throwing style knife, with both edges honed razor sharp.

I LOVE that rope work on the handle. Great job and great idea on how not to freak out the tourists. Something about seeing a brown skinned guy running around the jungle with a spear, might not set quite right with some tiny minded mainlanders

[Blaine]

Me Like!

[Bill in Oregon]

Cliff, love that ATF idea. I'd want a shaft I could count on not to shatter.
Ji, lovely overall package, and your sailor's wraps are awesome.

[AJMD429]

Who says art and weaponry can't combine WELL together...!

Too bad the 'authorities' consider any shred of independence a threat.

[Ysabel Kid]

Sweet Ji! Very well done!!!

[Ben_Rumson]

That's really a beautiful piece of work Ji.. The twine work jogged my memory of work like that on cane surf rods Dad made when I was a kid... Turks head is what jogged my memory too... Sure wish I had one of those poles now...It would be a treasure as I'm sure your handy work will be...Quality always has a home...

[piller]

Very nice. Nothing like having something for protection that can double as a walking stick.

[Ji in Hawaii]

Aloha guys, thanks for the encouraging words. I'm guessing I'll put allot more miles on this thing as a walking stick than a spear but nice to have the option. There are a couple trails here where stupid people feed the wild pigs, and like bears they start associating people with food, and lose the fear of man. I'm makin' bacon if one of these fearless pigs get too frisky.

[Grizz]

Good job Ji

I've got mine on a short stick in my gun box, and various long staffs for mood changes.

Problem here is that it's illegal to carry a fixed blade knife. Don't know if that applies to hiking in the parks and forests. I can carry hand guns loaded with any load I like and any quantity of ammo I want to carry, but I can lose that license for carrying a knife. Go figure.

[MrMurphy]

Not generally a fan of Cold Steel but the Bushman's not bad.


Advice from a friend who has speared hogs hunting with dogs.

Plant your feet, lean in hard and hang ON to that spear no matter what.

[GoatGuy]

Not generally a fan of Cold Steel ...,

I've noted that sentiment from lots of folks when talking or writing about their favorite maker's wares. I've often wondered why that opinion is so prevalent. That sentiment may surface fairly often because the founder and "chief spokesman" of Cold Steel seems such a self assured so-and-so. I don't know.

I only have one Cold Steel folder, picked up used at a gun show in New Mexico many years back. It's the TwistMaster model and takes an edge, holds and resharpens like few others I've had over the years. I'm mostly fond of high carbon steel blades and find myself at a disadvantage when looking for anything new these days. I'm a big fan of 1095.

Don't know what's the fuss about keeping a carbon steel blade from rusting, and in my experience most stainless blades are more troublesome to resharpen. I've had some are downright brittle! A Buck 110 comes to mind. I hate having to own a knife with a tip broken off! Carbon blades are easily wiped down after use, if rust and tarnish are of concern to the finicky.

Oh, and by the way Ji, that work is first class. Good on ya'. I've come to expect that kind of post from you, as I lump you in the category here of a fine craftsman bordering on a really fine artist. Glad to see so many of your posts over the past number of weeks. Have missed your wit, spirituality, reverence for family and the old ways. God bless you.

[Ji in Hawaii]

Good job Ji

I've got mine on a short stick in my gun box, and various long staffs for mood changes.

Problem here is that it's illegal to carry a fixed blade knife. Don't know if that applies to hiking in the parks and forests. I can carry hand guns loaded with any load I like and any quantity of ammo I want to carry, but I can lose that license for carrying a knife. Go figure.

Where is "here"? Not Alaska I hope. How's a guy supposed to process game with just a small pocket folder? Nice short spear there.

[Blaine]

Good job Ji

I've got mine on a short stick in my gun box, and various long staffs for mood changes.

Problem here is that it's illegal to carry a fixed blade knife. Don't know if that applies to hiking in the parks and forests. I can carry hand guns loaded with any load I like and any quantity of ammo I want to carry, but I can lose that license for carrying a knife. Go figure.

Only in town...Right? http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9.41.270

State RCW is sort of like open carry: If you are showing intent to use it, you're toast. Merely having one does not make it illegal. Seattle, somehow, is different....I think there is a prohibition on fixed knife carrying, and a 4" max on folders. Washington gun laws cannot be overridden, but, I guess dangerous items can be controlled....(remind me not to ever pound nails in Seattle....Dam, what a foul, crappy city)

[Ji in Hawaii]

Oh, and by the way Ji, that work is first class. Good on ya'. I've come to expect that kind of post from you, as I lump you in the category here of a fine craftsman bordering on a really fine artist. Glad to see so many of your posts over the past number of weeks. Have missed your wit, spirituality, reverence for family and the old ways. God bless you.

Thank you for the accolades sir though I don't feel worthy. Same right back at you. Did I ever mention that my favorite muscle car of all time is the '65 GTO?

[JohndeFresno]

Impressive spear - beautiful wood and braiding combined with a very practical pommel and quick-detach thumb screw. Brilliant!

[bdhold]

yes, and we want photos of the pig roast.

[alnitak]

Great work Ji! Love the twine knotting!

Couple questions...why wrap the Bushman handle? It doesn't appear to do anything to keep the knife on the pole, does it? Is it for when you remove the Bushman for hand use? While I like the idea of "pinning" the Bushman to the pole, do you think that type of screw will strip out over time or catch on something and then loosen up? It's tough though, I like the idea of a removable pin of some sort to quickly detach the knife, but by the same token, don't want it too easily removed. Choices are limited, I suspect. Maybe a steel rod could be used, going all the way through the pole as a cross-guard, with some wrapping at the base of the Bushman to keep it in place?

Very nice work!!

[Ji in Hawaii]

Great work Ji! Love the twine knotting!

Couple questions...why wrap the Bushman handle? It doesn't appear to do anything to keep the knife on the pole, does it? Is it for when you remove the Bushman for hand use? While I like the idea of "pinning" the Bushman to the pole, do you think that type of screw will strip out over time or catch on something and then loosen up? It's tough though, I like the idea of a removable pin of some sort to quickly detach the knife, but by the same token, don't want it too easily removed. Choices are limited, I suspect. Maybe a steel rod could be used, going all the way through the pole as a cross-guard, with some wrapping at the base of the Bushman to keep it in place?

Very nice work!!

The french whip around the knife handle is for better grip when used as a knife. That knife is made from one piece of steel and the round smooth steel does not provide any traction for the hands, much better wrapped. If it was strictly a spear head I'd leave it smooth and permanently attached.
I have no fear of thumb screw stripping out as I installed a metal threaded insert into the wood shaft so the thumb screw actually screws into metal. The knife came pre-drilled with one hole, and I selected a thumb screw which fit the hole the best. In fact I had to enlarge the hole a tad to fit this slightly larger screw the size small being too lose in the hole for my comfort. The steel used in this knife is very hard and just slightly increasing the hole size wore out a new drill bit so I had to use a Dremel tool with small carbide bit to enlarge the hole. Drilling an additional hole in my opinion not worth the effort. You can snug up the thumb screw by hand surprisingly tight, and the only way it could become lose is deliberately. Also drilling a hole all the way through would weaken the spear shaft too much at a critical spot. Remember. all that screw has to do is prevent the spear head from pulling off the shaft. Most of the potential pressure and wear and tear will be from thrusting the spear into the object. The tapered wood shaft in the tapered spear/knife handle takes care of that problem very well.
I have a friend in Brazil who inspired me. He uses the larger Bushman Bowie blade and attaches his using a screw eye directly into the wood of the shaft. The eye allows him to tighten by placing a stick through the eye for added leverage. He's a preacher who goes into the bush regularly carrying his spear/knife combo for weeks at a time. His combo gets allot more use and abuse than mine ever will but it's still holding up perfectly even though his simple attachment setup is simpler in design.
I have no doubt my spear head will stay put as is unless I have to fend off a raiding party of marauding orcs.

[Ji in Hawaii]

Here's some pictures of an earlier boar spear I made several years ago. This one the blade is pretty much permanent on shaft without proper tools.

[alnitak]

I thought so, Ji. Nice idea with the threaded insert. I also have a Bushman, so am familiar with the knife (and the small single hole). Didn't realize how hard the metal was though. And yes, I can see the advantages of the thong wrapped handle when using the knife standalone. Thanks for the detailed response.

[Grizz]

Good job Ji

I've got mine on a short stick in my gun box, and various long staffs for mood changes.

Problem here is that it's illegal to carry a fixed blade knife. Don't know if that applies to hiking in the parks and forests. I can carry hand guns loaded with any load I like and any quantity of ammo I want to carry, but I can lose that license for carrying a knife. Go figure.

Where is "here"? Not Alaska I hope. How's a guy supposed to process game with just a small pocket folder? Nice short spear there.

Pacific North West

general vicinity of Blaine and Fred

[20cows]

Fantastic craftsmanship!

[spaceman spiff]

very, very cool blades

you can bring those to Michigan any time to help with our increasing problems with
feral piggies.




spaceman

[model55]

I like it!Was thinking about something like that but you did a better job then I'd pictured.

[Ji in Hawaii]

very, very cool blades

you can bring those to Michigan any time to help with our increasing problems with
feral piggies.


spaceman

I thought Ted Nugent was singlehandedly taking care of that problem in Michigan.

[Birdman]

You are a true craftsman. From start to finish they are both fine looking and functional as can be. With the removable blade you got just what the doctor calls for. Won't offend nobody and fairly quickly you got a heck of a fighting weapon for hogs or slobs. Great job!