How to Make Your Own Spear

A spear is an excellent weapon for self defense.

A weapon is used to defend oneself against attackers such as humans or animals. Weapons are as crude as modified sticks and as advanced as heat-seeking missiles. For the average person, the most effective weapon to make is the spear. This involves just basic skills and a few tools you probably have lying around the house. The length of the spear is the advantage. Attackers several yards away are within range of your spear .

Things You'll Need

• Wooden dowel, 1/2 inch to 2 inches wide and 6 to 10 feet long
• Vise
• Carving knife
• Bench grinder

Instructions

1. Set the dowel in the vise horizontally over a workbench or table. Tighten the vise until the dowel withstands substantial pressure without moving. Push on the dowel to test the strength of its setting in the vise, tightening if necessary.

2. Cut the end of the dowel into a conical shape to form a pointed tip. Use a carving knife to scrape and shave slices of wood from the tip. Starting about 5 inches from the tip, start your cut and shave off pieces of wood at a slight angle, moving toward the center of the dowel. Take the dowel out of the vise, give it a one-quarter turn, place it back in the vise and begin carving again. Repeat this step until a point is formed.

3. Sand the tip of the dowel, honing it into a point once most of the dowel wood is cut away. Use a grinder with a 300-grit sanding disc for this. Place it on the tip of the dowel and move it down the point, applying slightly more pressure toward the tip. Remove the dowel from the vise, give it a one-quarter turn, place it back in the vise and continue grinding. Repeat this step until the point is finished.

References

• Georgehernandez: Stick and Pole Weapons

Resources

• Wildwoodsurvival Website: How to Make a Fishing Spear