Drooping spears (1 Viewer)

[drummingmatt]

I discovered this hobby over the holiday shopping season while searching for toys for my toddler, and realized I needed toys for myself. Today I am the proud owner of a single 15th Ludhiana Sikh rifleman who guards my Flashman novels.

My book collection on classical history, however, remains undefended. I would like to enlist a hoplite or phalangite to keep watch, although I have concerns about the spear. While perusing different models online, I have noticed spears, lances, javelins and so on, especially those posed horizontally, tend to sag at either end. Is that limited to certain manufacturers, or do most toy soldiers who wield long and narrow weapons ultimately suffer droopage (for lack of a better term)?

 

[mikemiller1955]

I own...
K&C's Crusaders...Saracens...
Thomas Gunn Spartans...Persians...
John Jenkins Gauls, Mahdist and Fuzzy Wuzzies...
Conte Romans...Barbarians...
Collectors' Showcase Barbarians...
all have spears...
I have never had an issue with drooping spears...

what manufacturer did you notice the sagging in...

 

[lancer]

Never had any drooping spear/lance problems with any metal figures (KC, JJD, Aeroart), only plastic figures have had this problem. -- Al

 

[theBaron]

You'd get drooping lances, or muskets or rifles, or a horse's legs buckling under the weight of its body and a rider, with alloys that have a high proportion of lead. The white metal alloys used to cast figures today are lead-free, and are composed of metals which impart rigidity to the alloy. So, you'll be OK, you shouldn't see any pieces drooping or buckling on their own.

Welcome to the hobby, too!

Prost!
Brad

 

[katana]

Properly made Plastic (PVC) spears and lances do not droop. Schleich Knights are a good example of modern plastic figures and their weapons are straight. Ditto BBI Knights or Romans, Lances and Pilums are straight. Less expensive plastic figures using Polypropylene will come with weapons bent in the package. Modern pewter figures are quite rigid and would break before bending very much.

 

[tryfon]

I discovered this hobby over the holiday shopping season while searching for toys for my toddler, and realized I needed toys for myself. Today I am the proud owner of a single 15th Ludhiana Sikh rifleman who guards my Flashman novels.

My book collection on classical history, however, remains undefended. I would like to enlist a hoplite or phalangite to keep watch, although I have concerns about the spear. While perusing different models online, I have noticed spears, lances, javelins and so on, especially those posed horizontally, tend to sag at either end. Is that limited to certain manufacturers, or do most toy soldiers who wield long and narrow weapons ultimately suffer droopage (for lack of a better term)?

Hi , not steel spears only the soft tin

regards

 

[bromhead]

Hi , not steel spears only the soft tin

regards

I mostly model,,paint in plastics these days ,,the quality of newer figures being quite well done,,besides problems of priming,,paint flaking etc I most always replace lances etc with brass,,a 100% improvement,,

 

[drummingmatt]

Thanks for weighing in, everyone. A First Legion hoplite arrived in the mail today. His fearsome helmet brings to mind that passage from Stephen Pressfield's Gates Of Fire:

I had laughed with Alexandros not two hours earlier as he seated the helmet over his felt undercap; how sweet and boyish he appeared in one instant, with the helmet cocked harmlessly back upon his brow and the youthful, almost feminine features of his face exposed. Then with one undramatic motion, his right hand clasped the flare of the cheekpiece and tugged the ghastly mask down; in an instant the humanity of his face vanished, his gentle expressionless eyes become unseeable pools of blackness chasmed within the fierce eye sockets of bronze ...​