[fearn]

So far as waxwood goes, it also depends on the diameter. The one I handled was well over one inch thick at the butt, and its problem was that it was too heavy, not that it bent. According to my teacher at the time, he'd had a heck of a time cutting and smoothing it, because it was so hard.

The Muye Dobo Tongji (available in English as Sang Kim's Comprehensive Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts of Ancient Korea) has a lot to say about what makes a good spear, and much of it seems to be good. AFAIK, the material originally comes from Chinese sources. One important point is that you don't want an unbending spear, because it will be quite good at transmitting shock into your hands if you hit anything. A shaft that springs a little will make you much happier.

You can also get some good advice from Society for Creative Anachronism sources.

The final bit of advice is that the longest spear you want is something that can fit in your car, which is probably no more than about seven feet tip to butt. There's a nice trick to laying a spear down beside the passenger-side seats that you'd do well to learn, and I'd also suggest making a sheath, so that you don't put a hole in your car when you stop suddenly. You can, of course, make it longer, but then you'll need the red tassel, because the end is going to be hanging out in traffic. I personally have a modern spear that's a shade under 7" long, and it's a great length for practicing indoors and possibly home defense.