Moro Budiak with a bit of baling wire

[Lew]

Here you go Lee

This was in my collection a few years back.

[Lee]

Very nice, Lew. Perhaps the concentric groves on some sockets may reflect this practice. I'll have to keep my eyes out for an example with woven/twisted brass...

Below is an overall picture and a close up of the shaft. At regular intervals, the circumference is reduced and then allowed to slowly expand moving towards the base. This would seem to be helpful from keeping the spear from sliding back on a thrust.

[BigG]

Originally Posted by Lee

Below is an overall picture and a close up of the shaft. At regular intervals, the circumference is reduced and then allowed to slowly expand moving towards the base. This would seem to be helpful from keeping the spear from sliding back on a thrust.

This is very similar to designs of the Peninsula Malay Lembings (javelins). There... Spear designs akin to the one shown here is generally deemed to be designed as a missile weapon ie to be thrown... the aerodynamic fetures of the blade and the grroves are carved into the stems may act as a means of giving the wielder a better grip when the weapon is thrown... ad perhaps better aerodynamic qualities?

A spear meant for thrusting... a tombak is distinctive in that the stem is does not feature this design... the spear heads are broader too..

Very nice Budiaks...

[Battara]

Actually many of these budiaks were more for thrusting in hand to hand combat. I'm sure they could be thrown too.

[BigG]

Originally Posted by Battara

Actually many of these budiaks were more for thrusting in hand to hand combat. I'm sure they could be thrown too.

Yes many spears can be thrown.. but not all.. Throwing a spear that is specifically design for thrusting needs a lot of compensatory adjustments made in how it is thrown by the wielder to the point that most perhaps would not bother.

Thrusting spears are also usually build with a counterweight at the other end. it is very unlikely that a counterweighted thrusting spear could be thrown well or at all. The counterweight just upsets the whole balance of it. The flight of the thrown spear and penetration would be greatly affected by the counterweight.

[Battara]

Hi BigG,

You do have a point (great pun ). If there is a large counter weight, then it is a lance in fact and not a spear. Moro spears/lances do not have large counter weights on the ends all the time, but the size of the blade is very heavy. Thus most of these, especially the budiaks, I would call lances.

[BigG]

Originally Posted by Battara

Hi BigG,

You do have a point (great pun ). If there is a large counter weight, then it is a lance in fact and not a spear. Moro spears/lances do not have large counter weights on the ends all the time, but the size of the blade is very heavy. Thus most of these, especially the budiaks, I would call lances.

Malay spears have a what I have seen as 2 distinct type. The thursting spears (tombak) with large and broad spear heads, even rectangular stems and usually simple or very ornamental counter weights... or javelins (lembings) with thinner more aerodynamic heads and shaped stems tapering towards the but without a counterweight wth similar looks like your budiaks... though not as long.

Nice budiaks & love to get one in the future..