Plastic or Metal Spears?

[Klingsor]

What is the experience of the group of plastic spears, the sort found on modern 28mm multipart, hard plastic figures? Are they durable in use?

What has prompted me to ask is the active construction of a set of the Gripping Beast plastic Vikings. I have wire spears but obviously it would be easier not to use them and just use the plastic spears moulded with the figures. However if I do have replace broken plastic spears I would prefer to do it pre-emptively before the figure is painted.

I have heard of brush whiskers being used for smaller scales and that seems to make a lot of sense but I am not so sure they would work with 28mm figures.

[joroas]

or the bristles from a plastic broom......