Florist wire spears your suggestion ?

[italwars]

Hello
After having read from years on the web the suggestion to use florist wire to make miniatures spears/lances I placed an order from UK (cannot find it in my country)..but when I tested it I found the gauge too small both for 28mm and for 1:72 minis ..Then I realized that they are different gauges to choose from ..I also tried with broom bristles but they are to thin ..so please which width/gauge could you suggest me both for 28mm and 1:72 minis?
Thanks in advance

[fred]

I just bought spears from North Star.

They are long enough to work as pikes for 28mm figures, and can be cut down for spears. They are pretty slender, close to the pikes with Perry plastics, but much thiner than the spears with Gripping Beast plastics

[AKULA]

I just bought spears from North Star.

They are long enough to work as pikes for 28mm figures, and can be cut down for spears. They are pretty slender, close to the pikes with Perry plastics, but much thiner than the spears with Gripping Beast plastics

North Star spears every time...as a matter of fact my latest order has a bunch in it as I was getting low

 

[Bugsda]

Yeah North Star, florist wire's bendy and almost useless, hammering your own out of piano wire is a pain.

[italwars]

Thanks but in fact I would have  loved to do it By myself..I was very curious about florist wire right gauge that somebody could already had used both for 28mm and for 1:72...but if you say that is useless..

[Bugsda]

If you want to make them yourself get some steel wire. You'll need a club hammer to use as an anvil and an ordinary claw hammer. Hammer one end flat and grind it to a point with a carborundum disc in a mini drill.

[Billchuck]

If you want to make them yourself get some steel wire. You'll need a club hammer to use as an anvil and an ordinary claw hammer. Hammer one end flat and grind it to a point with a carborundum disc in a mini drill.

It may be called piano wire or music wire or spring wire.

[SteveBurt]

I would avoid steel wire. Florist's wire is too bendy. Piano wire is too hard. Get brass rod; available in many sizes, cheap, and easy to flatten the end with a hammer

[italwars]

I would avoid steel wire. Florist's wire is too bendy. Piano wire is too hard. Get brass rod; available in many sizes, cheap, and easy to flatten the end with a hammer

thanks to everybody for the answers
please Steve..as you suggested i just found some cheap brass rods from China and i want to have a try...please which diameter do you suggest 1mm; 1,4mm  or 2mm?

[jeffreythancock]

I bought brass rod in a variety pack of different sizes to help determine the best size for different uses. 

I've also bought sewing pins and cut off the flat head to use as spears and pikes.  Different diameters available, but lengths are set by industry.

[Golgotha]

Use brush bristles they are cheap and strong and can bend. Also come in a variety colours and sizes - for 28mm for instance I use a garden broom's bristles.

One can also use steel rod the sort that model railway chaps seem to stock.

[SteveBurt]

thanks to everybody for the answers
please Steve..as you suggested i just found some cheap brass rods from China and i want to have a try...please which diameter do you suggest 1mm; 1,4mm  or 2mm?

<rummages in modelling drawer>
1.2mm for spears/lances
0.8mm for javelins
I get mine from Precision metals in the UK. Pretty cheap, and a pack of 9 x 12" lengths lasts ages

[Grimmnar]

Be aware, for thise loving North Star I recall he making comment that his supply is dwindling. As well as he only has the one size now.
I doht recall all the specifics. Check with Nick.

As for broom bristle spears, this is my fav video.


Grimm

[Captain Gars]

I recently bought a spool of brass wire (at Hobby Lobby in the US) and I chose 18 gauge for use with 25/28mm figures.  On the spool it shows 18 gauge as equal to  .04 inches or 1 mm . It should work very well for pikes, spears or javelins.

[italwars]

Thanks to everybody for the dedicated answers ..about the broom bristles (I saw your interesting tutorial of course) I still cannot find in my country a broom with sufficiently thick bristles.