Victrix Pike and Spear Strengthening

[VonAkers]

Hi Guys
Need some help please
I have a question about the Victrix Plastic Spears and Pikes.
I recently put the finishing touches to a Large Hoplite Project.
All spears used were the Victrix Plastic spears , and they are a Nightmare to handle.... they are very very brittle ,.. there is no strength  nor give in them .
As a result they break constantly.
I was going to order some Victrix Phalangites, but if they are the same .. or god help us worse than the Hoplites then I am not so sure..
In addition has anyone any ideas to make the Pikes stronger ??... also please spare me the "Replace them with Metal " advise ...
Cheers
 

[Jjonas]

I have found no way to "Strengthen" Victrix pikes or hoplite spears. They are lovely in scale sculpts with the sarouters very nicely scaled. It is a shame they are only useful for dioramas in my area of dry weather. The plastic spears break while priming. They break while painting. They break while playing. They break while putting into the cabinet. The solution is obvious, for gameplay replace with other materials. Some folks like bristles from brooms which are pliable reliable and in my opinion Fugly since I never can find the right diameter. I have seen some with flattened tips with hot pliers that look ok. Of course even with metal one loses the nice butt spikes.
But for gameplay the bristles last quite a long time.

[2010sunburst]

I know you don’t want to hear this, but nothing will strengthen the existing plastic.  Metal pin wire (not from pins, but straight wire) really is the best replacement option.  The existing spear head and tail can also be drilled out and added to the wire once fitted if necessary.  To drill the hands you will need a set of mini drills and a pin vice/Chuck.  A sharp pointed implement also comes in handy to pop mark the point you are going to start drill.  This stops it wandering.  Don’t use a dremel or other powered drill, the plastic in the hand will melt and you’ll end up with a mess.

[Easy E]

I keep reading this but have only broken 1 spear.  I must be very lucky or very delicate! 

[Fremitus Borealis]

I have found no way to "Strengthen" Victrix pikes or hoplite spears. They are lovely in scale sculpts with the sarouters very nicely scaled. It is a shame they are only useful for dioramas in my area of dry weather. The plastic spears break while priming. They break while painting. They break while playing. They break while putting into the cabinet. The solution is obvious, for gameplay replace with other materials. Some folks like bristles from brooms which are pliable reliable and in my opinion Fugly since I never can find the right diameter. I have seen some with flattened tips with hot pliers that look ok. Of course even with metal one loses the nice butt spikes.
But for gameplay the bristles last quite a long time.

I actually really like using broom bristles, and feel like they're a good diameter! Only problem is it's a pain having to manually flatten and cut the tips into spearpoint shape. If there were some kind of stamp available (like the GreenStuff World leaf stamps, for instance), I'd be golden!

[VonAkers]

Gentlemen
Thank you for the Prompt feedback , it is very good of you all.
I am going to do a test today on one idea that I have to try to remedy the issue.
I shall advise the result asap.
I dont mind changing a few Pikes over , however my project was looking at 700 + Phalangites , which is  clearly not realistic nor  practical.
The alternative is to look at Metal Figures and metal spears , (Aventine / Foundry )
However this looks to be aprox  Twice the Price  , and in a large scale is really a big hit .
Let me see how the "Test "goes , I shall advise .
Cheers

[SJWi]

VonAkers, I feel your pain! I haven't any Victrix phalangites but do have Warlord ECW which suffer from the same problem. I managed a bodge repair job which didn't look too bad as they were held horizontally but I was pretty annoyed. I bought some Victrix Celts and was nervous as I assembled them . I ended up selling them and going metal.

Tough decisions.

Regards

[fred]

It’s a shame that the Victrix pikes are really flimsy - i know this will be no help - but the Perry WoTR plastic pikes are really quite flexible and robust. But I doubt this helps as the arms won’t match in any way, and cutting off a load of hands, sounds both expensive in acquiring them, and pretty much as much work as adding bristle or metal pikes.

[bluewillow]

Replace with wire is the only option, a lot of work, but it will end your worries

[VonAkers]

Hi Guys
Thank you for the replies , and your thoughts .

I am hoping that the Victrix Pikes are not as brittle as the spears,having more "flex" as it were.
In addition I am conducting a experiment on the Hoplite spears that I have .
I read online that soaking the spears in water can make that type of plastic less brittle ..?
So i have a tester "soaking " tonite , after 24 hours , i will dry it off and see if it has improved .// but im a bit sceptical...
I have another spear I have coated with PVA wood glue , lets see if this changes anything as well.
I can then compare these 2 to the original "Control "spear and see if there is any difference ., stand by ... & yeah I dont get out much .. .
Cheers
Ps I might  changing my LAF name to Von Akers Wargames Scientist ... has a nice ring to it ... Huzzah .

[Fremitus Borealis]

Based on my own limited experience, the sarissas are just as flimsy, I'm afraid, if not moreso because there's more plastic to snap

[zippyfusenet]

A technique that I use on soft metal alloy lances and spears, that are annoyingly bendy and prone to break, is to coat them with a thin layer of two-part five minute epoxy glue, preferably before priming. The glue thickens the shafts, which is undesirable, but it stiffens and strengthens them. I don't have any experience with plastic pikes, don't know whether this will solve your problem. Good luck.

[VonAkers]

Hi Guys
Ok the results are in .

Three tests
 Spear 1  24hour  immersion in water , then pva glue on spear
Spear 2 Pva Glue
Spear 3 Control .. unaltered.

So The Spear 1 immersed in H2O , was actually a bit stronger ,it surprisingly does work , but after PVA was applied to number 2  there did not seem to be much difference between 1 or 2 ( PVA only )
Both were better than the original .( number 3 )

I think this reinforcement will be enough , coupled with the fact the Pikes are far closer together , and less isolated , hence less prone to braking but the main thing is the Pikes are much higher in the air , and not where clumsy fingers move a base .. that said ..I may need some spares ...


Cheers

[Mad Doc Morris]

I actually really like using broom bristles, and feel like they're a good diameter! Only problem is it's a pain having to manually flatten and cut the tips into spearpoint shape. If there were some kind of stamp available (like the GreenStuff World leaf stamps, for instance), I'd be golden!

I do it like this: https://tabletopkiosk.de/2017/10/speere-aus-besenborsten/
German text but the photos should be sufficient to get the idea. I use a pair of nail scissors to cut a tip with rounded edges.
As bristles come in all sizes they match any scale; e.g. I used the same diameter for bow strings in 28mm and lances in 6/8mm. Never looked back at using wire or brittle plastic since.

[Fremitus Borealis]

I do it like this: https://tabletopkiosk.de/2017/10/speere-aus-besenborsten/
German text but the photos should be sufficient to get the idea. I use a pair of nail scissors to cut a tip with rounded edges.
As bristles come in all sizes they match any scale; e.g. I used the same diameter for bow strings in 28mm and lances in 6/8mm. Never looked back at using wire or brittle plastic since.

Hey, luckily I speak German Thanks for the link! I'll give it a try next time!