Samburu/Maasai spear

[Timo Nieminen]

Originally Posted by kronckew

the black area on the blade section looks deliberate & not a result of patination, it is very black compared to the dark brown patination of the rest of the exposed metal on the shaft.

Oxidation during forging. It's a fairly durable coating. There's no reason to remove it since it provides rust protection. On old spears, it's often been removed through cleaning over the years.

Originally Posted by kronckew

aside from there being no way this is gonna fit in any luggage i've ever had, i read elsewhere here on the forum that the main difference between 'tourist' and indigenous working spears is none, that exactly the same ones are made for both markets. the younger samburu (and the elderly) do use shorter versions according the the ref. in post 1.

If it's made just the same way and to the same standards as local working spears, I wouldn't call it a "tourist" spear - just a spear that was sold to a tourist.

There are tourist spears made that are quite different. I've seen very small (total length only about 4'/120cm, assembled), centre grip section carved as a human figure (not good ergonomics for a working spear), and more. Clearly ornaments rather than tools/weapons.

I've also seen some spears with very poor workmanship (mostly lion spears, but at least one long-shanked spear like this one). From a distance, they look the same - same size, same profile - but up close, it shows. Made by skilled workers, I think, but the time needed to finish them properly hasn't been put it. "This is good enough to sell to tourists, and I can make them twice as quickly this way." I don't know whether they're the local budget version, or whether they're made specifically for tourist sale, but I suspect the latter.