One of the spears I acquired last week was this rusty termite eaten iklwa.
The spear is 47 1/2 inches/1206.5 mm long
The blade is 16.5 inches/419 mm long by 1 7/8 inches/47.6 mm wide and has a rounded tip. My other Iklwa's have a pointed tip.
The binding is leather and does not appear to be covering any other material except the wood haft.
The butt is flared.
This spear meets the classic description of an Iklwa. There is just enough difference in this spear than my others to say old!! Oh if only it could talk!
The explanation for the condition is that these things were stored up in the thatched roof and forgot about for years. I can believe it.
Having drove to the battlefield at Isandlwana last month, seeing those thatch roofed huts and hearing this explanation made me think...
How many are still out there.
Now to clean this. I am going to leave the haft alone. Any suggestions for dry rust on the blade? I was going to try 0000 steel wool and vegetable oil. Any better ideas?