Mechanical Spear

Gavin Nugent · 2nd January 2014, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Queequeg

Greetings,

I've been reading a bit about the brandistock, which was essentially a spear which functioned like modern gravity knives or police expandable/collapsible batons.

Does anyone know if there was such a thing as a "mechanical spear"? I'm thinking of something which appeared to be a simple staff, but at the push of a button a (narrow) spear head would have emerged straight from the interior of the shaft, much like the tip of a ball-point pen.

I can well imagine something like this having come out of the age of gears and springs in the late Renaissance.

Thanks in advance.

There were walking canes commonly referred to as flick sticks that operate in this manner, being gravity activated, also swagger sticks and very short sticks 12" in length.
These are mostly Victorian period but they may be older and based on an older idea as the mechanism is simple...Catherine Dike's book is in storage so I can not refer to it at this point in time.

Gavin

Queequeg · 2nd January 2014, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwordsAntiqueWeapons

There were walking canes commonly referred to as flick sticks that operate in this manner, being gravity activated, also swagger sticks and very short sticks 12" in length.
These are mostly Victorian period but they may be older and based on an older idea as the mechanism is simple...Catherine Dike's book is in storage so I can not refer to it at this point in time.

Gavin

Flick sticks! Google has some interesting images of those. Thanks for that term.

Jim McDougall · 2nd January 2014, 04:49 PM

Thank you for the response Q , and I must say quite colorful context illustrating your interest!!
Gav, as always, your astute navigation through myriads of arms topics excels phenomenally!

I am always amazed at the ingenuity and mechanical skills often seen in these early times, for example the spring loaded multibladed daggers and others. I was recently reading as well about the devices used in jousting with breakaway lances and shields designed to mechanically break apart for effect.

2nd January 2014, 04:49 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	Thank you for the response Q , and I must say quite colorful context illustrating your interest!! Gav, as always, your astute navigation through myriads of arms topics excels phenomenally! I am always amazed at the ingenuity and mechanical skills often seen in these early times, for example the spring loaded multibladed daggers and others. I was recently reading as well about the devices used in jousting with breakaway lances and shields designed to mechanically break apart for effect.