New stick to pick over.

[Jim McDougall]

Good call on the note on the early Egyptian lathe Katana! It's amazing how much technology has existed from ancient times.

I'm wondering more on the use of this most interesting double pointed stick, as I am completely unfamiliar with martial arts use of many of these weapons. It seems that held centrally, the sharp points at either end would enable the weapon holder to thrust virtually forward and behind without a great deal of movement...in close quarters such as a melee where such space would be restricted. Would that be correct?

[Tim Simmons]

It seems to me that when one is close in with a weapon like this aided with a punching parrying shield. Ideally a stabbing action would win the day. Two points would mean a possible hit on a return or being ready for the next strike without any fancy maneuver. For sure the warriors that used these did not just wave them about screaming "ugagabunga" they would have been skilled in there use.

[fearn]

Hi Katana,

You're absolutely right about lathes. The point is that one wouldn't expect that an australian aboriginal stick (at least an old-fashioned one) would be turned on a lathe. They were all hand carved--basically, nulla nullas are clubs of no definite shape (pointed or not) often used by women for hunting, fighting, throwing, etc.

I think we're agreed that this is African. I'm still wondering whether it's not the center piece of something like a samburu spear. I'm only familiar with samburus from the modern version sold by Cold Steel (not an endorsement, merely an observation), but this one looks like it could easily fit a socketed spear head on one end, and a socketed spike butt on the other.

Neat piece, whatever it is.

F

[VANDOO]

DEFINITELY NOT A LOVE STICK, TOO FANCY FOR A AUSTRALIAN NULLANULLA, ALSO NOT A SOUTH PACIFIC ARROW OR SPEAR POINT. THE WOOD DOES LOOK LIKE SOME USED IN AFRICA AND AUSTRALIA. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT I LIKE IT AND IT IS VERY WELL MADE.

HERE ARE TWO WEAPONS FROM MICRONESIA THEY ARE GRIPPED IN THE CENTER AND CAN BE USED TO STRIKE IN EITHER DIRECTION GOOD FOR CLOSE IN FIGHTING. BOTH ARE WOOD WITH FIBER WRAPPED GRIPS ONE HAS ROUND SPIKES THE OTHER IS DOUBLE EDGED THICK BLADE SHAPED. BOTH ARE A LOT SHORTER THAN YOUR EXAMPLE ALL THE BETTER FOR CLOSE UP.

[Tim Simmons]

I have a couple of spears here at home, on none of them does there seem to be any similarity with this stick. The weight of this piece, aside from the ovoid section. The heaviest of my spears all have a basically round section and far less dense wood as a haft. The narrow points in relation to the main stick would make an extremely uncomfortable spear.
That cold steel stuff is a little strange to me being a touch fanciful. I paid just less than double the dollar price each!! for the real thing recently but that was a little unusual to my mind.