"Replacing spears/lances with wire in 15mm" Topic

I recently purchased some very nice Corvus Belli 15mm HYW figures for use as Teutonic Knights in a Tannenberg/Grunwald/Zalgiris game. I want slightly longer spears/lances for the figures and wondered if anyone out there successfully replaced the cast spears with wire. I do have some very thin bits for my hand drill but in 15mm it looks so small and delicate.

V/R

Joe W.

I don't think I've ever had any Corvus Belli figures, but I've done it with many others, especially Tumbling Dice's hoplites and light troops:

picture

They were/are cast in a darn hard metal, too!

What's required is small-diameter brass rod (I use K&S Engineering 1/32"), drill bits to suit (a #60, or .040", will work, but go a little smaller to a #62 if you can find them; get multiple bits!), a pin vise, and a great deal of patience.

Allen

Thank you Allen,

V/R

Joe

Allen is right: patience is required. But you'll be a lot happier with your new spears, pikes, etc. when you're finished.

I used to have some 15mm Saxons and Normans, and used a small hand-held drill to make holes in the hands of my miniature spearmen. Sometimes I'd mess up a figure's hand, but not as often as I thought I would. More often than not, a broken hand could patched up during the painting process, using artist's acrylic paint. Using a really small drill bit helps too.

Why not practice on some extra figures, some you don't like so much? That way, you can get the hang of drilling, make a few mistakes and not mess up the figures you really like.

Jeff

If you're on a budget get some paper clips and cut them down to size. Small clips for 15mm and the regular size for 25mm. The metal is somewhat harder than wire so making the points can be a pain.

But it works.

thanks to a tip on TMP some time ago, I got a hand held modelling drill at bargain price from Aldi. I thought I'd never have the confidence to use it.

However I have found it far easier than I expected and I've yet to mangle a 15mm figure.

The hardest part seems to be getting the initial purchase to create the hole.

Joe,

I much prefer the durability of wire and almost always replace the lead alloy spears/lances that are cast on the 15mm figs. I've used my dremel tool with various small drill bits. (Yes, I know a power tool is overkill and a pinvise is more suitable, but it is what I have!) Whenever possible, I try to create 2 points of contact between the wire spear & the fig but often just gluing to the hand is strong enough.

I started with very little modelling skill and with care and patience I have managed to create some pleasing results, including simple conversions.

I made brass rod javelins for my Xyston Thracians,that part wasnt too difficult,but I hate drilling 15mm hands.

Don't get too hung up about drilling out the hands sometimes they are just too small to do this.

I have a v shaped needle file that effectively saws a narrow groove into the hand and into this I glue the spear. Once painted it is reasonable looking and far easier when the hand is very small.

Alternatively some poses can have the spear shaft glued behind the hand and against the body, here no filing or drilling will be needed.