Better Wire Pikes?

[Leon]

For a few years I've been trying to find a better option for our wire pikes, something a little stronger and better quality really.  Recently I've found a potential product so I was looking for a bit of feedback if possible?

This wire is similar to the ones you can get for 28mm figures and is 0.8mm thick so suits our 10mm figures fine.  We can get it in 40mm/50mm/80mm/100mm lengths and in either flatted spear or regular pike options.

Pricewise we're looking at £3.95 for 20 of the pikes in 40mm/50mm lengths and possibly a bit more for the flattened tips (those are 20% more to buy in), so would that price put people off or would folks be happy to pay for a stronger and better looking option?

We would still offer the basic wire alongside these, so people could choose which they prefer.  We'd probably stock the full selection of lengths/options as well for anyone using larger scales.

Here's a pic of the 40mm regular and flatted tips together and then another with one of our LOA pikemen.

WirePikes1 by Leon Pengilley, on Flickr

WirePikes2 by Leon Pengilley, on Flickr

[John Cook]

Leon,  I find .8mm rod still a bit thick.  I've been using K&S .5mm x 300mm brass rod (Code 9860) for pikes for a long time.  It is simple to cut to length and to hammer to a spear point.  The only draw back is that if you get it under a finger nail it hurts, so move units with care.

[FierceKitty]

Leon,  I find .8mm rod still a bit thick.  I've been using K&S .5mm x 300mm brass rod (Code 9860) for pikes for a long time.  It is simple to cut to length and to hammer to a spear point.  The only draw back is that if you get it under a finger nail it hurts, so move units with care.

An advantage, thinking of too many opponents I've had.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Look good to me

[Ben Waterhouse]

I would buy these....

[Heedless Horseman]

When I was doing Pikes / spears, (For never completed ECW / WoR projects!). the Brass Rod that I liked was a little bit finer gauged. (Maybe ask supplier?).
Source looks not bad... and way better than 'lead'.
Modellers, remember... pole weapons painted as untreated wood will really stand out.. in 10mm, you won't see the figures...just the pikes.

[Orcs]

I think they look great, but would use them for larger scales, as separate weapons on 10mm is the way madness lies. 

[Westmarcher]

For 16th or 17th Century, I would be unlikely to buy the flattened version.

[steve_holmes_11]

They look good.
I have pikemen and would go for the sharp (as opposed to flattened) points.

Is 40mm an ideal length?
It seems a bit long for 10mm figures.

Of course, too long can be shortened, while too short cannot be longened.

[DecemDave]

No easy answer. 
Having spent days clipping, drilling and filing to replace the little sticks on hundreds of ECW pikemen, I would totally support having open hand figure with separate pikes over the cast version.  Where I defected to other manufacturers for longer cast pikes [I was young and foolish], the damn things bend and curve.
I have bought the "wire for pikes" but its a pain being a micro blacksmith. So if I was doing a pike army again (I must find a dark room to lie in after posting) I would certainly buy either the pointy or the flat version depending on the army/period alongside buying the figures. 
But then there is the hand becomes pin cushion issue. So my ideal wish would be a rigid plastic.  Which is available from a rival manufacturer so rumour has it.  I couldn't possibly know of course. 

[steve_holmes_11]

No easy answer. 
Having spent days clipping, drilling and filing to replace the little sticks on hundreds of ECW pikemen, I would totally support having open hand figure with separate pikes over the cast version.  Where I defected to other manufacturers for longer cast pikes [I was young and foolish], the damn things bend and curve.
I have bought the "wire for pikes" but its a pain being a micro blacksmith. So if I was doing a pike army again (I must find a dark room to lie in after posting) I would certainly buy either the pointy or the flat version depending on the army/period alongside buying the figures. 
But then there is the hand becomes pin cushion issue. So my ideal wish would be a rigid plastic.  Which is available from a rival manufacturer so rumour has it.  I couldn't possibly know of course. 

You reminded me of the days of twirling a stretched sprue over  candle flame to make whip aerials and ship rigging.

I'm not confident I have the skills to stretch a uniform thickness for pikes through.

[Scorpio_Rocks]

But then there is the hand becomes pin cushion issue. So my ideal wish would be a rigid plastic.  Which is available from a rival manufacturer so rumour has it.  I couldn't possibly know of course. 

I have used the "not so rigid" plastic pikes from a different manufacturer (with a fairly pointy name) they are a pain to paint as they bend with the brush but are a joy to use as they don't spike fingers, snap or stay bent but "snap back" to shape - I love em!

[DHautpol]

Similar approach to Scorpio_Rocks.

I use plastic pikes both for "open hands" and after cutting and drilling for those figures with cast-on pikes.

However, I use the plastic bristles from a garden broom, some of the bristles are a bit thick but most of them are useable.  They have a decent amount of flex and, in the event they get too damaged, can be replaced more easily than pikes made of brass rod.  One broom head will give you more pikes than you can possibly need.

[John Cook]

I use nylon bristles from a hand brush for staffs of colours and standards, and aerials on vehicles.  They are about .5mm and because they are flexible they don't break off as brass rod can if roughly handles.  If I was doing my ECW project over again I'd probably use nylon bristle for pikes too, rather than brass rod.

[Heedless Horseman]

I started an ECW project several years ago and was not keen on bendy pikes. The option that I went for, then, was Pendraken Muskets and Command... but strips of Pikemen from another source. (Apologies!). They needed drilling for brass rod / stiff wire pikes but resultant stand was pretty much indestructible!

Penraken 'open hand' figs were not then available and it was too much effort to drill out hands on individual figs. Now? I suspect that although they would need care in handling, much better. However, I think that flexible 'bristles' may survive 'drops' better than stiff rod / wire... but might need repair / repaint, occasionally.

Sadly, one of several projects that have 'lapsed'... (Along with WoR and Greeks!)... although I did actually complete enough Foot Regiments and Arty, Cav to use someday... and an enormous 'leadpile'!

Oh... and looking at Catalogue... excellent painted figs by Battle brush Studios!