The
Samburu tribe who inhabit Kenya's rugged northern frontier are a tall,
lean people of Nilotic descent who eke out a living as semi-nomadic
herders of sheep, goats, donkeys, camels and cattle. The warriors of the
tribe known as Lmurran are particularly impressive, as they never cut
their long braided hair and decorate their faces and torsos in beautifully
intricate patterns using a cosmetic mixture made from animal fat and red
ochre. Their simple apparel consists of nothing more than two red cloths
wrapped around their waists and giraffe hide sandals to protect their feet
from thorns. Since their flocks and heards are constantly menaced by
predators and subject to raids by lawless Shiftas (bandits) from Somalia,
they seldom venture outside their Kraals (a kind of makeshift hut) without
being armed.
In fact no warrior worthy of his name would think of
being caught without his trusty Rungu (striking/throwing club) Lamelar
(short, double edged sword) and most importantly, his spears. You see, the
Samburu warrior's seven foot long throwing spear is the most advanced
state of the art spear of its type on the planet. With this extraordinary
spear, warriors routinely dispatch marauding leopards, lions and even
firearm toting bandits at unheard of distances.
Portability. The
Samburu spear breaks down into three components. First is the spear head
itself which measures 7" long by 2" wide and is permanently
welded to a 3/8" thick by 23" long steel shaft. Second is the
counter balancing butt spike also known as the shoe. This is used as an
alternative point for practice throwing, preserving the actual spear blade
itself for more serious work. Third is the black, hardwood handle with a
double taper connecting the head and shoe. Each
Samburu spear comes unassembled for ease of transportation. All you have
to do is fit the blade and butt spike tightly to the handle and attach
them with the provided retaining screws.
Lightweight. The
Samburu spear's lightweight (only 2 lbs!) gives it several advantages over
other, more ordinary spears. You can easily carry two, perhaps even three
of them at a time, and you can have extended practice sessions without
unduly taxing your arm or shoulder muscles.
Penetration. The word
is "Awesome" and it hardly begins to describe the penetration of
a well thrown Samburu spear. You see, the penetration of most spears is
limited to the length of their spear head because the friction of their
wooden shafts entering the target quickly stops their forward progress. In
contrast the Samburu spear utilizes a short, thin spear blade attached to
a very long slender steel shaft. This design virtually eliminates the
momentum robbing friction of a wooden handle and allows the spear to take
maximum advantage of its overall weight and velocity.
Extreme Accuracy. The
Samburu spear can be thrown further with greater accuracy than any other
spear. One of the reasons for this is its fantastic length to weight
ratio. Weighing 2 lbs and measuring 7 feet in length allows it to be
thrown further with less physical effort without having to compensate as
much for the "rainbow" trajectory associated with shorter,
heavier spears. The unique, 3 piece construction of the Samburu spear also
contributes to its accuracy. You see, when properly thrown, the long steel
spear head and butt spike gently undulate up and down, keeping the spear
on course much like a modern rifle bullet spinning on its axis.
Hunting. We think our
Samburu spear could be described as the 300 Winchester Magnum of the spear
world. It can be used at long range, flies straight, has a flat
trajectory, hits hard and penetrates deep. And, just like the 300 Win Mag,
it can be used to take any animal in North America. Deer, bear, wild boar,
elk, moose and caribou can all be cleanly harvested by a well thrown
spear. However, just a word of caution: until you have actually witnessed
its fantastic killing power and penetration, be extra careful when hunting
with dogs as the Samburu spear, like a good broadhead from a powerful bow,
can easily pass through even a thick, stout target and exit with
unforeseen, lethal results.
Maintenance and Care. While
extremely lethal, the Samburu spear is rather thin and delicate. To
protect its thin spear blade from damage while practicing, we suggest you
follow the Samburu example and reverse your spear and throw it butt first.
Never deliberately throw your Samburu spear blade first into a wooden
target, stump or tree as it will require considerable time and careful
attention to extract it undamaged (just like a broadhead arrow does).
Instead, we suggest you use hay bales, and tightly bundled cardboard boxes
that have been flattened. These soft backstops will absorb hundreds of
throws and leave your spears undamaged.
We've made our Samburu spear as tough as possible,
however, they are rather delicate by nature. If you bend your spear shaft
or butt spike, it can be easily straightened in a vise or with a hammer.
The tough hickory handle of your spear will, like a tomahawk handle,
eventually break, so please be prepared to replace it.
