Disclaimer #5: Do not cover the entire shaft of your javelin with tape. This is not necessary, adds dead weight, and the markings stamped on the side of the pipe need to be visible and readable by the inspecting Marshal. And, worst of all, if you coat your entire javelin with yellow duct tape it could possibly be mistaken for a ballista bolt and cause a terrible accident on the field.

So let’s get started. I have found that the most comfortable way to make javelins is to sit in your recliner with the footrest extended, and hold the javelin between your feet. Put on a good movie or music, make some nice espresso and find your cat(s) something else to do.

Materials you will need:

• One five foot straight length of 1” diameter 160 psi Siloflex-equivalent polyethylene pipe. Please refer to www.combat-archery.com for a list of equivalent brands approved for making javelins.
• One five foot straight length of 3/4” diameter 160 psi Siloflex-equivalent polyethylene pipe.
• PVC pipe cutters, or a hacksaw

• Size 6.5 white gum rubber stopper, available from home brewing stores.
• Vinyl sleeve “Trailer Ball Hider” available at auto parts store, which will hold to 2” diameter. (See the photo). Trim it to fit if necessary.
• 2” circles of blue camping mat or any good quality closed cell foam, you may cut with scissors or hot wire. You will need 3-5, depending on the thickness.
• 2” diameter leather disc (use scrap leather)
• 1” circle of blue camping mat foam.
• Fins (optional): patterns follow at end of article. One pair, short or long as you prefer.
• Leather punch (optional)
• Drill with small bit.
• 1” high quality monofilament strapping tape. Please buy the good stuff, Scotch 3M is highly recommended. If you buy cheap strapping tape you can save a few dimes at the cash register, but you will regret it later when the tape fails prematurely due to cheap adhesive and you have to restrap your whole javelin.
• Duct tape, red for the thrusting tip and then your choice of colors for the rest.
• Glue. Nothing really bonds Siloflex to Siloflex. However, the best found thus far is “Liquid Nails” brand contact cement. This is available at any home repair or hardware store in anything from small 1 oz tubes (all you need) to 5 gallon buckets.
• Tying material. I use 80 lb test braided fishing line doubled in a leather sewing needle: nice and fine and lies flat when tied, and have never had a problem. However, parachute cord or polypropylene line will work just as well.
• Blunt leather sewing needle. If you’re using braided fishing line you will be very happy to have this. If using parachute cord, etc, this is unnecessary.
• Single edge razor blade, or utility knife.
• Label, indelible marking pen and clear packing tape to cover your label.

Part One: Prepare the Javelin Shaft.

To put one pipe inside the other: Stand up. Find your 3/4” diameter pipe and with either the PVC pipe cutter or a hacksaw, trim off about a 1/2 to 1” piece of it to make room for the rubber stopper.	Then, place a very thin bead of the Liquid Nails contact cement around one end of the 3/4” pipe and slide it into the 1” diameter pipe.	The glue will entrain itself right down into the pipe as you push, but having a paper towel handy is a good idea.	Push till the ends at your end are equal.
Punch the holes for the stopper.	Flip the javelin shaft over. You’ll see that the shorter inner pipe is below the edge of the outer, as it should be. Take your leather punch or drill and punch/drill 6 equally spaced holes around the circumference of the outer pipe only. These will serve to tie your stopper in place. Make the diameter of your holes comparable to the size of the cord you are using to tie on the stopper/tie the pipes together.		Drill/tie the pipes together. Take your drill and drill 2 holes in a cross configuration just below the holes you punched, through both pipes .
If you’re using fishing line, a leather sewing needle makes it a quick task to push the line through and then tie the ends tightly together in a square knot.

Your javelin shaft is now ready.

Part 2: Make the Foam Thrusting Head:

Part 5: Install the Thrusting Tip:

Part 6: Duct Tape the Thrusting Tip Into Position:

Part 7. Install the Fins:

Part 8: Duct Tape the Fin Mounts:

You are done. Go out and learn to get good with throwing it.

Look here for fin patterns you can cut out and use.

The Author:
Ingilborg Sigmundardottir is an 11th century Norsewoman. Her husband died long ago on a campaign, and her fair daughter sailed away on a longship to be wedded to a brave Viking prince. She spends her crone years as an accomplished healer, birthing the babies of her village and tending wounded warriors of all types. She contemplates the White Christ, whose teachings she finds sensible and fascinating. She is known as a very accomplished archer, meadmaker, and Healer. She lives away from her village in the surrounding forest and is rarely seen among the villagers, but is intensely loyal to them and offers the services of her bow whenever her village is threatened. Her cottage is rich with plants of all types and she keeps the company of wolves, and the wiser of the villagers know that in times of extreme, she is quite capable of running with them whenever necessary.

Roberta Ashley is a 21st century Norsewoman, a very accomplished anesthetist who is all too often seen in the hallways of various healing institutions in the City of Angels, where she assists in the birthing of babies and the tending of wounded warriors of all types. She is an accomplished archer, meadmaker, and practices in her spare time a very ancient form of Eastern hands-on healing when it is needed. Her cottage in the more remote canyons of the San Gabriel Mountains is rich with plants of all types and she keeps the company of two rescued captive bred wolves, Cheyenne and Mai-Coh. The wiser of her colleagues know that in times of extreme, she is probably quite capable of running with them whenever necessary.