>battle roman and medieval spears
It's unknown all the woods used for weapon shafts and but ash seems to have been the most common throughout European history - surviving fragments have been found in Roman spear sockets (another word for the
hasta actually means an ash tree), it is mentioned in Beowulf (8th c.) and a number of later mediaeval sources refer to it too. Types of oak were also used in mediaeval times for axes and shorter-hafted weapons (it can be a bit heavy to be practical for longer shafts but it was still used on halberds and other weapons of about that size) and other hardwoods are likely to have been used also, including hazel and sycamore.
Many weapons for the run-of-the-mill warrior would likely have been unfinished for economic reasons so a matt, pale-coloured appearance would be common I think which means the wood would easily get grimy where handled. Normally wood is fairly matt and in smaller scales in particular there's not really much point in trying to emulate a very subtle sheen; you can also contrast the matter areas with the dirtied portions, which naturally develop a little shine. This means that the wood would be pale, not dark brown or nearly black as is often seen in illustrations and although I prefer the way darker wood looks on a model the pale colour contrasts with the black or dark steel of the head nicely and you do become accustomed to it over time.
Since we're mostly dealing with the natural colours of woods here are some references (warning: lots of pics), ash:
http://hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/ash.htm
Oak:
http://hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpic...ish%20brown.htm
http://hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/oak,%20red.htm
http://hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/oak,%20white.htm
For higher-status weapons some sort of protective finish could easily have been applied, at the simplest this could be one or two coats of a drying oil - linseed being most likely since it comes from the same plant that produces linen, which was widely grown - and there are primitive varnishes documented as early as the 11th century. The Romans I'm sure had varnishes as well, you'd have to check to be sure, but I doubt normally they would have bothered to finish mass-produced legion weapons (although the legionaries themselves might have done this on an individual basis).
At the very least oiling, varnishing or waxing would give a 'richer' colour (I'm sure you know what varnished wood looks like
) as well as providing some gloss. Do remember though that some types of weapons would be expected to be lost in combat so why waste time finishing them? Some colouring could have been used too - especially for those that were not considered expendable (any thrown weapon) or easily damaged in battle (e.g. pikes) - so warhammers, axes and other weapons used by a warrior elite or the nobility could have been dyed and varnished, even painted.
For 1/32 scale you can certainly get away without painting grain on most woods used for weapons - if you examine it from an appropriate distance you often can't see
any grain, e.g.
here and
here. I still like to suggest a little - subtly, so that you can't easily see it from more than arm's distance.
These look like they are finished and as you can see this enhances the grain.
I usually start with a pale creamy-yellow colour (mostly white, with some ochre and maybe a touch of a red earth like Burnt Sienna), then mix a darker version of this to do the grain. Dents/chips I then do with near-white and a very dark brown. For the grimy areas where the wood is normally handled in acrylics I build up the effect in layers with thin coats of light and medium browns and then switch to a dark grey to complete the right look.
>18/19th century firearms battleground and parade ground.
Now these were definitely oiled or varnished, and could have been dyed also; depending on the wood used and the finish applied these could be quite glossy. Underpainting with a medium brown colour, then lightly suggesting the grain thinly and carefully using a darker brown or black, followed by a light coat of a semi-gloss finish usually gives a good result. Sometimes I build the colour up over a paler underpainting and black graining in translucent glazes. Obviously for the larger scales you'd need to pay more attention to the detail and finesse with which the grain is applied.
I think it's a good idea to use photographs of period pieces and good-quality reproductions to work from for maximum realism. Do also remember that wood tends to darken with age, so many surviving weapons are a lot darker than when they were new and reproductions usually seek to mimic this.
http://www.weaponplace.ru/brbess1.gif
http://www.weaponplace.ru/brbess4.jpg
http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/revw...an_MORR2208.jpg
http://www.familyheritage.ca/Images/Heirlo...20close-up1.jpg
http://www.engerisser.de/Bewaffnung/weapons/Firearms.html
http://www.aurorahistoryboutique.com/products/C000070_L.jpg
http://www.aurorahistoryboutique.com/products/C000075_L.jpg
http://www.vintagearms.com/Photos/images/Image1.jpg
Sporting and hunting guns, and guns made for the gentry generally, often use beautiful woods that were highly figured:
http://www.armchairgunshow.com/images/Blunderbus-4.jpg
http://www.armchairgunshow.com/images/MF-WM-3.jpg
http://www.armchairgunshow.com/images/MF-WM-5.jpg
http://www.tomharrisauctions.com/Neska%20E...e/MVC-902S1.JPG
http://pictures.auctionarms.com/6206110137...130b307e4d9.jpg
http://www.vintagearms.com/Photos/images/Image10.jpg
http://www.vintagearms.com/Photos/pages/Cheek.htm
http://www.vintagearms.com/Photos/pages/Yeager.htm
Just to illustrate the difference between finished and unfinished stock woods:
http://www.possibleshop.com/images-gunkit/15-550-kit.jpg
http://www.possibleshop.com/lymanimages/53-524089.jpg
And for a laugh,
not your granddaddy's flintlock :lol:
Einion
