I have a spike installed on all my wood guns. I'm sure everyone here knows what it's for but just in case not, the bottom part of this post is a copy of a post I did on SB. The premise of that post was that the spikes are uncessarily long. Since then I changed the way I have the spike installed. I don't use a slot in the muzzle of my guns to insert the bands and as such the muzzle is solid. I put a threaded SS insert in the front of the muzzle into which I screw a 2" spike that I made out of an old shaft by threading one end and sharpening the other.

I shot a cuda yesterday that made some nice escape runs. The difference was that I was in shallow water messing around without a float and line. When I have a float I usually let go of the gun and play the cuda from a distance until I know it is spent. I couldn't do this yesterday and consequently was rather quick in trying to handle it before it was spent. I did this by grabbing the mono to bring the fish closer to me. That's when the fish made another run and the mono started slipping through my hands. As it was going through my hands I had a mental image of the speargun getting closer and then "the spike" but it was too late. I got spiked :) in the left arm. I must've tightened up on the mono instinctively because I stopped the cuda's run, I don't think it was my skin that stopped it as the spike didn't perforate it completely. I imagine it could have been much worse had it been a stronger fish and had it got me in the head.

I'm not sure at this point how I'm going to rectify this problem. I may put a cap on the spike and keep it there until the moment I need to use it.I want to talk about what is known as a "kill spike" although I just call it a spike because I don't foresee ever killing anything with it. Here is a picture of one on one of my guns. I made it from a Ray Odor "kill spike" by cutting off some of the plate, drilling an extra hole and shortening the shaft. If you give Ray the specs I think he'll make one like it, otherwise it will not fit a Riffe speargun.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s170/da4095/Spike.jpg

This is what the spike looked like originally:

http://aycu12.webshots.com/image/15691/2005916601356633924_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005916601356633924)

I think a spike on a speargun in south Florida waters is very important. I put it on all my guns. Recently I modified one of my guns and it became a problem to put one on it. This made me consider very carefully where I can connect the spike to the speargun and consequently how long and robust it has to be. These are my thoughts.

1. Like I said a spike is essential. Sharks show up when the shaft is stuck in a fish. This is a time when a diver is vulnerable as his speargun is little more than a wooden stick. At the least the spike can be used to drive the shark away from the fish on the spear. In the worst case a diver can defend himself from a rushing shark or give an inquisitive one a reason to beware.
2. I can't see another use for the spike, I have never even considered dispatching a fish with it.
3. No matter how long or sharp a spike is you will NEVER be able to kill a free swimming shark with it, these are the sharks we're concerned about. My experience is that shark skin is very tough yet very sensitive. The sharks react to the poke instantly not giving the tip a chance to sink in.
4. If the spike were able to sink in deep it would not reach any vital organs and it would not hurt the shark any more seriously but it would increases the possibility of the shark ripping the speargun out of your hand.

I remember reading an old book where divers would make a shark stick from a wooden dowel by nailing an upside down beer cap to the tip of it. I am thinking that for it's intended use the spike doesn't have to be long at all, it need not protrude more than half an inch in front of the speargun muzzle. In my case it also has to be long enough to accommodate a slip-on powerhead, a length of 1.5".

http://aycu24.webshots.com/image/15343/2005556822048718945_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2005556822048718945)

You got any more of those laying around?

Or how could I make one?

Which are you interested in, the one with the plate that screws to the stock from the side or the threaded insert?

Looks good, I am surprised you need a PH and a Kill Spike for those 12" hogs, they must be mean SOB's. ;)

Which are you interested in, the one with the plate that screws to the stock from the side or the threaded insert?

I think the screw in would be easier for me to install.


BG, that's funny:whip:

The second picture is off of Ray Odor's web site and he makes and sells three different styles.

If you were using a hawaiian breakaway, the self-spiking would have been abated. I think that most of the gulf coasters that have kill spikes are also freeshafting - there is no connection between the gun and the fish. So, you may just want to try a hawaiian breakaway when freediving - this also comes in handy with the sharks because you have a gun in your hand with the fish fighting the floatline/float.

There's a lot that could be said about current hogfish management...

can you post some pictures of the kill spikes you want to sell and how much you want for them?

Thanks,

Bret

Got pic of those from Ray?

I think the screw in would be easier for me to install.This is a pic of the spike with 1/4" threading. Here's where I bought the threaded inserts http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/3606-SRT/14-20-Stainless-Steel-Threaded-Inserts

Kolt, I think I'm the only one of the freedivers that I know here that went to the trouble of installing a spike. The good thing about the new way I do it is that it doesn't add much weight to the gun, the other spike makes it quite nose heavy. Usually the fish we get here do not require a breakaway setup, that may change as we start exploring offshore.

If anyone's interested I got a couple of the spikes with the plate (Ray's) that I'd like to sell. They are made to fit Riffe spearguns.

can you post some pictures of the kill spikes you want to sell and how much you want for them?

Thanks,

BretI bought them from Ray for $25 so $15 seems reasonable. One is what you see in the first pic of my gun, it is a 5/16. I shortened it somewhat and put a flat area near the tip, it's very clean and looks pretty. The second is exactly the same but a little longer and is a 9/32, it doesn't have a flat area near the tip.

funny this is the setup my brother had for his powerhead he had it screwed onto a spike shot a grouper dove into the hole to retrieve it and kicked his gun and the powerhead went off putting a 3"x2" hole in his foot.

funny this is the setup my brother had for his powerhead he had it screwed onto a spike shot a grouper dove into the hole to retrieve it and kicked his gun and the powerhead went off putting a 3"x2" hole in his foot.

how is he doing?

Matt, sorry to hear about your brother, it could've been much worse. I never swim with the PH on the spike. I only put it on when I have a shark encounter.

The solution to your problem is simple, dull the tip a little. With your big manly Pargo Amargo shoulders, you should have no trouble slamming (which is how hard you have to/need to weild the spike) the spike into a fishes skull. I recently used my dull ass killspike to brain a 40lb AJ that I powerheaded (I don't dive with a knife) that was whipping my ass, with one hand in the fishes gills and the other slowly driving and twisting the killspike into it's head. As long as you swing the spike hard, it'll still do it's job. Fish are soft bro. ;)

Mega, I only have it to bump aways sharks, that's why I can have it so short. Dulling the tip will help somewhat although to deploy the PH it still needs to be pointy. Unpleasant if it gets you in the head regardless..

Mega, I only have it to bump aways sharks, that's why I can have it so short. Dulling the tip will help somewhat although to deploy the PH it still needs to be pointy. Unpleasant if it gets you in the head regardless..

I gotcha on the head shot. I figured a duller point the shaft tip would give you a greater surface area to strike the primer with. When you shoot a PPD on a shaft, the primer gets completely pulverized anyway, whether or not the tip is sharp shouldn't matter too much I'd think. It's whatever works bro, I just thought you might look a little silly with the plastic shaft tip protector on your killspike while diving. ;) Good luck with the 13' hogs.

how is he doing?

Hes fine it happened years ago but I tell people this story to put how easy it is to come out on the wrong side of a powerhead