Product review: Lord of Battles forged medium spearhead

Spearheads are a dime a dozen on the reenactor market, but it's strangely difficult to find one that's quite right for our time period.  The vast majority are either too large, the wrong shape, or very expensive.  In fact, India-based manufacturer Lord of Battles' forged medium spearhead is the only one I've found in its price bracket that looks approximately right (though if you have another example, I'd be much obliged if you'd let me know!).

Judging by the finds from Deve Hüyük and elsewhere, the typical Achaemenid spearhead should be relatively small (usually less than a foot long counting the socket) and have narrow kite- or leaf-shaped blades with diamond cross sections, preferably but not always with a mid-rib.  I know of only two whose weights are published, at 196g/6.91oz. and 139.2g/4.91oz.  They may have weighed more before corrosion, but I would imagine the upper weight should be well under 300 grams or 11 ounces for an average-sized spearhead.

Lord of Battles' low prices are presumably a result of lower labor costs than in Western countries, loose manufacturing tolerances (i.e. the company will accept more pieces from workshop[s] despite pieces not being exactly what they should be) and rough finish (less labor required in absolute terms).  I say all this to explain why I think this spearhead is the way it is.

I bought mine through Kult of Athena, who list it at 11.5 inches overall, blade 6.5 inches, socket about 1 inch on the inside, weight 6.7 ounces.  The measurements of the one I received are 11.75 inches overall, blade 7.125 inches, socket 1 inch on the inside, weight almost 11 ounces.  The blade also appears to be wider and more sharply tapered.  Mine also lacks the advertised rivet hole to help attach it to the spear shaft, and the socket isn't quite circular.  Combining all this with fact that one edge is visibly concave and the centerline is curved, I'm left with a poor impression of Lord of Battles' quality control.

The size differences are minor and the asymmetrical appearance might be considered forgivable considering how cheap the spearhead is, but the weight difference (at least for someone like me) is pretty significant.  We are talking about something you affix to the end of a 6+ foot handle and wave around in one hand.  The edges are pretty thick and the point is squared-off, so thinning and slight re-profiling with an angle grinder or belt sander might noticeably improve it.  (In fact, while parts of the spearhead may indeed be forged, I suspect the blade was shaped largely by grinding to begin with.  The fact that it has a rough-ground finish doesn't help that impression.)  At this price, someone who is set up for that kind of work already might consider it a bargain, and aftermarket finishing would certainly improve its appearance.