During the Republic, each legionary carried two pila, one light and one heavy. Most illustrations of Imperial legionaries show only one pilum, but a few show two, both tanged and apparently identical. At right is the point, roughly full size. These are literally made of junk, steel rods and broom or tool handles pulled out of trash piles. Mind you, we keep these stowed away until we need them, using our good pila for showing to the public.
Construction is very simple.
Drill a little hole through wood and metal a few inches down from the top of the shaft, and drive a small nail through to hold them together. Cut a half-inch wide band off a piece of steel pipe or conduit and rap it down tightly over the top of the wood, to keep it from splitting too easily. Then you will have a pilum which will not be afraid to throw and break, but which will not embarrass you by its appearance. Adding a buttspike will add to its authenticity, but we leave the butts rounded because we usually throw the pila and then charge over and through them, and those whose points are stuck in the ground could be hazardous.