Out to Catch the Big One: UK Spearfishing Hobbyist Makes 3D Printed Speargun & Components

When it comes to doing serious fishing, there’s no denying that you need serious experience, skills–and most importantly–tools. All it takes is experiencing ‘the big one that got away’ for you to learn your lesson when it comes to using ill-fitting or inferior gear for the job, which in this context is spearfishing.

As we all know, losing that fish or watching someone else do so is just a bad scene all around, and it’s a feeling that lingers in the air for quite some time. Several of those fish that got away might actually even be conversation points for years; and if you are an avid angler–you know exactly what we mean. We humans are already at a great disadvantage when it comes to getting in and going after our prey in their underwater habitat.

And while you may think you are ready to enjoy what seems like a fun and simple combination of diving and fishing, the pros will tell you it’s always crucial to be organized and prepared with tools that fit you as perfectly as possible before diving into the thrill of the hunt, literally, where you will be trying to hold onto your ‘weapon,’ aim, and shoot–all while enduring the challenge of water.

Many options come with the speargun, whether you want to use a band or pneumatic gun, which size, how to avoid noise, as well as choosing spear tips depending on where you are fishing, and for what. While traditionally you can customize your gun in terms of shopping for components and assembling them, what if you could actually digitally design and customize all the parts yourself, saving money and time–and ultimately, catching more fish? This is the concept that Artiz, of the UK, spent some time considering as he embarked on bringing 3D printing technology to the more extreme world of fishing.

Previously, my son (who is an experienced spearfishing enthusiast from the Florida Keys) and I were watching the proof of concept video by Artiz, in regards to his 3D printed spear handle, for which he prepared a proof of concept design that was fabricated on an Ultimaker 3D printer over 34 hours, using ABS. Putting special focus on the most important element really, Artiz produced a fully customizable piece that allows you to ensure your own strong grip. After all, if you can’t keep a strong hold on the gun in the water, all is lost.

As I remarked on the intelligence of his design, my son’s comment was quite simply that the handle was a great idea, but he’d like to see a 3D printed speargun too, because that’s where so many of the complexities arise and where he would enjoy seeing more latitude and flexibility in design.

Apparently, the experienced 3D printing hobbyist and maker’s ears were burning because he has indeed created the main portion in 3D print now, with a proof of concept presented after making a Carbon Cobra 3D printed metal prototype using ColorFabb XT-CF20 (20% carbon filament), boasting a 3D scanned handle, metal trigger mechanism, and roller muzzle. He has also just produced the Carbon Cobra 2 model, which is a solid design, rather than the X-ray composition.

A maker in the UK, Artiz has designed numerous innovative 3D printed pieces besides the spear handle such as the roller component, roller muzzle, and other speargun models, all shared on his YouTube channel. We’ll follow as he keeps building his library–and it’s a sure bet that spearfishing aficionados would love to be able to take on fabricating and customizing every one of the components that go with spearguns and spearfishing, making use of all the benefits that 3D printing offers.

What are your thoughts on this 3D printed gun?  Discuss in the 3D Printed Speargun forum thread on 3DPB.com.