Blacksmithing plans - shield spike, counterweight and chainFollow

The plans for the shield spikes, iron counterweights and steel weapon chains are all dropped and thus cannot be purchased at any of the trainers. Iron shield spike and iron counterweight plans are the most commonly up for sale in the auction house, of the plans you want. The higher shield spikes as well as the steel weapon chains are rarely up. They probably get bought out very fast.

I was in the same situation you describe. For some reason, I really wanted the Iron Shield Spike plan and checked the AH regularly for about a week or so. As the other posting mentioned, the plans aren't at the AH often and when they are, they usually went for about 3-4 gold and sometimes as much as 10-12 gold. I finally bought the plan from a character who sent a Trade Channel message. Got it for 2 gold. You might try to send a WTB and get lucky. The story get even stranger after that. I checked for plans for the counterweight using the "Iron" filter at the AH the next day, The spike plan was there for a 40 silver buyout! A few days later, I went to Gnomeregan and picked up 2 of them as drops

ok, i picked up my IRON sheild spike in the mid 20's, been hunting for (mob and AH camping) for the mith sheild spike and the thorium (yes there are thorium spikes) ever since. I got my Mith sheild spike around when i was 52, so it takes awhile to either find them available or can afford them.

the thorium sheild spikes, i see the spike itself selling for 25-35g each. Only saw the plan on AH ONCE with a min bid of 150g and buyout of 500g.