Inexpensive Kopis/Xiphos option?

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

Cgristian,i think you were talking only about kopides/machaires when you talked about no guards and no pommels?
This is correct. And i have seen at least one such example from the period you like. One that it used to belong to John Piscopo and that he had posted about in the sword forum. Very nice lines in that sword. And i liked the almost non existent guard and pommel

I agree we need many more swords. I ordered this sword for personal use,but in any case it's beneficial to make it available for many re-enactors. I am willing to help developping other kinds of swords,though i'm not sure anyone would make one if they didn't have an order first. So perhaps you can order many of them through your group,and then we can develop different types. Of course i have to see the quality first,since i haven't see the sample yet. DSC told me the blade was ready and they would go for the grip,and that i would have photos soon,but i didn't get any yet. We have overloaded them i think! The sandals are also in production.

However,Christian,this sword i opted for is made in one of the most popular ways that lasted for quite some time from early fifth to early fouth century at least. I can't have exact date for the earliest one i have seen,could even be late 6th century. The latest ones are the ones from Vergina and Derveni.
What does this mean? That if one ordered from the same manufacturer it would be nice to ask for different shape of blade or different kinds of pommels. There were hemispherical pommels as well as cylindrical. They should ask for different grip matterials,like bone or wood. I would even ask a different kind of wood just to make my sword a bit different than the next. I would ask for thicker,longer or shorter guard(this will be iron). Even different decoration. At last there were different kinds of blades with different midribs or no midribs.

Trying to help individuality developing helmets with another indian manufacturer,i gave much info on a specific chalkidean helmet,and then i provided photos of many other cheek guards that would fit in that same helmet,and the manufacturer was willing to give that option to customers. Also i tried to give them the option of nose guard or not and especially ear holes or not. Lets see how this project will go. After all i'm just givving advice in them.

Anyway the point is that the last period there is great development in greek re-enacting equipmnet and this may work as a circle: Better equipment-more re-enactors-more orders-more manufacturers-better products/quality/variety

Khairete
Giannis