Salvete Omnes!
Here is my latest sword, a Fontilet spatha, if one follows Miks classification. However, he does not identify a Hispaniensis gladius and seems to lump three blade types together in the Fontilet. This type does stand out and would be just as easily be classed as a gladius. Oh well, whatever one calls it, it is a seriously wicked blade 62 cm long. The handle is boxwood, design based on the iconography in Miks, the dimensions extrapolated from a guardplate found on a sword of this type. Guardplate has been inlaid.
Hope you like it!
Robert, this is a wonderful sword! Who is the lucky owner of this piece, if I may ask? Don't have the Miks's book here, could it have been used by the legions of Caesar perhaps? Really nice indeed, the proportions oh the handle are perfect too...
Hello Robert,
That is an incredible piece of work. Its the best Republican sword I have seen. That hilt is really different, I take it that it comes from sculptural evidence......I think I have seen the design on sculpture.
What type of wood is it? It really sets the piece alight.
Again, congratulations on another fine piece. You are quite the sword smith.
Cheers
Thanks, guys :oops:
I must protest, as there are quite a few fellow swordmakers way up ahead. That 4th century patternwelded blade in the "5th century sword" thread has me struck with awe. Matt Lukes makes great swords, forgewelded and all. So for the present, I aspire only to make decent blades and equally decent handles.
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Virilis Could well be, this one is based on a blade dated early first century, but the Fontilet dates back past 50 BC (according to Miks)
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Doc It is seasoned boxwood from a 120 year old boxtree that graced the ornamental landscape garden of a Dutch estate, but died due to being replanted to an unsuitable environment. I was able to buy a log when it was removed by the caretaker. The colour is indeed very good, here is a closeup of the hilt after recieving its second coat of oil. You can see the fine lines of the yearrings. I quatercut the sections, as that is the best way to guard agains uneven shrinkage.
Ave, Robert,
One word as regards Your latest:.......WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Salve,
Vitruvius....aka Larry Mager
Very nice geometry! The most frustrating aspect of seeing a reconstruction of any gladius is poor geometry (in many cases), and here you nailed it. What is the steel? Did you just grind with stones or did you use anything else. Overall well done indeed!
Wonderful piece. What does it weigh?
@John Weight is 850 grams, blade and hilt together. The boxwood is pretty dense, so that has added some weight.
The blade was made to shape, ground with a rotary grinder, the surface was cleaned using a course beltsander and then the blade was finished on a large revolving sandstone which runs in water. Sharpening was done using a scythe bootshaped whetstone. Steel is monosteel medium carbon.
Really nice Tri-lobeate hilt on this sword Robert!
Who is it for? Really nice!
A collector from Italy who wants to remain unnamed :-) So sorry, no ID on this one. But I am planning to do more of this type, the shape appeals to me and the hilt did work out quite well. Really like working with the boxwood.