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Gladius construction - Manius Acilius Italicus - 07-04-2012
[attachment=4543]P1010099.JPG[/attachment]
Here is a shot of the stage of my gladius I have been working on. The blade still needs to be polished and the tang is not (probably won't be) peened on the pommel, as I need it for use with a practice sword.
Manius Acilius Italicus
Re: Gladius constructioin - Titus Marius Secundus - 07-04-2012
Looking good, keep us posted!
Re: Gladius construction - Manius Acilius Italicus - 07-04-2012
Thanks for the input and I will definitely post the completion. My main point of posting at this point is to encourage other RAT member to attempt their own kits and see what really went into constructing one. Although I am very handy with tools, this sword and my helmet are the first attempts I have ever made at doing something like this and I have no major equipment. Some hard work and tenacity and anyone could do it.
Re: Gladius construction - Titus Marius Secundus - 07-04-2012
Hello Robert, thanks for that useful information! I live just south of Tampa area! I plan on doing my own electroplating though.
I hope these two links can help you finish your sword, such as your hopefully still-to-come scabbard!
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat.html?func=view&catid=20&id=268995
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat.html?func=view&catid=20&id=292971
It's worth reading all through!!! If you want to emboss the helmet's forehead band, I'm sure your could do it, or someone could for you. I am capable of things like that, but obviously you are too!!! Just make up a male and female and stamp it! As long as your stamping is accurate. I'd make a wide stamp as it involves less times stamping, meaning less variations of your angle. Uh, so good luck! Using copper rivets btw looks really nice and I believe is acceptable, so I suggest that idea!
Keep us posted. May I also ask, how did you make your forehead bar that is riveted at the sides, and looks like a visor? Did you forge of cast it? I need to make a replacement one and am gathering information...Regards, Sam
Re: Gladius construction - Manius Acilius Italicus - 07-04-2012
Sam, we live within about one hundred miles from each other. I am in north Citrus County. I have not yet found anyone who can or will emboss the brass ridge trim. I tried to do it freehand and messed up two pieces. I was looking for someone with a Pexto machine to roll it, but no luck so far.
I made the bar out of 1/4" mild steel plate and cut it out in the cresent shape, put the ends in the forge and flatten them out and then dressed it with a disc. It is tinned and polished and I am, overall, pleased with the way it came out.
I am more partial to brass rivets, even though I know the copper are much easier to peen. Just my preference.
If there is some way we could get together, I could help you with your bar if you could help me with my brass trim. Oh, I am also trying to make the brass rosettes for the rivets. I made a die to stamp them with, but would rather buy them already made. Do you have any sources for them?
Very happy to hear there are other RAT members close by and maybe even opportunities to form a reenactment group. I have academic training and experience in the movie business and even thinking about making a short film on a story I have for the Legion...if I could get enough kitted people to be interested. I have a large piece of property to film on.
Any info I can give, just ask.
Bob
Re: Gladius construction - Augustus Janus - 08-23-2012
Nice sword Robert! I'm almost embarrassed to put photos of mine on here. I need a workshop and some tools!!!
Re: Gladius construction - Manius Acilius Italicus - 08-25-2012
Sorry I'm so long in replying Jim, but things are getting hectic here in Florida. No, you don't need a workshop and a lot of tools. I went to the steel company and bought a blank band of steel about the width, length and thickness I wanted the blade and tang to be. Then I went to Harbor Freight and bought a 4" electric grinder with flapper discs and ground it down to the edges. I cut the tang with a 3" side cutter disc. One point to make here. There is a lot of heat when you grind and it will warp the blade, which mine did. I heated it over the forge and brought it back into straight on a tree...worked beautifully. The handle is made from Black Walnut in layers, which I sandwiched the brass (1/16" plate from a local scrap yard)and dress it down on my cheap, garage sale belt sander. Most of this was done in my small shed or garage or out in the open sky. You can temper it if you like, by digging a hole in the ground, filling it with barbeque charcoal and use an old hair dryer to force air through it. Heat the blade until a magnet will not stick to it, then let it cool. The next step is more critical, as you need to heat the blade to about 550 degrees F and then plunge it into an upright container of oil.
So see Jim, it's not the fancy shop or tools you need afterall. You can do it! It did take a lot of work, but the outcome was worth it.
Glad you liked my work and if I can be of assistance with yours, just let me know.
Re: Gladius construction - Augustus Janus - 08-27-2012
Appreciate the feedback Robert and the advice is especially helpful. I suppose I need a bit of experience then. Actually a couple of my swords look pretty nice using much the same method you used. The main thing I don't have is a forge. I have access to tool steel bar and plate easily as my company no longer allows us to use tool steel. Everything must be stainless. We have a small stock of tool steel sitting outdoors and rusting away. It is there for the taking basically.
One advantage to the US (I'm American living in Scotland)is that there are few laws restricting what you can make and how it must be made. Fortunately in the UK most of the Roman blades are still within the law since they tend to be straight and under 30 inches length.
Re: Gladius construction - Manius Acilius Italicus - 08-27-2012
That's a great opportunity for you to get your raw blanks. If I were you, I'd look through them and pick out the best a bring them home and after cleaning them up, store them out of the weather and further rusting.
You mentioned not having a forge. You could of course build a professional one, but I have learned that a very cheap simple one will do the job quite adequately. I have an old "chimenia" that I put a hole in the bottom for a lenth of steel pipe and used an old hair dryer to blow air into the coals. It heated up the steel beautifully and I was able to pound out the shape I needed.
I wish I could visit Scotland, the home of many of my ancestors. I lived in London for eight months up until three years ago and have relatives and friends up there in Scotland, but never got to visit. I wish I had taken the time. I can trace my ancestory back to James IV. But I'm also half Italian, so I guess there is a good chance my ancient ancestors were on opposite sides during the days of Rome.
Keep up the good work and keep in touch with your progress.
Re: Gladius construction - M. Demetrius - 08-28-2012
You can do the very same thing (making a simple forge) by starting with an old iron hibachi. The metal drills easily enough, and can be fitted with steel pipe parts from a hardware store. The open top and rectangular shape has great advantage.
Re: Gladius construction - Augustus Janus - 08-31-2012
Great ideas for forges guys. May have to do a long think on that and come up with something. Chimenias are easy enough to come by. Might need to wait till I retire lol.
We probably have some of the same ancestry Robert. Stron Italian ancestry as can be deduced by my last name. My grandmother was a Stewart (very Scottish), Harrison and sveral other identifiable regions. We Americans are a really mixed up lot of mongrels eh?
I was born in Mobile Alabama and moved to Scotland seven years ago. Gorgeous place here but I do miss real summer. What passes for summer here is whenever you can go outside without a coat.
Jim
Re: Gladius construction - Manius Acilius Italicus - 09-01-2012
All good info to know Jim. Very proud of my Stewart line heritage. Where are you at in Scotland? I have an old couple who are friends up on the north coast and a distant cousin in Glasgow. My dad was born and raised in Pensacola, so I know that area around Mobile quite well. I haven't worn my kilt in about ten years. I was surprised at how many I saw worn in London, but mine was still back in the states.
As for the forges, just one thing I want to say over and over again, "Proper Ventilation". Charcoal produces large amounts of carbon monoxide gas which can kill you in short order. No matter what kind of construction you chose, it should either be outside (sheltered of course)or with a power ventilator. There so much temptation to use small ones indoors without ventilation, which is a nono. Be safe always!
Keep warm and keep in touch.
Re: Gladius construction - Redguru - 09-01-2012
Mobile, AL looked a little like Scotland this week with all the rain she got. We got a visit from Isaac. Not so bad here in the Pensacola area, but Baldwin county and westward got bunches of rain.
Re: Gladius construction - Manius Acilius Italicus - 09-01-2012
I was wondering where you've been Joe. I've been watching for more pictures of your projects. I'm tempted to fire up the forge to do some of my brass work and start on the curiass, but then I step outside and say "nah!, not today, maybe tomorrow". Hope Mobile and Pensacola are drying out well.
Re: Gladius construction - Augustus Janus - 09-02-2012
Live in Dundee Robert. East coast on the Firth of Tay. I lived in Huntsville since the 60s and the start of the space program. Most of it is still based there though Houston tends to steal the limelight. Most of my family are in Baldwin County Joe (Daphne area) so yeah they did get a pounding. I think Katrina was one of the worst though and I remember Camille back in the 60s. That was pretty devastating. They lose the wharf every time but keep building it back as bait for the next one. My grandmother lived right on the bay and my uncle still lives in the house there. Pensacola not far away at all. Glad you guys got the edges of it not full force.
If I do a forge Robert it would have to be outdoors so ventilation wouldn't be an issue there.
Jim