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Salve fellow Ratters!
I am making a thread on the reconstruction of a Pompeii type gladius. I will state now that it was requested of me to make for someone, and that I am using several sources for historically accurate details and designs.
This is a thread that I would like people to learn from as it is a wonderful experience to gain making such gear. All comments and advice are welcome!!!
I apologize that I do not have any pictures of the making of the hilt. I also have earlier pictures of the cutting of the sword, though that's a little self explanatory. I am using stock removal as I am deprived of a forge, and that my neighbors would probably chomp my head off.
I would like to ask the following :
- how sharp is a blade respectfully supposed to be? It is at 1 mm as of now.
- Which hardwoods are accurate? As you can see I am using oak.
Enjoy,
Samuel
Samuel J.
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Hey Samuel… is the Pompeii Reconstruction you are doing… an Al-Hamdd blade or a different company? Dave has opened a thread here of his reworking two Al-Hamdd blades. One he turned into a "Guttman Collection" Pompeii and the other he turned into a Fulham blade.
You can ask him questions about his process… He learn a lot from doing the Pompeii. Basically what he had to work with was pretty much a hunk of steel with a tang cut into it. But he created beauty from ashes…. The blades were overweight, unbalanced… and one weighed 3 times more then the other. The "Crowbar" he called it, nearly had enough steel to make 2 swords. That is the one he made into the Fulham blade.
I think he learned that it would have been much easier to forge out a completely new blade then to rework what he had to work with. On the other hand, she had warts… LOL On the other hand, if those Al-Hamdd blades hadn't been oversized and overweight… there wouldn't have been enough stock to make something decent.
--Patrick
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I had no idea what I was getting myself into wit those :-o had never seen one and thought, how overweight can they be lol
They turned out well though, makes me want a Pompeii type now!
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I am going to post my photos on facebook...
Samuel J.
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Sam, do you use stock removal or do you forge your blades?
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Try finding a bench grinder with a belt sander attatchment, this will save you MUCH time with hand sanding.
They are inexpensive and, will save alot of hand work. Next best thing to a beltgrinder for finnishing up a blade.
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Sorry I probably should have uploaded pictures of my tools, oh wait I can't :x
I use a belt sander hand tool ( may get the table one eventually) 4-1/2" sanding disk, wet'n'dry, and a bit on the buffing machine.
Samuel J.
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Okay so I just uploaded a picture of my previous sword, the picture was taken with a Nikon camera, the other photo's were taken with an apple device. But they appear as the same type of file and details, so I don't know. I will get a new battery for my camera and take a picture of the pictures... :grin:
Samuel J.
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Well done Sam!
I do recomend the table mounted sander, for me at least it helps to be able to move the blade around the tool rather than the tool around the blade.
I forge though, because I can and just don't enjoy grinding, not that I have anything against stock removal.
Just against stock removal for me :-)
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Thanks Dave,
I know what you mean I have realized it would be easier.
Would you mind explaining to me the forging facility you have and use? One guy told me how you need a 2,000 lb anvil. ..
Samuel J.
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Quote:you need a 2,000 lb anvil
Wow! those things must weigh a TON!
illy: :grin:
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.