07-11-2004, 07:27 PM
Ave Crispus,<br>
<br>
It sounds as though you have never actually killed<br>
with a gladius. (That got everyone's attention )<br>
<br>
Yep, I grew up being told that the fuller, or groove,<br>
in the spine of a sword/dagger-blade was indeed a<br>
'blood-channel', to prevent suction on withdrawing<br>
after a strike, as well.<br>
<br>
But then, on reading Ewart Oakshott's 'The Archae-<br>
ology of Weapons', he specifically explodes that<br>
myth. It seems that 'blood-channels' are one of<br>
those things that become accepted in folklore by<br>
repetition. It's the kind of thing that Mike Bishop<br>
would call a factoid.<br>
<br>
Oakshott says their real function was twofold:<br>
<br>
Firstly, the fuller effectively reduces the cross-<br>
section of the blade (in a non-functional place, ie<br>
the spine) without affecting the thickness of either<br>
the cutting-edges or the point. This then reduces<br>
the weight of the blade, making it easier to swing<br>
all day, while not detracting from its ability in either<br>
cutting or thrusting.<br>
<br>
Secondly, it adds lateral strength to the blade,<br>
since the fuller, or groove, acts like the corrugation<br>
in sheet steel. Counter-intuitively, making the blade<br>
thinner in its centre section actually helps to stop it<br>
from bending under stress!<br>
<br>
I'd forgotten reading about that, but I was just<br>
reminded of it by watching a documentary about the<br>
history of swords by Mike Loades, the instructor in<br>
the use of ancient/medieval weapons. He made<br>
exactly the same point about the 'blood-channels',<br>
while testing different types of swords.<br>
<br>
I can see the raised midribs on pugios (and bronze-<br>
age rapiers) fulfilling the same function of adding<br>
stiffness to the blade. Though this would also have<br>
the effect of _adding_ weight to the blade, rather<br>
than removing it, of course. But as pugios and B.A.<br>
rapiers are short, this would not present a problem.<br>
<br>
Since the gladius was primarily a stabbing blade,<br>
and didn't carry a fuller, then suction on withdrawal<br>
(if you'll pardon the expression) doesn't seem to<br>
have been a problem. That's why I imagine that the<br>
addition of midribs to pugios - or to the tip of that beautiful Pompeii gladius in the Guttman collection -<br>
was for a specific reason. Possibly for attacking<br>
mail-wearing opponents rather than unarmoured<br>
ones, who might be dealt with using a plain diamond<br>
cross-section or ogival blade.<br>
<br>
Salve, Ambrosius <p></p><i></i>
<br>
It sounds as though you have never actually killed<br>
with a gladius. (That got everyone's attention )<br>
<br>
Yep, I grew up being told that the fuller, or groove,<br>
in the spine of a sword/dagger-blade was indeed a<br>
'blood-channel', to prevent suction on withdrawing<br>
after a strike, as well.<br>
<br>
But then, on reading Ewart Oakshott's 'The Archae-<br>
ology of Weapons', he specifically explodes that<br>
myth. It seems that 'blood-channels' are one of<br>
those things that become accepted in folklore by<br>
repetition. It's the kind of thing that Mike Bishop<br>
would call a factoid.<br>
<br>
Oakshott says their real function was twofold:<br>
<br>
Firstly, the fuller effectively reduces the cross-<br>
section of the blade (in a non-functional place, ie<br>
the spine) without affecting the thickness of either<br>
the cutting-edges or the point. This then reduces<br>
the weight of the blade, making it easier to swing<br>
all day, while not detracting from its ability in either<br>
cutting or thrusting.<br>
<br>
Secondly, it adds lateral strength to the blade,<br>
since the fuller, or groove, acts like the corrugation<br>
in sheet steel. Counter-intuitively, making the blade<br>
thinner in its centre section actually helps to stop it<br>
from bending under stress!<br>
<br>
I'd forgotten reading about that, but I was just<br>
reminded of it by watching a documentary about the<br>
history of swords by Mike Loades, the instructor in<br>
the use of ancient/medieval weapons. He made<br>
exactly the same point about the 'blood-channels',<br>
while testing different types of swords.<br>
<br>
I can see the raised midribs on pugios (and bronze-<br>
age rapiers) fulfilling the same function of adding<br>
stiffness to the blade. Though this would also have<br>
the effect of _adding_ weight to the blade, rather<br>
than removing it, of course. But as pugios and B.A.<br>
rapiers are short, this would not present a problem.<br>
<br>
Since the gladius was primarily a stabbing blade,<br>
and didn't carry a fuller, then suction on withdrawal<br>
(if you'll pardon the expression) doesn't seem to<br>
have been a problem. That's why I imagine that the<br>
addition of midribs to pugios - or to the tip of that beautiful Pompeii gladius in the Guttman collection -<br>
was for a specific reason. Possibly for attacking<br>
mail-wearing opponents rather than unarmoured<br>
ones, who might be dealt with using a plain diamond<br>
cross-section or ogival blade.<br>
<br>
Salve, Ambrosius <p></p><i></i>
"Feel the fire in your bones."
