Brass work for Gladius in process.

[Crispvs]

Very nice work Sam!

Regarding the attachment of the chape, we actually do not know how the Romans attached their chapes. Many modern reconstructions use the simple expedient of replacing the rivets which attach the bracing plate at the back with small nails which are driven into the scabbard body. The Romans did not do this however and where nails are often used on reconstructions, rivets were used on the originals. The best guess therefore, is that they were simply glued on. This is what I did with mine and it seems to be working very well.

On the matter of the belt plates, sorry to hear that your first attempt did not go well. As a further suggestion, try using a smaller inner ring. The one I saw in the photo you posted up seemed to rest on top of the outer ring rather than fully inside it. This may or may not solve your problem but it is certainly worth trying before you go to the trouble of making a one piece former (which will take time, believe me).

Crispvs