Hey everyone, this is my first time starting a topic, sorry if I break any traditions... :-? I am showing you a project I've been working on for about a year now. Whenever I get free time, I work on it some more. I did a LOT of time researching, looking at examples. But I found it very hard to find authentic examples. I found that one other Gladius Hispaniensis post on here was very helpful, thus I made one alike Here's some pics, let me know what your expert eye thinks! Homemade, handmade, a couple power tools used for metal work... anyway, enough...
[attachment=1315]GladiusPictures001.jpg[/attachment]
I still need to leather the scabbard, brass or another suggested metal accents, and tap a pommel onto it. I want it to look authentic and kinda need some tips, I'm sure the swords during the Roman times weren't near perfect..so I shouldn't worry too much about making it look machine made! I have the leather, a deep blood red :-D
I need to round off the pommel, decrease it's over all size, and the handle was a pain in the butt to make. Lol...I didn't have much help at all doing it, just from my dad who supplied me with the tools Getting measurements right was tough :???: Make or break, can't replace what's filed away :mad: Thank you!
Also, I am looking at making a shield soon! It needs to be artistic....nice looking, but authentic and not modern at all. I want it to be from the same time period as my sword. I'm not sure what I prefer tho hock: ummmm a nice beautiful republican...orrr a 1st century...idk if that would match my sword lol.
If you are planning to make a shield, do not try to copy the shield I borrowed for my third century presentation, as the design is from Dura and is far too late for a first century AD impression. You would be better to look at the Arch of Orange, the Mainz column bases and the stelae of Gnaeus Musius, Gaius Castricius Victor and Valerius Crispus, all of which show legionary shield blazons. It would be worth thinking about which unit you wish to represent. If you wanted to represent an auxiliary soldier then you would want to make a clipeius type shield (which would be much easier to do than a curved scutum). First century blazons for auxiliaries are even harder to come by than legionary blazons and so your best bets for that would probably be either to choose one from Trajan's column or copy a blazon used by an existing auxiliary re-enactment group (with their permission of course).
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
Thank you sooo much. This is awesome! I really like the bone handle! My handle isn't finished as I stated in earlier comments, and the metal work I'm dreading too! hock: It will be fun tho! and I'm not too sure about making it too decorative either. possible like yours. I wonder if they used such elaborate metal work for the scabbard. Plus, brass is so brittle! I just brought a brazer/welder, and we're going to buy some brazing rods! Bronze too! Brass, aluminium....not sure. Would be nice to find sheet bronze, not likely though. I have a local metal yard, but he's kinda basic, brass, maybe bronze, steel. I might buy a metal rod from him for my pilum and with my brazer, forge a head on the tip mile: that's too far ahead though. Right now I have to figure out how I'm going to sew this scabbard up!!! I'm no surgeon thanks though!!!
Most of the brass sheet I use comes in the form of 4"x10" sheets which are manufactured in various gauges by KS Engineering in Chicago USA and sold in hobby shops around the world. I think that you should be able to get hold of these fairly easily and the weight of the plate will be much more suitable than what you might find in a scrap yard. If you anneal the brass before you work it, it will not be brittle, although it will harden up as it is bent or hammered, meaning that you normally have to anneal it repeatedly to a red colour as you work. I use a cheap propane torch for this, as well as the vast majority of my soldering. For solder I just use the regular solder sold in hardware shops. You will need soldering flux as well.
For sewing the leather, have another look at how I sewed mine. Hopefully it should help. Remember to use linen thread (NOT cotton or nylon, which will be worn away by the leather) and make sure you wax it before you start to sew. I always use a 'back-stitch', where there is a needle on each end of the thread and the two needles are passed through each hole so the two ends of the thread cross over one another before being pulled tight. You should be able to see the two needles in the photos.
Regarding elaborate metalwork, the Romans did like their equipment to be highly decorated but the locket plate I chose was definitely one of the most challenging I could have attempted. Most other surviving Pompeii type locket plates would probably be quite challenging for you as well, but you might find one of the Valkenburg/Porto Novo group somewhat easier, these probably coming from a transitional type of scabbard which bridged the Mainz and Pompeii types. I have illustrated all the examples of this group which I am aware of here: http://www.romanarmy.net/scabbard.htm
I hope this helps.
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
Praefectus Crispvs!! I appreciate your speedy reply, though I didn't read it in time before I started sewing... I think it looks ok so far, but I much prefer your criss-cross idea. I am using linen, and I cheated a bit by using a sewing machine to pre punch the holes for me. I then used a needle and my linen thread to try and get it done... I will have to glue the beginning and it's a little slacky, but the rest will be a nice tight fit. My dad has helped me on this, getting to know the machine, and how to start off stitching, really not much to it, though I keep losing my thread out my needle :oops: :evil: uh, here's a pic of the progress!
I love your metal work! I find making the gutters being a little flimsy, so I will do that when I'm in a patient mood :oops: I'll try simple and nice, with little decorations punched in, and some cutting, as I think the leather would look great with the brass 8-) Your re enactment page looks interesting, I'll surely take a better look later when I come to that stage, thanks again mile:
Here's some pics, let me know what your expert eye thinks! Homemade, handmade, a couple power tools used for metal work... 
anyway, enough...
hock: ummmm a nice beautiful republican...orrr a 1st century...idk if that would match my sword lol.
