Brass work for Gladius in process.

[Titus Marius Secundus]

also, just try to imagine how small it really is. Drilling a hole is fine, but. Is it one of those things you just gotta do, even if you think it won't work? {>o<} I have faith in your example.

[Titus Marius Secundus]

I could use my rotary tool instead of a needle file,,,just might work.

[Titus Marius Secundus]

As long as the one picked is also suitable for the Fulham type. I am 99% sure my sword can resemble well a Fulham. I've been looking at some of the pictures, and it's hard finding Long Windsors and Vindonesians examples. I usually see Mainz types. I saw one good fulham scabbard with a Pompey style terminal knob. I used a cereal box to create gutters. I can roll the end pretty well together and will fit nicely in a gap drilled into the piece. I will work on the bridge piece that joins the gutters at the beginning of the angle, which also covers the horizontal stitches. Now a question, the gutters will have to bend at a curve, now I've seen gutters on a scuttum be bent around the curve, and this is nowhere near as extreme, but can I possibly shape the to a slight curve. On my way home today I will buy that piece. I will also look for a slightly thicker brass sheet, get that for the cross hangers if they have it.
Last question is directed to anyone, but specifically Magnus. Is it a BAD thing, the way my handle has been made. It isn't 100% authentic, even though any wood remains have long rotten away so we don't know for sure anyway, but any remarks are welcome. The description is on page three.

Sam

[Titus Marius Secundus]

So I got there on the way back home to buy the terminal knob ( promised to be solid brass) and some thicker brass for the cross hangers. I decided to go ahead and buy it as my own guess I needed thicker. I don't plan on giving any brass stripes ridges or anything fancy to add extra strength...here are some pics of what I bought. The terminal knob is slightly magnetic :neutral: and I scraped some, produced a nickle color, but I filed it and I can't see the nickle anymore. Seems to have magically turned solid brass on me :-o The area I filed is no longer magnetic. Maybe because filing it messed up the ions? or polarity? Also the factory hole is drilled too deep! If I file any further I will have a hole. I barely have broken through already :neutral: My dad says we'll make a mold tomorrow and in a couple days a cast piece, for sure solid brass, and able to file away the tip to make it look more like Crispvs's. Here's some pics :grin:

Sam

[Titus Marius Secundus]

now for this area. In pompey types you usually get a leaf thingy, but in Mainz, I'm not sure. I've seen some fancy stuff. Any idea within my own craftsmanship?

Sam

P.S I got bored sorry :oops:

[Titus Marius Secundus]

Hey, sorry for not having any updates, biology calls...
So I was looking around at some old threads and I stumbled across two amazing links in which have the rightfulness to be re posted! Here...VERY INTERESTING and helped me with my troubling doubts about how bad my sword really is :neutral: I still am reallllly tempted to make another sword, I loved the grinding process, watching the shape take part awwwww :-o Here.. :-x www.armae.com/Actualitesetmanuels/Mainz/Mainz.htm and http://www.roma-victrix.com/armamentariu...smainz.htm
Have fun reading and looking guys. It's some amazing work! Recreational and original!

I am making the cast tonight after my work was done, and will cast it tomorrow, or next day. See how busy tomorrow is. In one of the pics in the links you'll see the style chape I'm using for my scabbard, which is historically correct. I'm trying the best I can. I will be cutting out the lower chape pieces soon, maybe tonight. "Measure twice, cut once! " If you that bad, measure quadruple to double :roll: ...and maybe cut twice. :wink:

Sam

[Titus Marius Secundus]

question :oops:

[Crispvs]

As you have made a copy of the Valkenburg locket, which appears to be in most respects to be similar to the Long Windsor plate, I would stick with the shape and dimensions suggested by the remains of the Long Windsor chape, which I posted a drawing of earlier in the thread. It appears to be a Pompeii type chape, not a Mainz type.

Crispvs

[Titus Marius Secundus]

kk thank you thank you thank you. :lol:

[Titus Marius Secundus]

OK so Crispvs, I know there are thousands of recreated chapes out there, but I just decided to be artistic :roll: here are the before and after recreations of this specific chape. I'll cast the terminal knob hopefully when I get home after some biology, and work on a table I'm building. I'll post some pics of that on an off-topic thread. A work table for a future segmentata of the sort... 4-2" and grade A hurricane ply wood. :lol: ooohh yeah
Sam

[Crispvs]

Your proposed reconstruction is quite good. There are just a couple of points I could make. Firstly, Pompeii capes normally had straight gutters, rather than curving. The curving gutters are far more typical of the 'reproductions' made in India. You would find the more accurate straight gutters far easier to make as well. Secondly, according to what I have read about it, the horizontal piece was riveted at one end but soldered on at the other, hence the single rivet.

On to your questions now.
Looking at surviving pieces, it appears to have been normal practice to attach other parts to the outside rather than the inside of the guttering. The gutters are effectively the frame upon which everything else is built. Therefore do not put the ends under the gutters.
For embossing, on this type a singe embossed ridge is all that is needed, but do not extend this to the ends to be attached as the more surface contact there is, the better a solder joint is likely to be, meaning that the ends need to remain flat.
As a subsidiary point, There appear to be a number of decorative lines cut into the horizontal element. If you decide to follow this, I would suggest using a chisel before you emboss or attach this element.
Regarding the shell/palmette, the only complete surviving sheath in this group, the Porto Novo example, features a palmette in the place one would expect to find it on a Pompeii scabbard. Therefore there is a high chance that the Long Windsor and Valkenberg scabbards originally had them too.

Crispvs

[Titus Marius Secundus]

Hey so okay, I consumed that info now, and here, just something to run over quickly. Here is an example of what I'm making, but as u stated before that, having gutters extend to the second lower cross hanger is historically incorrect, so I can't display shell designs...right? here is an example of what I want to copy for the lower chape at the tip of the scabbard. http://www.larp.com/legioxx/gladii3.jpg it's the furthest right scabbard! that's the one!! but the extended gutters... :-x I appreciate your help again Crispvs... I'm kinda one of those people you gotta hand it to them... also no mistakes... um, so yeah and, my scabbard. It naturally slightly curves, but hardly any so shouldn't look " Indian!" :grin:
Many thanks,

Sam

[Titus Marius Secundus]

this is for anyone to answer, does every Pompey scabbard have to have the shell designs on the ends of the gutters? I am sure I have seen a recreation of the sword I'm making with none, it's like the Long Windsor, or Valkenburg locket plate, and some originals don't feature any. These are models in between the Mainz and the Pompey types so historically I'm sure there would have been a time the chape was made like a Pompey style with no shell embossed designs. Like I saw somewhere....just asking ur opinion though...???

Thanks,
Sam ( the gutters at the upper chape area, don't extend to the lower cross hangers so no shells will be featured there...I don't think so, as the end of the gutters will be hidden by the upper cross hanger..)

[Titus Marius Secundus]

So I am pondering over the chisel marks for the shell like design, hm,.. :-o um..any ideas on angle of the lines and how many? I can only find pictures of partly shown designs. :-| And also too many examples, which ones are correct?!?!

Sam

P.S AND that IS my new work table which I built all last week. Kinda complete. Needs two sturdy drawers!

[Titus Marius Secundus]

pics that refused to be added!