02-05-2012, 12:49 AM
From my 1st report about my aspis design I included a picture of the finished aspis core or blank accompanied by a MI Corinthian helmet and xiphos. This generated a few requests to know more about the xiphos.
As background: a few years ago I was researching the types of Greek swords that were available and were being made at the time. Literature revealed 2 basic types: the kopis and the xiphos. The kopis is a real beauty of a weapon and was my 1st choice; the trouble was I didn’t like the inexpensive offerings. The best quality swords I could find were of the xiphos design made by MI but they were out of my price range and unfortunately had a long turnaround time; however, their work is so good I started to reevaluate the xiphos and at least to my mind it seemed to make more sense as a Hoplite side arm – more on reasons in a bit. Well, how about blacksmiths who just do blades and this search lead me to Kirby Wise whose home is in Arizona. I contacted him and after our 1st correspondence I felt pretty good about him. He was willing to try the xiphos style, his price wasn’t too bad and turnaround time fit my scheduled trip to the States. He was comfortable with the blade shape but neither of us was too clear on the design of the hilt, so he made the hilt with a lot of extra material and as rather generic. (See pic). I knew the hilt didn’t seem right but not until I saw archaeological evidence presented in RAT did a hilt design start to jell in my mind. This took some time, even put the sword away for some time until I had an idea of what to do and had built up the courage to tackle the job. With grinder in hand the cruciform hand guard was reduced to a smaller and slightly crescent shape, where the palm fits was shortened and a rounded, contrasting- color pummel affixed. No metal overlay – just olive wood stained with amurca (liquid dregs of olive oil pressings). A problem arose- the xiphos didn’t feel right in the hand – it was too blade-heavy – I had made the mistake of taking too much weight off the hilt. What to do? I then added a pummel of solid iron. Results- it metaphorically came to life, the balance point is now a palms width in front of the hilt and this xiphos graduated from just being decorative to being a true and dangerous weapon.
The xiphos I see as an all-purpose weapon and - as with a good farm tool – it is robust and perhaps not too elegant, but with it one can jab, slash, hack and hammer. The xiphos you will see in the accompanying photos I do not present as an authoritative or exact replica. As mentioned the blade, is worthy but my changes to the hilt are more to give it a Greek flavor with clean and simple lines and added functionality with a heavy pummel. It is an interpretation that I hope has captured the look and feel of what a xiphos might have been like.
Specifications: Length =68.3 cm’s – blade = 51 cm x 6 cm.
Weight = 1 kilo + 330 grams for wood & pummel - Total =1.33 kilo.
Material – 1060 steel, olive wood & copper rivets.
Blacksmith – Kirby D. Wise at www.kirbywise.com
Photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/RoxanaDann/...directlink
John Dann
As background: a few years ago I was researching the types of Greek swords that were available and were being made at the time. Literature revealed 2 basic types: the kopis and the xiphos. The kopis is a real beauty of a weapon and was my 1st choice; the trouble was I didn’t like the inexpensive offerings. The best quality swords I could find were of the xiphos design made by MI but they were out of my price range and unfortunately had a long turnaround time; however, their work is so good I started to reevaluate the xiphos and at least to my mind it seemed to make more sense as a Hoplite side arm – more on reasons in a bit. Well, how about blacksmiths who just do blades and this search lead me to Kirby Wise whose home is in Arizona. I contacted him and after our 1st correspondence I felt pretty good about him. He was willing to try the xiphos style, his price wasn’t too bad and turnaround time fit my scheduled trip to the States. He was comfortable with the blade shape but neither of us was too clear on the design of the hilt, so he made the hilt with a lot of extra material and as rather generic. (See pic). I knew the hilt didn’t seem right but not until I saw archaeological evidence presented in RAT did a hilt design start to jell in my mind. This took some time, even put the sword away for some time until I had an idea of what to do and had built up the courage to tackle the job. With grinder in hand the cruciform hand guard was reduced to a smaller and slightly crescent shape, where the palm fits was shortened and a rounded, contrasting- color pummel affixed. No metal overlay – just olive wood stained with amurca (liquid dregs of olive oil pressings). A problem arose- the xiphos didn’t feel right in the hand – it was too blade-heavy – I had made the mistake of taking too much weight off the hilt. What to do? I then added a pummel of solid iron. Results- it metaphorically came to life, the balance point is now a palms width in front of the hilt and this xiphos graduated from just being decorative to being a true and dangerous weapon.
The xiphos I see as an all-purpose weapon and - as with a good farm tool – it is robust and perhaps not too elegant, but with it one can jab, slash, hack and hammer. The xiphos you will see in the accompanying photos I do not present as an authoritative or exact replica. As mentioned the blade, is worthy but my changes to the hilt are more to give it a Greek flavor with clean and simple lines and added functionality with a heavy pummel. It is an interpretation that I hope has captured the look and feel of what a xiphos might have been like.
Specifications: Length =68.3 cm’s – blade = 51 cm x 6 cm.
Weight = 1 kilo + 330 grams for wood & pummel - Total =1.33 kilo.
Material – 1060 steel, olive wood & copper rivets.
Blacksmith – Kirby D. Wise at www.kirbywise.com
Photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/RoxanaDann/...directlink
John Dann
