La Tene I hilt ideas

[dave74]

My La Tene prototype blade has come far enough that,I'm thinking about hilts. Thhe *dog bone* shape is an obvious choice but,I'm wondering about,decoration and,other (historical) hilt shapes?

[attachment=8744]004_2014-01-18.JPG[/attachment]

[Dan D'Silva]

Shane Allee made a hilt of this type a few years ago with "designs picked specifically that were more common to Northern Italy."
http://www.ironagearmoury.com/rivit_hilt.html

Ed.: And here's a thread on SFI where he shows a drawing of a different rivet layout:
http://www.swordforum.com/forums/showthr...e-I-swords

[dave74]

Hmmm,that looks simple enough! Thanks.

[dave74]

So far,nothing to it,wonder when the *suprise* comes,everythig that starts simple has one...
[attachment=8747]008_2014-01-18.JPG[/attachment]

[Dan D'Silva]

Best of luck with it. It's looking nice so far... the La Tene longswords from all phases are a favorite of mine.

[Ariovistus]

Looks great! La Tene Swords are a personal favorite of mine and I will be eagerly following your production of this sword.

[dave74]

Thank you guys,funny that you should mention it but,I'll be starting a double fullered long sword at some point soon.

[dave74]

Everything roughed out,I'm a little chicken to try the pin through the tang idea but,might talk myself into it still. Three of those bosses on the guards seems kind of crowded though...
[attachment=8778]008_2014-01-21.JPG[/attachment]

[Luka Borščak]

I would just leave it as it is. Maybe just some carving on the grip area?

[dave74]

That is what I'm leaning toward,maybe some basic carving.

[dave74]

Blocked in my basic idea over the weekend,wonder if something close to this would work on that double fullered blade?

[Luka Borščak]

Since the double fullered blades has a straight shoulders for a straight guard plate, I would recommend something like this by Iron Age Armoury:
http://www.ironagearmoury.com/double_ful...iii_2.html
http://www.ironagearmoury.com/double_ful...e_iii.html

[Robert]

Personaly, I am always VERY reluctent to accept modern reconstructions as a basis for any work of my own. No provenace is supplied on what this hilt is based on. It looks nice, but what is the story behind the choices made... The danger of re-enactorisms is always present if we do not question the sources.

[Dan D'Silva]

Kirk once started a thread over at SFI with groups of La Tene blades. The late ones still seem to have curved guard plates more often than not, but there are at least several examples of straight ones.

Celtic LaTene Blades (Navarro on one page) (see sixth and seventh posts)

[Luka Borščak]

Personaly, I am always VERY reluctent to accept modern reconstructions as a basis for any work of my own. No provenace is supplied on what this hilt is based on. It looks nice, but what is the story behind the choices made... The danger of re-enactorisms is always present if we do not question the sources.

True, but I know of no survived La Tene III organic hilts and based on straight guard plates from Port looking very much like a "proto Hod Hill" fittings, I think Shane's vision might be very true to the originals. Also, Shane is definitely one of the better informed guys about celtic swords from that period.