What gladius is this?

[imGladii]

@ around 4:45. I know it may be custom and probably is but I really love everything about this sword.

http://youtu.be/3YRzazYqxfI?t=4m45s

[Flavivs Aetivs]

I think it is custom.

[Gaius Colletti]

I can't readily tell either, but any respectable smith/manufacturer can make a decent Mainz styled gladius

[imGladii]

I'm really interested in buying one just like that if you know a good place for me to go that would be great.

[Virilis]

Mike, this gladius is probably made by Len Morgan. Rusticis Signifier (PierPaolo Siercovich, a member of this forum) also makes very nice swords with a good quality / price ratio.

Here is some info:
http://www.romanarmy.net/fabrica.shtml

[imGladii]

Ah thank Virilis, It's hard to see in the small pics if its the same sword I sent him an email with a link to the video I guess I'll see what happens.
I don't wanna buy a deepeeka. I love the del tin mainz shape but its like 400 and they gotta stop with those steel plates in there! I'm willing to spend up to 300 bucks on a mainz.

[brennivs - tony drake]

It looks too me as one of Len Morgans Mainz .
Regards Brennivs.

[PhilusEstilius]

Having watched the video at the start of this topic I would like to pass on a bit of interesting information for helmet strap fixing, this is where when the Gallic D helmet was found near Mianz the cheekplates were folded inwards and inside were two pieces of wood.
The pictures show that one piece was a truncated cone with a hole drilled right through it and it has a recess at the bottom of the cone where it would appear that a metal ring may have been fitted to it.
Then there was the other piece that was about the size of a gaming token and both these pieces of wood have holes to show that small pins or nails held metal rings to them.
The cone had two holes 180 apart but the disc had three 120 apart for obvious reasons.
These bits of wood were used to secure the helmet with a fast tie up arrangement where the cone simply slid up the two chin straps, and the disc would have had another where they would have been fitted to the strap ends to prevent the cone from coming off.
The picture of the helmet shows how the cheek plates come in when the cone is slid upwards, then to make it more secure just one cross over of the straps lock the cone in position. The cone is 25 mm long by the same wide.
For the strap ends I simply used deer horn to hold on the cone.

[attachment=10453]GallicDwoodcone.jpg[/attachment]

[attachment=10454]100_0260Small.jpg[/attachment]

[attachment=10455]100_0249Medium.jpg[/attachment]

[imGladii]

Well guys thanks you for your responses. It is defiantly a Len Morgan sword but I emailed him and he doesn't trade anymore.

[66kbm]

That's me and its a Len Morgan.
Kevin

[imGladii]

Oh that's you? That is awesome! Great job on the interview Kevin.

[66kbm]

I wouldn't quite call it an interview....the guy turned up, asked if he could film the kit and for me to explain the kit and left me to get on with it with very little interaction with the guy filming. As it was off the cuff so to speak, not rehearsed, and aimed at "joe public", it does contain several inaccuracies of which I cringe at when I watch it, 1 being the Pilum, as stated by Brian....another..."cotton" Tunics ????....oh dear. Never mind.
Re Brians post re helmet ties....possibly for another thread but, Blue Melon beads are very often found on Military only sites. Maybe these were used in the same way Brians "toggle" is used.
Kevin

[PhilusEstilius]

Kevin.
The base of the truncated cone has the metal band around it to give a bit of strength where the two ties would be giving pressure as the cone is pushed up on the chin ties, I would think there should have been another wood disc and these may have had metal around their edges with a possible ring for each tie to go through.
The reason for three pins or nails to hold these metal rings on at 120 degrees would be to stop these bands from doing a gimble effect for only two would cause this.

[Gaius Colletti]

Kevin, what is your shield pattern based off of?

[66kbm]

Matt
The shield design was adopted by II AVG UK and NL several years ago based on designs from the Arch of Orange in France.
You may find a few pics online but most of the research was done from several books containing much info/pics from this monument.
Kevin