Gladius Guard, Grip and Pommel--How do I make my own?

[sillious saurus]

Okee dokee. I ordered a cheap gladius knowing that-- although the blade, and baldric were decent--the guard , pommel and grip were for !@#$. So this begs the question--how do I make my own? Would I buy a chunk of wood (walnut?) and then try to shape it, if so with what? A lathe? Is this a project better left to experts with good wood working tools? Or is it easy and someone has a good way to do it? Help!

[Magnus]

I cheated. I went to the hobby store, and bought a 2.25 or 2.5 inche diameter maple ball (was flat on one side too, which was perfect!), and used that as the pommel. I then went to a lumber yard that sells maple, and got a scrap piece, and carved out a new guard, with a new inset brass guard plate. The bone grip I was able to keep from my old sword, but you can easily make one out of a dog chew bone from the local pet store, or a different colour of hard wood.

See Matt Amt's page on gladius stuff here:

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/gladius.html

And Gladius Hints here which has how to make the fittings:

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/gladhnts.html

And finally, a smallish picture of my modifications:

http://www.geocities.com/legioxxxcoh1/M ... llshot.jpg

[Crispvs]

I am making the new handle for my sword completely of bone. The grip should be carved from a narrow example of a cannon bone (the cow's ankle bone, whilst the pommel and guard can both be made from the thigh bone, which has a big enough cross section and thick enough walls. As the top and bottom of the pommel and the either the top and bottom or ends of the guard will be open, caps need to be made to cover the holes. As the examples from Vindonissa which I have pictures of are all about two inches in diameter, I have found that the shank bone, with its triangular section and flat side is best for making the two inch wide rounded discs from.
I will try to post a picture when I finish mine but in the meantime, pictures of a bone handle from Dorchester can be found here: http://www.exploratio.org/image_database/exploratio.htm
here: http://www.exploratio.org/image_database/exploratio.htm
and here: http://www.exploratio.org/image_database/exploratio.htm

I offer these as an all too often neglected alternative to the ubiquitous wooden pommel and guard.

Crispvs

[Martin Moser]

Great link, Crispus, idn't know it - thanks!