Pompeii Gladius Naming Competition !

[Biggus Dickus]

I would love one of those more than the metal version!!! Very nice...............how much ?

It depends on your requirements......if it needs to be combat worthy then it isn't cheap, but if just for show then not quite so much!....also a non combat worthy one could look more like the real thing and be all pointy!

[clivethecelt]

Discussing this last night over the corpse-strewn hills of Carvel's dining table; is the pommel weighted in any way on the wooden version? It might help you use it for practice; presume the "real" one is balanced already.

[Biggus Dickus]

Discussing this last night over the corpse-strewn hills of Carvel's dining table; is the pommel weighted in any way on the wooden version? It might help you use it for practice; presume the "real" one is balanced already.

Hi Clive.....The point of absolute balance is 4.5 inches up the blade from the guard....not sure if that is normal for a real metal sword or not........i'd imagine it should be on the guard???
Have to say it feels ok in the hand, the pommel is just a normal pommel for a metal sword.
Don't know how far into the blade the metal rod goes.....but clearly it adds some weight at the pommel end.
I guess if the blade was a little more narrow it would be lighter and it would be more balanced.....it is 25mm thick...it would be strong enough at 15mm thick to withstand blows i believe.
i'm going to be looking to get some weights for girly wrists! they need beefing up........normally the heaviest thing they have to cope with is a craft knife!

Anyway glad to hear that you having been chatting about it....it is a lovely thing to have and functional in my case! Carvel seems interested in one.....are you going to get one too?

[BigMike]

I think we should all get one! We could start a forum legion!

New competition - come up with a motto for a WG forum legion

[clivethecelt]

@BD: Would love one - but (I suspect) a Certain Person would veto such a purchase - I'll just have to take one off a dead legionary.
My interest in the sword (apart from raw envy, that is ) stems from doing a course on blacksmithing a few years ago, something I couldn't pursue due to other commitments; I did take a short course on Damasque work - utterly fascinating, and gives you a real idea of how skilled the smiths of old must have been to produce some of the swords that are still around today. Sadly, it also reminds you just how much knowledge of such crafts has been lost, largely due to protectionism and an unwillingness to share it with others.
There's also something really satisfying about thumping a white-hot bar of metal with a sledgehammer!!

[Biggus Dickus]

I think we should all get one! We could start a forum legion!

New competition - come up with a motto for a WG forum legion

Mike, that's not a bad idea...while we wait on the steel gladius........

....We need a Legion name, number and motto! since we will all be armed with wooden short swords perhaps somewhere in the Legion name, we should use the word "Rudis" ?...my latin is limited.....some would say my English is too!......once we know I'll design a shield blazon transfer for the warlord roman legionary shield, I'm going to equip a squad or maybe....ego trip....a 28mm version of me as a Centurion hahahahaha....this could be fun!
members of the legion would of course get one!
Most legions had a badge like a boar or a bull or lion so we need something that somes up our legion....but not a computer keyboard.....i don't think Romans had windows XP. ......windows BC perhaps.....(Before Computers! ...a stylus and a clay tablet!

Ok then, Legio I "Forum Habito" (Forum Dwellers) to start things off...it doesn't leap off the page does it?

I'll be taking some pictures of what i have done to my marines and legionaries tomorrow if i get the chance!

[Biggus Dickus]

@BD: Would love one - but (I suspect) a Certain Person would veto such a purchase - I'll just have to take one off a dead legionary.
My interest in the sword (apart from raw envy, that is ) stems from doing a course on blacksmithing a few years ago, something I couldn't pursue due to other commitments; I did take a short course on Damasque work - utterly fascinating, and gives you a real idea of how skilled the smiths of old must have been to produce some of the swords that are still around today. Sadly, it also reminds you just how much knowledge of such crafts has been lost, largely due to protectionism and an unwillingness to share it with others.
There's also something really satisfying about thumping a white-hot bar of metal with a sledgehammer!!

Clive, blimey that's fascinating stuff...do you have access to a forge? It's certainly a dying art not many guys around do it.....this link might well interest you then http://www.paul-binns-swords.co.uk/In_stock.html
Did you make yourself anything while doing the course........like a gladius blade?

[clivethecelt]

@BD: Sadly, didn't have the time to pursue it to that level - a few weekend courses does't give you the experience of metalworking that you need to become really proficient in pattern-welding (the main technique for Damascene work), and, despite best intentions - a small coke-fired forge isn't hard to make - we moved house and don't have the space for the mess it'd create now. There are a number of courses in your neck of the woods where you produce a knife, but making a sword is a big project, and you really need a powerhammer unless you're used to doing a lot of hammering! I went to Peat Oberon's (http://www.school-of-blacksmithing.co.uk/) in Stockton, though he didn't teach the Damasque course. This chap might be more in your line ... http://owenbush.co.uk/school-of-smithing/

[Biggus Dickus]

Ok then Time for an Update and some Pictures.
Gladius arrived this morning.
Have to say it took a long time to sort this out and we are still a way from the conclusion, but it was worth wating for.
Blade is very well made...better than i was expecting.
All parts created by hand, by craftsman....Which makes it quite special.

I removed the guard and pommel and sent them to a Ian Rodger, a wood carver who is going to do some work engraving the name SPICVLVM and a bit of other detail to make the wood parts stand out.
Once that is done, the whole lot can be sent off to Len for a Scabbard and a bone grip, and handle fitting.

Hope you like the pictures

[Big Al]

Oh yes! That looks very nice indeed!