Beautiful hand crafted Gladius sword pompeii type. Step by step demonstration on forging the blade and rebar tang and hand crafted walnut and hazel wood.
He mentions that sound from Gladiator was used. Could be the sound was at least partially taken down by RUclips... Or he neglected to record Audio--whichever. *shrug* either way, it's still a cool video.
What a great Gladius! Perfect Skill and Music but i have a question. Can u tell me where i can buy an Anvil? And other stuff like Smith Hammer,etc. Thank u for the video and the Gladius. Regards.
***** An anvil can be hard to find, I suggest that you start with something like a piece of rail track or even an old sledge hammer head and you will find an anvil later. About hammers: you can get some basic ones at hardware store, with time, you will learn to make hammers that you will need. About other tools like tongs you find plenty of tutorials on youtube so I suggest to try some out and you will see what works for you. Thanks for watching
***** If you are serious about starting look around your area for anvils. I make small knifes and use as Franci Selisek has mentioned a piece of railroad track. Start small though. Also be wary of anything that is cast iron. They are junk in my opinion and will break. There are several websites you can visit to start looking at hobby forging, but I highly recommend starting small. Nothing is more disappointing than going for a sword and being disappointed and giving up. Also good luck.
Quick question, why do you tap your hammer on the anvil once in a while, once hammering the metal? To get the impurities off of the hammer? Also, great video, you have wonderful hands.
I really love that you did this with only semi-modern and ancient technology. Watching this happen was an absolute pleasure. Thank you. If you Make these for sale I'd love to support the cause. Either waay thanks for the vid. out of curiosity how long does one of these take to make from Materials in the furnace to decapitating Gallic limbs?
Xavier Charles Bravo I haven't been cutting arms off someone so I can't give you an exact answer, but the tests that have been done with substitutes have shown that as long as you can strike hard enough to cut bone there is no problem. The mat I've done the testing with had no ''bone'' in it so it was pretty easy to cut. Thanks for watching!
Paul Macdonald of MacDonald Armouries in Edinburgh made my sword, but I hilted it. I used bone for the grip using mostly a rasp to shape it. I used walnut for the pommel and guard. I turned the pommel on a small wood lathe. I hand carved the guard for the brass inlay. Good video though.
Please help! When you tempering the blade, you let the middle cool down by air but the edges cooled down fast for stronger iron? i mean in this case hard to broke and it will be still sharp? I saw it well? i heared this method but never know how it made so you did it for this? Thanks any answer! :D
xj770HUN Yes indeed I'm doing this but this is also because with this metod I lower the temperature at the edges so they don't overheat. Thanks for watching!
i have a question. since there are some experts in this comment section. i want to make a presentation about swords and their history but im still new to all this. i m curious to know how the first swords were made including the type of furnace, polishing, quenching and any enhancements like these kind of salt or wax or whatever it is that some people put on the grinder or on the blade. tempering etc just all. is there maybe a site where i can find that out easily from the first forging technics to the modern way with everything included. cool video btw:) kind regards
It depends on what you mean. The first swords were cast from bronze. Iron swords were forged. Steel swords are a lot more complicated and methods varied quite a bit.
SuperSharot That's a very big topic ;) you better narrow it down, culture, time period, type of swords... then you'll also have better idea where to look for information
I agree with you, I made the sword a bit thinner than I wanted it to be because I didn' t have enough material. That is also why I forge welded the tang to the blade.
Sweet sword dude.. Just a couple of things you shouldn't use a blowtorch to fit the handle it'll ruin the tempering of the blade at the hilt thus making it soft and the sword will bend and you will have to sharpen it more often and use wetstones and hand polish instead of machines it takes a little bit longer but trust me its well worth the extra effort..
Søren Bong Thank you for your comment, but heating the tang will not ruin the tempering or affect the performance of the sword in any way as I was only heating the part that is inside the handle. Also, a bit softer temper at the hilt portion of the sword is desirable as it makes it tougher where you don't need it to be sharp. The point about hand polishing: I do own waterstones and I hand polish blades but it takes a lot longer and some people don't want to pay for extra effort so it doesn't pay off in this case.
As I watched this, I can't help but recollect Tibullus, who wrote this: Quis fuit, horrendos primus qui protulit enses?/ Quam ferus et vere ferreus ille fuit! "Who was it, who first forged the terrible blade? Wild and truly iron (in spirit) he was!"
I noticed you wearing gloves while using the grinder which isn't typically recommended. It's a lot better to get your skin nicked than have your whole hand dragged into the machine because a glove got caught in the rotation.
Usually the grinder just grinds off part of the glove, never had it catch in 20 or so years. Did grind right through a few knuckles and into my skin though...
This result may look like a Gladius Pompeï, but it isn't by a far stretch and would show up at first handling of it by any trained swordsman or Legionnaire.
Cosmetically this looks good. The small mistake is the Roman's created a recess in the um "guard" into which a sheet of brass was set and against which the back of the blade could rest. Why they did it that way isn't really clear to me other than this may have helped prevent the block from splitting or being damaged in use and this was about the cheapest way they could think of to get that result. Many reproductions including the three I own simply put a sheet of metal between the blade and the wooden block/guard which would seem to be a better idea because it gives better protection to the wooden guard but that isn't what the actual ancient Roman weapons of this blade type show. Having said all this there is also some evidence that if you had shown up with your blade at the correct time period you might have been allowed to go ahead and use it especially in you were in one of the numerous auxiliary units.
I think video would get more views and likes if instead of just music. Have the blacksmith talk about what he is doing and why because I only really watch a few seconds and kept on skipping part to see if their is any dialog because if I wanted to read I would read an article instead of watch a video.
HammerDimension I do feel you there. I started in my 2nd floor flat but now I have a house and workshop. Check out my channel and see how I've gone on.
+Rovtar forge Why didn't you? I usually use a guillotine tool to neck my bar and just draw the tang. I find it easier and faster than welding it on like this. Given good alloys and a solid weld, it doesn't make a huge difference either way, but I'm curious. You just find it faster this way? A case of using the techniques most familiar?
+Rovtar forge Yeah, I've been there. Come to think of it, I've got a gladius in the shop right now where the tang is a bit too short, I'll probably grind it up into the blade a bit and shorten the blade. Still, nice hammer work.
The blade is way too thin for a gladius and the Pompeii types had a diamond or lenticular cross section. Otherwise good job. Keep making more things. You've got skills and talent and every time you make something, you'll get better. You'll probably even improve your skill from the beginning to the end of a project. Salute!
no sword/knife/tool from 3000 bc to modern day is simply cast. also these swords were made from iron and steel, iron being the dominant metal of antiquity and early steel appearing in the migration period. bronze swords weren't made, in Greece and middle east after the 9th century bc
franci selišek i have always wondered how they made the steeo so shiney (finished product with is the sword) to when you was still in the hammering part
Its too thin but yet the Gladius or any kind of sword apart from Falcata/Kopis was meant to be against armor, its for thrusting and slashing places without armor. You always try to avoid hitting the armor or even the shield of your enemy in a fight even with a medieval sword.
The romans were not well armoured until they went in Spain and saw chainmail. The roman also had to fight cartage who has armoured infantry. Romans fought against armoured opponent so they needed a heavy sword, not a rapier
Dante Look at the different shapes of gladius. some of them dont even have accute tip. gladius with leaf shape have extremly good cutting power because of wide point of percusion. do you have any soirces where gladius penetrates strong armour? i dont even think it could penetrate thick gambeson let alone mail.
Dude I keep seen you in videos calling Gladi ,Spattas . A Spatta is 85cm long ancient roman cavalry sword, the thing you see in the video is a Pompeii type Gladius . If it was a Hispaniensis or even a Mainz/Fulham then I would understand the confusion but that is so puny that it cant be mistaken with a Spatta stop commenting misinformation everywhere.
Hardly a historical depiction of shaping a true Gladius Pompeï. Done this way, the resulting Gladius would be un-balanced and brittle or weak. in order to avoid this, the Romans had adopted the Celtic way of creating their swords (BOTH the G. Hispanus, as wellas the G.Pompeï) of forging them from 5 staves; The middle being soft, but flexible as the centre or core, two immediately aside of the core were of intermediate hardness , but stronger than the core. Then the outermost were the hardest and most rigid, giving the Gladius its sharp and tough point and edges. Result was a weapon with sublime balance and handling and by shaping its blade in the leaf shape, it would provide its own momentum in both thrust and lopping action.
Thanks for your comment, I respect it, but: 1. I have tested this blade extensively and it isnt brittle or weak, due to the modern spring steel it's made from. 2. The romans have adopted the way of making it that you mentioned due to the inferior steel (by late medieval standards) they were using. In roman times they produced steel from iron ore by the means of the so called >bloomery furnace
franci selišek Thank you and I respect your craftsmanship. I did not intend to cast any doubts or aspersions on that. With your explanation, I more understand what you aim to achieve. However, part of re-creating a historical blade, the unique texture indicative of hammer-weld blending of the staves (sometimes called 'the Salamanca') is essential. Undoubtedly, the Gladius Pompeï would originally have been made this way and the (very few) original specimens that I have seen, all display these unique visual and textual features. As to the shape of the blade, I entirely agree. Personally, I prefer the 'Hispanensis' leaf shape, as derived from the original Celtic form and so crucial to Roman Legionnaire tactics. On a more sober note; I wish that I would have (or could afford) a 'smithy' to tinker with these historical production methods. I salute you in your efforts, and thank you for your work.
Corvus Rabiatus Thank you, and keep following the channel as I intend to try making a roman bloomery furnace in the future and make a reconstuction of a roman sword or dagger by original standards.
I've done some reading on this topic and this style of sword made during the time period it was used was most likely made by a slave in a large workshop mass producing the the things of something which tests out to be a mix of iron and steel and poorly tempered. Some of them actually had a ridge down the middle near the point to prevent bending. They were still combat effective which I suppose is all that matters in the end.
Beautiful hand crafted Gladius sword pompeii type. Step by step demonstration on forging the blade and rebar tang and hand crafted walnut and hazel wood.
Now if you want to field an army make 100 000 of theses..... Must have been a huge industry back in roman times.
I just spend 10 minutes trying to figure out why my audio wasn't working, then I realized the video didn't have audio. Damn.
+Mark Emhoff I know right? What is this, 1916? lol
you sir are a great swordsmith, congratulations
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? IS THAT NOT WHY YOU ARE HERE?
Well I sure am entertained. Very impressive stuff!
Beautiful sword; Great video. Great gift you have.
mark anthony Thank you very much!
+franci selišek hey Im making a roman legion re-annactment for my class with some friends and I was hoping that u could send me 4 gladius plz?
+Shix Lo How much are you willing to pay?
+franci selišek ummmmm I was thinking of........... Can u give me some time to think about it?
+Shix Lo actually on reconsideration I don't think I will buy them....sorry
I wish you had left the sound of you hammering at the piece in.
I'm the same I love hearing the workshop sounds that's why I leave all the sounds in my videos. I don't have music or anything
He mentions that sound from Gladiator was used. Could be the sound was at least partially taken down by RUclips...
Or he neglected to record Audio--whichever. *shrug*
either way, it's still a cool video.
Great sword, was worth the effort.
and Pompeii hails you to bring this back to life
Beautiful anvil in the beginning ))) Also interesting comments
THAT. IS. SO... BEAUTIFUL :')
nice work buddy! I'd love to make a sword like yours! I think it can be one of my hobbies on a near future.
What a great Gladius! Perfect Skill and Music but i have a question.
Can u tell me where i can buy an Anvil?
And other stuff like Smith Hammer,etc.
Thank u for the video and the Gladius.
Regards.
***** An anvil can be hard to find, I suggest that you start with something like a piece of rail track or even an old sledge hammer head and you will find an anvil later.
About hammers: you can get some basic ones at hardware store, with time, you will learn to make hammers that you will need.
About other tools like tongs you find plenty of tutorials on youtube so I suggest to try some out and you will see what works for you.
Thanks for watching
franci selišek Thank u so much!
By the way, could u make a Roman Lorica Segmentata?
Regards
If I get some requests surely I will
franci selišek Ok! Thank u for your time.
I've never seen the "making" of a Lorica Segmentata and i would love to see it.
Subscribed!
Regards.
***** If you are serious about starting look around your area for anvils. I make small knifes and use as Franci Selisek has mentioned a piece of railroad track. Start small though. Also be wary of anything that is cast iron. They are junk in my opinion and will break. There are several websites you can visit to start looking at hobby forging, but I highly recommend starting small. Nothing is more disappointing than going for a sword and being disappointed and giving up. Also good luck.
Wow I'm ready to order one right now how much.
I'll keep an eye on your channel for updates what amazing talent you have I look forward to purchasing one of these
Bangswitch187 thank you
Are you some kind of master craftsman? Cus this and the muskets are really good
stenk000 Glad you like it and no, I'm not a master craftsman i'm learning with every project.
uno de los mejores videos que he visto. muy artesanal muy romantico un video inspirador y motivador gracias!!!
Nice work buddy
good job it looks spectacular
Quick question, why do you tap your hammer on the anvil once in a while, once hammering the metal? To get the impurities off of the hammer? Also, great video, you have wonderful hands.
Nonja Buisniss Thank you, I tap the hammer in order to correct my grip or move the piece, but still keeping the rythm of hammering.
franci selišek Oh, ok. Thank you for commenting back. Keep up the great work!
I really love that you did this with only semi-modern and ancient technology. Watching this happen was an absolute pleasure. Thank you. If you Make these for sale I'd love to support the cause. Either waay thanks for the vid. out of curiosity how long does one of these take to make from Materials in the furnace to decapitating Gallic limbs?
It takes more than a week thats for sure
john Smith This particular one took about a week and a half from start to finish with a semi-modern technology.
franci selišek bravo!
awesome stuff
What material and substance are you using at 12:53 and for the polishing part?
At the fine sanding part I'm using waterproof sandpaper and wd-40, for final polishing I use buffing wheel and polishing paste.
does anybody else have that warm fuzzy feeling to play Rome 2?
Great job! By the way: Is It really that easy to cut off an arm with that sword? Thanks.
Xavier Charles Bravo I haven't been cutting arms off someone so I can't give you an exact answer, but the tests that have been done with substitutes have shown that as long as you can strike hard enough to cut bone there is no problem. The mat I've done the testing with had no ''bone'' in it so it was pretty easy to cut.
Thanks for watching!
franci selišek Thanks!
What's the stuff you put on the blade around 12:50? Is it a type of polish or what? And subbed aswell
That is wd-40, it makes sanding easier, but you can also use water or something similar.
+Rovtar forge Thanks! So when the blade is done is there any need to polish it with something or do you just leave it sanded?
you can leave as is at every point in the process, it just depends on what you want.
Paul Macdonald of MacDonald Armouries in Edinburgh made my sword, but I hilted it. I used bone for the grip using mostly a rasp to shape it. I used walnut for the pommel and guard. I turned the pommel on a small wood lathe. I hand carved the guard for the brass inlay. Good video though.
Thank you for forge welding a tang on
Nice work my friend , keep up the great videos .
Hey, I was wondering what the dimensions of the sword were? (I mean like every last detail too)
what for a steel is it and how hot must be the coal i would make my own ?
Please help! When you tempering the blade, you let the middle cool down by air but the edges cooled down fast for stronger iron? i mean in this case hard to broke and it will be still sharp? I saw it well? i heared this method but never know how it made so you did it for this? Thanks any answer! :D
xj770HUN Yes indeed I'm doing this but this is also because with this metod I lower the temperature at the edges so they don't overheat.
Thanks for watching!
franci selišek I thanks the fast answer! :D
Can you make a Xiphos too?
well done!
i have a question. since there are some experts in this comment section. i want to make a presentation about swords and their history but im still new to all this. i m curious to know how the first swords were made including the type of furnace, polishing, quenching and any enhancements like these kind of salt or wax or whatever it is that some people put on the grinder or on the blade. tempering etc just all. is there maybe a site where i can find that out easily from the first forging technics to the modern way with everything included.
cool video btw:)
kind regards
wikipedia
It depends on what you mean. The first swords were cast from bronze. Iron swords were forged. Steel swords are a lot more complicated and methods varied quite a bit.
TKDLION Yeah. i mean like "The evolution of swords" Like tools we used as humans back then and how our tools look now. etc.
SuperSharot That's a very big topic ;) you better narrow it down, culture, time period, type of swords... then you'll also have better idea where to look for information
wow, very nice.
that is badass lol do u sell the swords u make just curious i wish i had the skill and tools to do that😂
What was the white powder you put on while doing the blade and tang weld?
it is borax, it's used as flux
Fantastic skills my friend :) but in my opinion your Gladius is too thin.Everything else is GREAT .Great job
I agree with you, I made the sword a bit thinner than I wanted it to be because I didn' t have enough material. That is also why I forge welded the tang to the blade.
Very nice
Awesome video!, have to agree with others and would prefer to hear you strike that metal like i was in the room watching rather than the music.
***** Thanks a lot, striking the metal can be clearly heard in the next videos.
What do you use to get the line down the center of the blade?
SobekhotepThutmose I used 2mm thick hardened steel pin
Dat moment when the music kicks at 7:23
nice job!
+Trevor Turner thank you!
where do i get one from
Sweet sword dude.. Just a couple of things you shouldn't use a blowtorch to fit the handle it'll ruin the tempering of the blade at the hilt thus making it soft and the sword will bend and you will have to sharpen it more often and use wetstones and hand polish instead of machines it takes a little bit longer but trust me its well worth the extra effort..
Søren Bong Thank you for your comment, but heating the tang will not ruin the tempering or affect the performance of the sword in any way as I was only heating the part that is inside the handle. Also, a bit softer temper at the hilt portion of the sword is desirable as it makes it tougher where you don't need it to be sharp. The point about hand polishing: I do own waterstones and I hand polish blades but it takes a lot longer and some people don't want to pay for extra effort so it doesn't pay off in this case.
As I watched this, I can't help but recollect Tibullus, who wrote this:
Quis fuit, horrendos primus qui protulit enses?/ Quam ferus et vere ferreus ille fuit!
"Who was it, who first forged the terrible blade? Wild and truly iron (in spirit) he was!"
I noticed you wearing gloves while using the grinder which isn't typically recommended. It's a lot better to get your skin nicked than have your whole hand dragged into the machine because a glove got caught in the rotation.
Mark Emhoff ehh as long as they're a good fit with nothing hanging off of it should be
good
You are right, but grinders of any sort are not as dangerous as for example bandsaws or circular saws because those have teeth.
I have used grinders while wearing gloves, all day, every day, for decades, and never had the slightest problem.
Usually the grinder just grinds off part of the glove, never had it catch in 20 or so years. Did grind right through a few knuckles and into my skin though...
nostalgie ,la forge la crèation,a l,etat pur
Do ya think maybe ya could make that thing a little thinner? I don't think I'll sub at this time...
amazing!
how did you attach the pommel?
+Anonymous87916 I made a threaded nut on the end of the handle, I know it isn't historical, but I found it easier to do it this way.
Rovtar forge can you point me to a 'how to' on that?
Why have the tang separate why not just draw it out ? Now you have a weak point where the hilt meets the blade
I didn't have enough material, and also the transition is inside the handle
Bravo!
This result may look like a Gladius Pompeï, but it isn't by a far stretch and would show up at first handling of it by any trained swordsman or Legionnaire.
Cosmetically this looks good. The small mistake is the Roman's created a recess in the um "guard" into which a sheet of brass was set and against which the back of the blade could rest. Why they did it that way isn't really clear to me other than this may have helped prevent the block from splitting or being damaged in use and this was about the cheapest way they could think of to get that result. Many reproductions including the three I own simply put a sheet of metal between the blade and the wooden block/guard which would seem to be a better idea because it gives better protection to the wooden guard but that isn't what the actual ancient Roman weapons of this blade type show.
Having said all this there is also some evidence that if you had shown up with your blade at the correct time period you might have been allowed to go ahead and use it especially in you were in one of the numerous auxiliary units.
I think video would get more views and likes if instead of just music. Have the blacksmith talk about what he is doing and why because I only really watch a few seconds and kept on skipping part to see if their is any dialog because if I wanted to read I would read an article instead of watch a video.
do you sell them
jeremy martinez I don't sell them yet but I intend to in the future.
I wish I could do stuff like this
Just do it sir. I started my channel after watching others doing it and wanting to try my own hand at it
I live in an apartment. Not possible
HammerDimension I do feel you there. I started in my 2nd floor flat but now I have a house and workshop. Check out my channel and see how I've gone on.
Interesting with very little sound.
excellent
subsribed,now i know how to make that extension bar to billet without electric welding
+Try to survive yes, that is one way of making it, a better way is to forge it from the same piece
+Rovtar forge Why didn't you? I usually use a guillotine tool to neck my bar and just draw the tang. I find it easier and faster than welding it on like this. Given good alloys and a solid weld, it doesn't make a huge difference either way, but I'm curious. You just find it faster this way? A case of using the techniques most familiar?
+Michael Wilson I do it from the same piece now, but back then I only had a short piece of leaf spring and I had to work with what I had.
+Rovtar forge Yeah, I've been there. Come to think of it, I've got a gladius in the shop right now where the tang is a bit too short, I'll probably grind it up into the blade a bit and shorten the blade. Still, nice hammer work.
The blade is way too thin for a gladius and the Pompeii types had a diamond or lenticular cross section. Otherwise good job. Keep making more things. You've got skills and talent and every time you make something, you'll get better. You'll probably even improve your skill from the beginning to the end of a project. Salute!
how much a gladius have To be thick?
paolo sonzogni You mean in cross section?
bloodgout yes
6.35mm to 7.9375mm is a good thickness through the middle, tapering to the edges and the point.
Hope that helps
+bloodgout tank You Very much
the audio coming in @ 7:23 lol almost liked the silent film part :P
who was fucking scared at 7:24?
Looks great but it is a bit too thin and a guard made from wood wouldn't work
+KAESowicz Most of gladii were made with a wooden guard.
chongtak, thanks, I didn't know about this
+KAESowicz the guards often had a flat side covered with a thin layer of bronze to protect the wood.
its just for hands to not slide on a blade while thrusting. gladius didnt have a guard
super
i thought a Gladius was cast bronze
chuckcrunch1 The swords used before gladius were bronze, but as far as I know most Gladiuses were made of steel
no sword/knife/tool from 3000 bc to modern day is simply cast. also these swords were made from iron and steel, iron being the dominant metal of antiquity and early steel appearing in the migration period. bronze swords weren't made, in Greece and middle east after the 9th century bc
you are right, no weapons/tools from ferrous metals were cast, only bronze and copper alloys were cast.
Naw they used steel
fucking awesome
Looks a little thin.
You are fucking awesome man
draaek alonzo thank you
franci selišek i have always wondered how they made the steeo so shiney (finished product with is the sword) to when you was still in the hammering part
franci selišek btw did you only use one steel to make the blade and melt it till its flat?
My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius
+Guy Fawkess commander of the armies in the north
Loyal servent to the true emperor,Marcus Aurelius
+Sapientia Father to a murdered son...
husband to a murdered wife
And I will have my vengeance in this life or the next
the gladius where thicker. This looks way too tin to be good against armoured opponents
Its too thin but yet the Gladius or any kind of sword apart from Falcata/Kopis was meant to be against armor, its for thrusting and slashing places without armor. You always try to avoid hitting the armor or even the shield of your enemy in a fight even with a medieval sword.
well, gladius wasnt used against armoured opponents. europeans were mostly light armored compared to other regions.
The romans were not well armoured until they went in Spain and saw chainmail. The roman also had to fight cartage who has armoured infantry. Romans fought against armoured opponent so they needed a heavy sword, not a rapier
Gladius were not meant for slashing primarily, but for thrusting. As long as the tip is sharp enough it can penetrate strong armour.
Dante Look at the different shapes of gladius. some of them dont even have accute tip. gladius with leaf shape have extremly good cutting power because of wide point of percusion.
do you have any soirces where gladius penetrates strong armour? i dont even think it could penetrate thick gambeson let alone mail.
It's more of a spatha, really.
Dude I keep seen you in videos calling Gladi ,Spattas . A Spatta is 85cm long ancient roman cavalry sword, the thing you see in the video is a Pompeii type Gladius . If it was a Hispaniensis or even a Mainz/Fulham then I would understand the confusion but that is so puny that it cant be mistaken with a Spatta stop commenting misinformation everywhere.
*troll spotted, automatic shut up activated for salvation of precious time*
this video needs a noise complaint
Hahahaha
Hardly a historical depiction of shaping a true Gladius Pompeï.
Done this way, the resulting Gladius would be un-balanced and brittle or weak. in order to avoid this, the Romans had adopted the Celtic way of creating their swords (BOTH the G. Hispanus, as wellas the G.Pompeï) of forging them from 5 staves; The middle being soft, but flexible as the centre or core, two immediately aside of the core were of intermediate hardness , but stronger than the core. Then the outermost were the hardest and most rigid, giving the Gladius its sharp and tough point and edges. Result was a weapon with sublime balance and handling and by shaping its blade in the leaf shape, it would provide its own momentum in both thrust and lopping action.
Thanks for your comment, I respect it, but:
1. I have tested this blade extensively and it isnt brittle or weak, due to the modern spring steel it's made from.
2. The romans have adopted the way of making it that you mentioned due to the inferior steel (by late medieval standards) they were using. In roman times they produced steel from iron ore by the means of the so called >bloomery furnace
franci selišek Thank you and I respect your craftsmanship. I did not intend to cast any doubts or aspersions on that.
With your explanation, I more understand what you aim to achieve.
However, part of re-creating a historical blade, the unique texture indicative of hammer-weld blending of the staves (sometimes called 'the Salamanca') is essential. Undoubtedly, the Gladius Pompeï would originally have been made this way and the (very few) original specimens that I have seen, all display these unique visual and textual features.
As to the shape of the blade, I entirely agree.
Personally, I prefer the 'Hispanensis' leaf shape, as derived from the original Celtic form and so crucial to Roman Legionnaire tactics.
On a more sober note; I wish that I would have (or could afford) a 'smithy' to tinker with these historical production methods.
I salute you in your efforts, and thank you for your work.
Corvus Rabiatus Thank you, and keep following the channel as I intend to try making a roman bloomery furnace in the future and make a reconstuction of a roman sword or dagger by original standards.
franci selišek I will be looking forward to that. Keep up the good work!
I've done some reading on this topic and this style of sword made during the time period it was used was most likely made by a slave in a large workshop mass producing the the things of something which tests out to be a mix of iron and steel and poorly tempered. Some of them actually had a ridge down the middle near the point to prevent bending. They were still combat effective which I suppose is all that matters in the end.
The total lack of sound made me leave after two minutes. Many of us who are interested want to hear a narration and the hammer blows.
theallseeingmaster I'm sorry but the sound was removed due to author rights. In later videos i left in the original sound
wtf