I had a project rattling around for years, sitting in my dad's workshop and being worked on once a year or so. Many years ago, I bought a sword blade taken from a Swedish army sabre m/1893 (sabre-hilted straight, double-edged blade). I got it for the equivalent of $33. The previous owner had tried to do something with it, taking a side grinder to the ricasso and making a mess. I tidied up that area, restoring the transition from blade to tang. Then, with some help from my father, I fashioned a crossguard. A few years later, I used big washers to fashion a pommel of sorts, adding washers until I had the balance I wanted. I weighted the "pommel" and calculated the dimensions the real pommel was to have. My brother, who is an engineer with 3D modelling as a speciality, created a blueprint, and turned it from a piece of steel rod in our father's lathe.
I made the grip, mounted the pieces, made a pommel "nut", and cold-peened the tang end over it. The grip was wrapped with waxed cotton thread and covered with thin leather. I know the blade is a bit on the skinny side, but I feel that this is kind of an epilogue to my active sword interest. But who knows - one day the sword craze might flare up again.
