Here's a little riding sword project I cooked up from a discarded test tube stand (cross,) unusually stiff Windlass Steelcrafts blade of hexagonal section, and a stainless Albion maestro line Meyer pommel a far better craftsman gifted to me.

I thought this would be a plain infantry sword in the style of the late 15th c., but it got a bit nicer than that as I went along. I'll call it a riding sword because it's neat and compact at 37.25" overall (31.25" blade). The pommel and relatively thick blade give it a comfortable heft at 2 lbs and a POB 4.5" below the cross. The blade (from a WS spada da lato) is .5" wide at one inch above the tip and 1.5" wide at the cross. It had an ugly ricasso that I mostly eliminated. COP is 20.25 below the cross, but this piece feels like it prefers to thrust.

The chappe is just a plate of brass, embossed with a chisel and punch, wrapped around the tip of the scabbard and overlapped without any attempt to create a neat seam or solder/braze. It's just a cone, open at the end. It seems to have been a common method of making a chape, judging from examples in the Portable Antiquities Scheme database. https://finds.org.uk/database

The stray marks on the punching are due to my cutting into them with scissors to create the crown effect. If the piece looks authentically indifferent it's because that's the way I approached it. Good enough.

The buckle and plate are almost as simple as the chape.

This piece joins a close-knit family of projects with a very strong German/Austrian influence. I just love the forms, and although there's a sameness across this collection due to that and to a skill level that doesn't change much from project to project anymore, I do like to take projects that demonstrate something not already displayed--byknives, complex and simple hilts, waisted and tapered grips, etc.

I still haven't made the scabbard the E.B. Erickson Hauswehr deserves, but I'll get there. I have a reproduction of the RA German branch sword that will get a scabbard, too, and introduce something new to this family.

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That's really a cool little sword you crafted there. ;) I love a good DIY using what you have to make something one-of-a-kind that is the sole inspiration of the maker. Good job! :D ..........McM

We'll call it the Scrounger Line

I'll be adding a shield to the Scrounger Line come my winter break from work, along with a few armor and helmet stands. The trash dumpster at a woodworking facility produces some great DIY treasures. :D ..... :lol: .......................McM

What kind of shield?

Not really a Viking...not really a buckler. It's about (?) 18" in diameter, 3/4 " plywood, 14ga. GDFB center boss, and covered in fine upholstery-grade leather. It will have a hemp rope wrap around the edge, and a straight, leather-wrapped grip. Not really "historically-accurate", but ultimately functional. ;) I don't plan on actually using it (because I'm old as dirt), but I want it built to take any, if not more, abuse than any original. :cool: ..........McM

Now, my armor stands....talk about made of JUNK. :lol: But, they hold up two full suits of plate...so.... :lol:

Sounds like a target or rotella. I look forward to seeing it!

I just call it my 'Mini-Viking/Mega-Buckler'. :lol: It'll be 'historically feasible', if nothing else but functional. Didn't mean to derail your thread, Sean.

I'd like to see the suspension unwrapped. :)

That's a decent looking riding sword, Sean! Especially since you put it together from a random mix of parts, including a test tube stand.