DIY: swept-hilt rapier -- myArmoury.com

Radovan Geist · Posted: Wed 16 Dec, 2015 3:03 am Post subject: DIY: swept-hilt rapier

I´d like to share with you another project, which I have started some months back: A swept-hilt rapier of an earlier (around 1600) form. It´s inspired by a Spanish rapier dated to 1600 - I can´t find the photo in my computer right now, but it has to be somewhere, as I have it printed in my workshop:) So I´ll post it, when I´d find it.
I´m using Hanwei practical blade, as I intend to use it in free sparring. Also, I´m planning a matching dagger.

First I´ve started to work on a hilt - guards and quillons. They´re made from a soft steel, 4 mm thick - that´s picture 1.

Basic form was shaped with an angle-grinder. Picture 2 shows something which would be later one of the forward loops / rings.

The hilt will be decorated by hearts, cut through the material. Pictures 3 and 4 show the process - first drilling, then finishing by needle-files.

Radovan Geist · Posted: Wed 16 Dec, 2015 3:08 am Post subject:

And last two pictures, for now: other parts of the hilt roughly finished (picture 1), and the whole assembly bent to shape, ready for final adjusting, cutting, and welding (picture 2).

Stephen Wheatley · Posted: Thu 17 Dec, 2015 11:38 am Post subject:

That'll look great Radovan, can't wait to see the progress!

Radovan Geist · Posted: Thu 17 Dec, 2015 1:14 pm Post subject:

Thanks Stephen:)
I will post some progress pictures hopefully after this weekend, in the meanwhile I had found my original inspiration. The piece was auctioned on Hermann Historica some time ago as a "Spanish musketeer sword" from around 1600. The original has a hollow, perforated pommel, which I would not try to replicate. I will use a full pommel; it´s also needed to counterbalance a relatively heavy Hanwei blade.

Radovan Geist · Posted: Mon 21 Dec, 2015 5:14 am Post subject:

Here´s an update: the hilt parts have been welded together and cleaned. Also, a simple pommel has been turned on a lathe from a piece of soft steel.

In the meanwhile, I have decided to a heat blackening. All parts were heated (not having a forge, I was using our garden fire-place) to dark red and then soaked into oil. I had to repeat the process couple of times, but the result is acceptable.

The picture shows finished parts. On the left you can see twister wire, made from blackened and simple wire, which will be used on a handle.

Stephen Wheatley · Posted: Mon 21 Dec, 2015 6:16 am Post subject:

The blued steel looks superb! I always reckon that the trickiest bit is tying the turk's head knots on the grip. Can just about do them now following the tutorials on this site! Keep posting the photos.

Alex Indman · Posted: Mon 21 Dec, 2015 10:02 am Post subject:

Radovan,

Looks really impressive, I am not up to taking upon projects of such complexity yet...

How fine did you finish the steel parts before blackening them?
I am planning a simpler project (kind of a XVIc falchion) with blued mild steel furniture and wondering if it makes sense to go beyond say 220 grit. Blueing/blackening may hide finer finish anyway. And I don't really want to achieve a "black mirror" look, more like a "nice working finish" that could be expected of a period sword.

Thanks.
Alex.

Radovan Geist · Posted: Mon 21 Dec, 2015 11:17 pm Post subject:

Hi Alex,
thank you. It still has many flaws, but the most important thing is to keep on trying:) For finish, I did not go beyond 180 grit. First of all, I was trying to remove scratches from grinding, I did not care much about a very fine finish. But then, I´m intending to use this rapier for free sparring, so it will take some damage soon, anyway. My advice would be to try blackening pieces of steel with different rate of finish, and then decide.

Stephen, I will not be able to tie turk´s head knots with this wire, it´s too thick. I will have to get hold on something finer and then try. For now, I will use all-steel ferrule. Let´s see how it´d work.