[Sean Flynt]

Rondel daggers have great appeal for me. There's tremendous variety, and that design lattitude is helpful to anyone wishing to make one. The one I finished this week has no particular historical reference. It's a little too broad and large to have an exact match, though if I had to guess I'd say it's closest to some German double-edged types of the early 16th c. I've taken notes from different periods, cultures and forms to create a modern design.

The blade is the $15 USD Atlanta Cutlery Arkansas Toothpick I've used in several projects. https://www.atlantacutlery.com/arkansas-toothpick-blade-12
It's a great blade. I wish Windlass would triple the length and give us a full-size Type XVIII bare sword blade for $50!

My project, with trimmed tang, is 16" overall and 1.75" wide at the base of the blade. The grip is of rounded quadrangular section with leather wrap. As far as I know, that wrap is an unusual treatment for a dagger grip. Historically, rondel dagger grips show enormous variety of materials, shaping and decoration, but I haven't seen many that were wrapped like this. I think it's likely that some were, because it proved practical for swords. This dagger is fit to my hand, so when I grip it the edges of my fist are tight against the rondels.

The rondels are shaped from mild-steel flat stock. I decided to leave the evidence of the hot work on these--hammer and file marks, high and low spots, discoloration, etc.--because I like the contrast of those rough bits with the overall modern look of the piece. I made the lower rondel oval to cover the width of the blade without extending far out over the flats. A truly round rondel wouldn't look terrible, but it would be huge and would have to be cut from stock I don't have on hand.

I'm undecided on a sheath--whether or not to make one and what to make if I proceed. The rondel dagger sheath shown in the image at bottom below is a good candidate. Note the two by-knives and contrasting suspension lace. Something with a bit of flash would work well with the austere design of the dagger.

[Radovan Geist]

A nice one! I like the simple look - and with that scabbard, it´d look great.
Just out of curiosity - how did you do the handle? Did you drill a hole through a block of wood, or is it a sandwich construction? With the wrap & leather cover, a sandwich construction would be OK, and it´s easier to make it tight around the flat part of the tang.

[Sean Flynt]

I made the grip core like a sword grip--two slabs of wood, each with the profile of the tang and half the depth of the tang chiseled out of it. As you say, it's a tight fit that can't work loose over time and turn on the tang. I've never tried the bored-through or burned-through methods, but this method is simple and effective.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Nice DIY work as you usually do.