Bronze Age Swords -- myArmoury.com

Luke Zechman · Posted: Tue 17 May, 2011 7:51 am Post subject:

After very little deliberation, I decided to make a new pommel for the Ewart Park. I know, I know... I want it to at least be historically plausible. I did like my original design, but I am not really interested in making fantasy swords. I have come this far on this project, and want it to be right. Either way I something good has come out of this. I have always wondered about the sturdiness of these pommels. Destroying this one off was easy, but it would have been hard to work it free from use.

I will post pictures later.

I am pretty certain that my next Bronze Blade will be a Mycenaean Type G Horned Sword.

Cheers

Luke Zechman · Posted: Thu 19 May, 2011 11:11 am Post subject:

Looking for constructive criticism of the new pommel. Thanks in advance for sharing. I took the time to fit this pommel on better than the last one. I have not applied linseed oil yet, as the glue has not dried for 24 hours.

David McElrea · Posted: Thu 19 May, 2011 5:53 pm Post subject:

It's a beauty, Luke. I like this one much better. You've done a great job.

Luke Zechman · Posted: Thu 19 May, 2011 8:51 pm Post subject:

Thanks David!
I may take a bit of the high dome out of the butt of it yet. Make it a little flatter. I still need to soak it, but don't want to until it is finished (the linseed clogs up the file). Than sand it smooth, soak in oil, and after good finish is achieved I will slather it with bees wax. Put a final polish to the blade, and it will officially be done and done.

Matthew Amt · Posted: Fri 20 May, 2011 6:56 am Post subject:

Oh, lovely, I like that one! Good shape. It's a shade large overall for *my* taste, but I think Jeroen has done a couple about that size.

Nice work!

Matthew

Julien M · Posted: Fri 20 May, 2011 7:09 am Post subject:

Hi Luke,

Great work. You've put together some very handsome swords to say the least so congratulations for that (the gen2, the albion Mainz and now this, a very attractive lineup).

I am no specialist of this era by a longshot, but the pommel feels a bit oversized to me when looking at it on the pict showing the complete sword (Just like viking hilts might get in the way of your wrist when doing a slashing motion, but viking pommels were oten relatively flat, allowing for the "handshake grip", while it would not seem practical on yours that is round in section)?

Again, I know very little about these sword types, and your woodwork is outstanding in any case Happy

J

Luke Zechman · Posted: Fri 20 May, 2011 7:36 am Post subject:

Thanks Matthew and Julien!

The cross section is round, and I agree with the statement about the pommel. I am flattening the dome of the pommel right now. I also do not know enough about these sword. Jeroen had posted a link a few posts back showing some drawings of originals. I had always been a bit confused by this pommel shape as well, which is why I tried something a little different before.

Thanks concerning the line up. I would eventually like to have a decent collection of swords raging from Bronze Age to Roman. I would eventually like to have a top notch example of many swords within this large time frame. I was a falx, falcata, kopis, xiphos, more bronze swords and gladii. I am sure as time goes on I will become more versed in these more "ancient" types.

Cheers

Peter Johnsson · Industry Professional

I like the shape of the pommel!

I would have made it smaller, however. Perhaps half size or one third smaller?

Luke Zechman · Posted: Fri 20 May, 2011 12:12 pm Post subject:

Thank you Peter! It has since been reduced in size, and it does seem more visually pleasing. I was referencing the proportions seen in the link that Jeroen had posted in this thread. I was going for something like the third one from the left. I have begun the finishing process, and may go do some cutting before putting a final polish to the blade. Using the sword will help to polish the hilt.

Scott Woodruff · Posted: Mon 23 May, 2011 7:40 am Post subject:

Yes, I like that pommel much better. It looks very much like the large one shown on the link above. I agree with Matthew in that if the sword feels a bit too point-heavy, you can grind a bit of weight off of the distal end of the blade. Even a very subtle change out there can have a drastic effect on the swords feel. I am working on my own bronze-age pommel (elk antler) and am having a hard time getting used to the idea of such wide flat pommels. Mine is about 6cm wide and 2cm thick. What are the measurements on yours?

Luke Zechman · Posted: Mon 23 May, 2011 8:47 am Post subject:

Thanks Scott. I would love to see your sword when it is done. Since this thread is called Bronze Age Swords, perhaps you would be willing to post it here.

I am including stats for the Ewart Park here. They may change slightly since I will be doing some small finishing work. I do not have a scale, so weight will not be included, although I suspect around 2 pounds.

Overall Length: 24.75 in
Blade Length: 18.5 in
Grip Length: 4.75 in
Pommel 2 in thick, 3 in wide, Circular.
POB: 4 in from hilt interface.
Blade Max Width: 1.8 in

Scott Woodruff · Posted: Sun 19 Jun, 2011 12:33 pm Post subject:

The sword I am working on is an iron Naue II, so I'll probably post it on a seperate thread as I start to make some progress. I would really like to see you do a cutting video. My suggestion for cutting material- meat please!

Luke Zechman · Posted: Sun 19 Jun, 2011 1:43 pm Post subject:

Very nice. I would like to see that iron sword when it is done. I have done some cutting with this sword. I goes through milk jugs with ease. I got a little cocky the one day and tried a Gatorade bottle. It didn't cut the bottle at all, but it did crack the thing wide open. I have also used it to chop a 3in maple branch in two, and it did so without losing much of the edge. I am not familiar with posting videos. I could probably email you a video.

Dan Howard · Posted: Sun 19 Jun, 2011 3:06 pm Post subject:

Barry Molloy has done plenty of cutting against various targets with bronze age swords and published the results. Here are some to start with.

Molloy, B., "For Gods or men? A reappraisal of the function of European Bronze Age shields", Antiquity, Vol. 83, (2009)
Molloy, B., "Swords and Swordsmanship in the Aegean Bronze Age," American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 114, No. 3, (2010)
Molloy, B., et. al., The Cutting Edge: Studies in Ancient and Medieval Combat (Stroud: Tempus, 2007)

Scott Woodruff · Posted: Wed 22 Jun, 2011 1:42 pm Post subject:

Dan, very interesting, I will have to see about finding those.
Luke, I started my first iron Naue II a couple of days ago and am about half done already. The flanges were surprisingly easy to do. I will be posting pics soon on the " Iron Naue II swords" thread. If you ever cut some meat or other interesting targets I would love to have you send me a video, but there isn't much to learn by cutting plastic bottles, though it is fun! Cutting a 3" maple branch is quite impressive though, I wouldn't mind seeing that.

Stephan Johansson · Posted: Fri 12 Aug, 2011 1:38 pm Post subject:

I have read this thread closely and also some other threads about Bronze swords and is starting to get interested in buying a sword from Neil and hilt it myself.
One thing that puzzles me is the wooden pommel attached to these swords.

With the exception of the Mindelheim sword with its hat-pommel, I have not seen any the wood pommels or bronze pommels attached to bronze swords.

When the swords are hilted with bronze hilts, they rather just have a horn-shaped flaring at the top of the grip.

Is there any good documentation somewhere (on the net) how these types of mushroom-shaped pommels looked.

I am mainly thinking of buying a Ewart Park or Limehouse sword.

Jeroen Zuiderwijk · Industry Professional

Stephan Johansson · Posted: Fri 12 Aug, 2011 2:56 pm Post subject:

Thank you very much!

I must be very tired or something.
It would be interesting to see pictures of these swords, showing how the pommels were integrated with the side plates.
If one looks at the schetches it seems like the pommel and side plates were softly merging in to each other.

Do you know if there are any good pictures of these swords Happy

Kirk Lee Spencer · Posted: Sat 13 Aug, 2011 9:38 pm Post subject: