[Shane Allee]

Yesterday I finished up another La Tene III Celtic sword. This is another double fullered example, but this time with a different style of hilt. It was once thought that the straight guards were adopted and a sign of Romanization. However with more and more swords from the La Tene III period turning up we can see that this change started happening without Roman influence. Most all of the difference blade forms from this period found at Port have some examples of hilts with a straight guard plate. There seem to be a variety of different forms of these, some guards have metal bands which would have wrapped around the organic guard, some have thin plate which would most likely have been inset, some have thicker bar type guard plates, and a couple of have cocked hat shaped guard plates. One of the things that struck me about some of the bar type was that some were shaped exactly the same way that the lower section of the crown hilts are. This connection then gave me a solid base to build this hilt from.

The guard plate and pommel cap are made from wrought iron. I used apple for the guard, pommel, and palm swell. Originally I thought I would use bone for the grip sections, but ended up using a boxwood burl that I now have no question was the better choice. Also I thought that I might carve some details into the guard and pommel, but now feel that it might distract from the wood.

Overall length is 36 ½”
Blade length is 31”
Blade width is 1 7/8”
Grip length is 3”
Weight is 1 ½ lbs
Point of balance is about 8”







http://www.ironagearmoury.com/second_double_f...ne_iii.htm

Shane Allee

[Mark G.]

That turned out really nice. The figure in the apple wood is spectacular, and it really ties in with the boxwood's coloration perfectly. I can't wait to see the sword in person. The blade by itself felt pretty sweet, but I'm sure it'll feel even better having a hilt to hold on to. Great work!

[Michael Pearce]

Really beautiful sword- the woods compliment each other very nicely. Well done!

[Joe Fults]

Just going to echo the other comments.

Nicely done.

[Jared Smith]

I really am jazzed up over the tapered metal guard piece in front of the wood guard section. I am gearing up to try making my first sword (Roman gladius) and have been planning the same front guard approach based upon one of the Cologne area tombstone illustrations of a Roman-Gual era spatha. (The stone carving I am thinking of seems to show textured dimples on the front guard section.)

I also like the forged, pitted "imperfect" look of the metal guard piece. I was initially questioning rather it might be pattern welded. Regardless, it has a pleasing rugged effect that assures one that this is not some chrome and vinyl fake prop that simply looks like a real sword. Similarly, the basic peened tang end (as opposed to some elaborate cast bronze ball) is like one late 2nd to early 3rd century find from the Rhine area I have been looking at. I think its great to see a matching "rugged and sturdy" approach throughout the assembly, still consistent with some actual finds.

Everything else (exotic woods, great shaping, etc) are of course beautiful. I just thought the guard front really made it the most unique + authentic of the hundreds of other reproductions and surviving fragments that I have been spending most of my time studying lately. Thanks for sharing.

Jared

[Shane Allee]

Thanks everyone.

The wrought iron always seems to add a nice textural touch. Maybe one day I'll get brave enough for some textured fullers, but I'm always afraid of mucking up the great job that Mark does on the fullers. I really do like the way this one turned out and will have to do another double fullered blade soon... one of these times I'll get to keep one. *G*

Shane

[Nathan Bell]

This piece was very, very nice. It was extremely lively, light and quick. Those twin fullers also made it quite rigid as well, no "whippiness" to the blade.

Whoever bought this is a lucky bastard.