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Post by aldarith on Jul 19, 2020 23:04:42 GMT
By the way, Brother Nate, thank you for sharing these. I hadn't seen the backside of the Tiberius yet! On the pommel of you Tiberius - is that a crack or split I see that has been repaired? Good question, it actually came this way to me. Very interesting indeed - it does LOOK like a repaired split in this photo but I wouldn't be able to make the call without having it in hand. Looks like a best-case execution of the repair, if it is! Funny thing about the testing, one of the thrusts deflected off into the brickwall right behind it. The tip( which is quite thick and reinforced) suffered no real damage. So much for the no heat treat claims. Funny indeed, my expectations are getting higher
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Post by aldarith on Jul 19, 2020 23:05:40 GMT
I'd avoid it due to the grip length. It's so long it's easily recognizable in the product pictures - my thought exactly.
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Post by Mark Millman on Jul 20, 2020 5:38:09 GMT
I'd avoid it due to the grip length. It's so long it's easily recognizable in the product pictures - my thought exactly. True on both counts. But it's the only production gladius that has the very typical late-Republican net-like fittings on the scabbard, and I wanted it for that reason. I gave it to a friend before I got around to changing the hilt, but I remain interested enough to get another and actually do the work I never got around to doing earlier. I might also add the radial fittings that top the pommel of the Delos sword, which is clearly one of the AH4229's inspirations. I haven't turned up a good image of the archaeological find, but Patrick Bárta makes a hispaniensis (catalogue number 125, Gladius hispanensis (late republican)) that models its hilt on the Delos sword (the blade is from a Slovakian example), and copies what I believe is the best-known of the surviving scabbards with reticulated fittings, from the Ljubljanica River in Slovenia (published by Janka Istenič in Arheološki vestnik 54, 2003, pp. 271-279: "Augustan sword-scabbards with net-like fitments", which is available as a PDF from Academia.edu). Best,
Mark
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Post by aldarith on Jul 23, 2020 4:02:07 GMT
Well - I went ahead and placed the order for the Fulham AH2010 TODAY, as well as the closeout HUGE bowie knife AH3177
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Post by aldarith on Jul 25, 2020 21:57:38 GMT
It was about 15 Canadian dollars... for a full tang carbon steel blade of nearly 20 inches! That is about what I paid for a 3" opinel knife that I certainly wouldn't be able to split logs or cut brush with. Can't wait to strip that yellow paint and customize the shape of the handle and get an edge on it.
KOA say's it will take a week to get things shipped, but they sharpened my gladius inside of a day and had it shipped! The package arrives this monday! I am quite excited.
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Post by legacyofthesword on Sept 5, 2020 19:31:20 GMT
Hi I was wondering if there was any update on this? Seconded: I'm really itching to see if the Fulham is a good buy.
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Post by aldarith on Jun 1, 2021 1:38:05 GMT
Hey! Sorry, I was SO late in doing this, one moment - I will show you what I made of it!
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Post by aldarith on Jun 1, 2021 1:59:14 GMT
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Post by aldarith on Jun 1, 2021 2:02:39 GMT
The point is also unevenly cut, but this was $98 or so including shipping so there is little to worry about.
Because of the issue with the angle on one side of the blade, it feels a little odd to swing. Ungainly is the word I'd use. It points well enough and feels good on the trust. Perhaps a little blade heavy when I wish there was more weight in the hilt.
The biggest issue is that there is a straight, clean crack in the bone handle that runs the length of it. The crack is often so tight that it seems fuzed, but under different humidities the crack can become noticeably wider. Just kind of an annoying issue.
I have since riveted a baldric on, pictures to come.
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Post by aldarith on Jun 1, 2021 2:25:28 GMT
I have cut targets with the sword and I'll say that I don't feel like it's going to come apart on me. I know the potential failure point (grip) so if it does breakdown it will be in a predictable manner.
The sword handled well enough but it does feel slightly off center owing to the issue with the geometry. It thrusts pretty well and the edge was retained throughout light cutting.
My opinion is that if you want a piece to customize and are happy with these potential issues, go for it. Just be aware that KOA considers these issue normal for the price point and so you will get these at the standard retail price, as I did. Scratch and Dent as well as Munitions grade will be worse off. I consider these issues fixable, I just didn't want to invest the time and resources to do it, and as such I would buy this sword again or recommend it as long as the buyer knows the caveats.
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Post by aldarith on Jun 2, 2021 16:47:32 GMT
As promised, here are photos of the baldric! First though, here is the annoying hairline crack on the handle. It's SO faint, but this grows up to a MM in width in the right weather. Hopefully this helps illustrate the uneveness of the edge.
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Post by aldarith on Jun 2, 2021 23:07:58 GMT
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pgandy
Moderator
Senior Forumite
Posts: 10,296
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Post by pgandy on Jun 3, 2021 17:41:47 GMT
I like your hand work. As far as the imperfections you point out it sounds like you are looking for 21st century production line perfection in a sword that represents something made 2,000 years ago. I dare say that of the 1,000s made by as many individuals that made them the originals were not up to what we would expect today. As for that crack is it possible to work a CA glue into it? Thanks for the update.
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Post by aldarith on Jun 3, 2021 20:00:22 GMT
I like your hand work. As far as the imperfections you point out it sounds like you are looking for 21st century production line perfection in a sword that represents something made 2,000 years ago. I dare say that of the 1,000s made by as many individuals that made them the originals were not up to what we would expect today. As for that crack is it possible to work a CA glue into it? Thanks for the update. I wouldn't say so, I managed my expectations and was not super disappointed or anything. The thing is that most of these issues seem to have been preventable or quickly correctable from the factory. I don't expect perfection, but I imagine that there was opportunity to fix the edge of the blade at some point before it got to finishing. It just didn't happen for this particular piece. I do think that without increasing the price some of these issues could have been attended, given the nature of them. I don't think Deepeeka included such imperfections as a recreation, I think that would be too much of the benefit of the doubt. That said, I think Deepeeka products are too often maligned for their price point. I just want anyone looking for a info to get the straight dope and know what they will receive. It's a good price and at that price point you have to accept some of these imperfections. Should it be perfectly straight? No, absolutely not at this price point - but I think they could have done a little more to correct it and not have it be as dramatic. I do understand that the ancients were working with much less an advantage in materials and tools and so their result would have been equally variable (and more interesting for the variation). As for the crack, on a dry day when it widen I might be able to work some in but not on a day like today when it's humid and the crack is swollen closed. Its amazing to me how much the size can vary - I am not sure I will buy a bone hilted knife again now that I have seen how susceptible it is to shrinkage and swelling. I am happy with it, especially now that I have patinated it and given it some wear. I would just have gone for a wood handle instead in light of the crack.
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