Custom Pugio Dagger by Purna Darnal
Dec 10, 2022 21:38:26 GMT
Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2022 21:38:26 GMT
Greetings! It's been some time since I drafted a review. I feel rather derelict, especially since I have had this object in my possession for five months. So below is my review of a custom pugio dagger designed by myself and created by Purna Darnal.
Background
The pugio is a type of dagger used by Roman soldiers. It's unclear how they were used or in what context, apart from a certain fellow named Caesar infamously getting shanked by several senators armed with pugio daggers on the Ides of March. But we can safely assume that they were personal sidearms that proliferated from the Republican period through the Imperial period among the ranks of the Roman military from the lowliest auxiliary to highest ranking officer.
Pugio blades were of varying lengths, but the general trend is that blades became progressively longer over time, but they were typically broad and double edged, often with a leaf shape. The broad and relatively flat blade of the pugio, alternatively with a diamond cross section, was capable of creating large and devastating entry wounds, much like the primary weapon of the Roman soldier, the gladius. In fact, some pugio daggers were crafted as part of a matched set with a gladius.
I examined the below museum pieces for guidance and inspiration for this build.
The elements I wished to incorporate into my design are the crescent moon pommel shape, a leaf-shaped blade with double fullers, and a scabbard with a wood core and an outer layer of brass. Many pugio grips were crafted with a sandwich-like construction: a full tang, wood/organic scales, pins, and an outer layer of metal, usually iron or copper alloy. These many layers made the pugio durable. For my design, I wanted separate hilt parts rather than a sandwich construction. Aesthetically, I wanted a fusion of Greek and Roman design. I imagined my dagger was owned by a Greek auxillary.
Design
My design features a 9.5 inch long blade that is 2 inches at the widest point and 1.5 inches at the most narrow point. It has a stiff diamond cross section and two parallel fullers.
The guard and pommel are both shaped like crescent moons. There's something inherently, I don't know, "witchy," about this kind of look, which is something I was purposefully going for. I designed a scabbard with two suspension rings and a carved relief of Medusa on the front of the scabbard. I gave Purna the following images for reference.
I was a little concerned about commissioning a dagger that depicts the severed head of a woman with snakes for hair, not knowing if many Nepalese people are familiar with this myth. As it turns out, Purna is aware of the myth of Medusa, which made me feel a bit easier, and since he comes from the land of venomous snakes, snakes for hair did not seem unnatural to him. All Medusa needed was a holiday in Nepal!
The guard is designed with three recesses on each side wherein I intended to set green cabochons. I specified for Purna how large the openings should be.
The grip I initially designed as carved white horn with fluting. When it came time for Purna to make the grip, I elected for a more polished look.
Creating the Pugio
Purna began making the dagger on May 19th this year. He made his usual blazing fast progress, but hit a road block after a few days due to ill health. Below is his progress by the end of May.
By June 15th, once he was back on his feet again, he more or less had the dagger put together as shown below.
He hit another road block soon after due to difficulties creating the scabbard. The wood core was no bother, but fitting it seamlessly with a brass outer layer, which required welding and bending, was a real bug bear for him. He went through two versions of the scabbard until he was satisfied with the third version. Using slightly thicker brass sheet stock seemed to do the trick. I felt really bad for him throughout this process because I could tell he was struggling with it, but he was so determined to get it right. This is one of Purna's greatest qualities as an artist. When he sets his mind to seeing something through, he doesn't quit until it's done properly. The photo below shows his three attempts at the scabbard. The final version is the one on the left.
I will also add he had some reservations about using white horn for the grip. I think he felt the grip was a little substandard in terms of quality, but I thought it was more than satisfactory. The grip is polished so finely that it looks practically translucent. The brass ring does provide some stability in the grip, but it would certainly have more traction with a leather grip. It wouldn't be as pretty though if you ask me.
The dagger was completed on July 5th, my birthday. This was the longest amount of time Purna ever took to complete one of my commissions, and I made six commissions before this dagger. There were delays due to illness and technical issues with the scabbard, and I had him redo the pommel at one stage. I received the dagger on July 11th. All things considered, receiving a completed dagger and scabbard two months after making the commission is pretty darn good if you ask me, especially when one considers how technically difficult it is to make a pugio scabbard and that it was his first attempt.
Review
The dagger greatly exceeded my expectations. The size and proportions are exactly what I designed. I was unsure how much the dagger would weigh or how it would be balanced, nor did I give Purna any guidance or parameters to this effect (I don't recommend doing it this way), but the finished dagger blew me away when I first held it.
The dagger is 527 grams, which is just over a pound, and the point of balance is naught, or ZERO inches from the grip. This is a beautifully balanced weapon with a great weight to it. It feels like it has authority, yet it is so well balanced that it feels weightless. I have NOT tested it yet, but there is little doubt in my mind how effective it would be against a would be tyrant.
The blade is what I expected it to be, sharp and tough as nails. The finish is a little rough in certain places, but given how much abuse these daggers suffered, it's more than reasonable for what it's intended use is. The dagger is approximately 5mm thick at the base and has a gentle distal taper. It's about 3mm at the tip.
The hilt parts are well executed and taper in thickness to keep the weight reasonable. The polished white horn grip is stunning. I readily admit that the fluting is missed for providing a tactile grip, but I sacrificed that design element for a more beautiful aesthetic. For those who are wondering, the green cabochons are chrysoprase.
The scabbard is the real star of the show here, construction-wise. Purna's execution of the wood core and brass outer layer is just about flawless. I can see where his seams are on the edges of the scabbard, but it isn't unsightly and looks handmade (because it is!).
The Medusa relief is beautiful and fascinating. She doesn't look Greek to me. A friend suggested she looks a bit Polynesian. No matter what her implied ethnicity is, she looks frightening. I always appreciate Purna's sensitivity to these artistic elements, and this is no exception.
The scabbard weighs 480g. It's HEAVY and it feels VERY durable, which is what one wants for a pugio dagger as they were taken on campaign and treated roughly. The heavy metal elements like brass are important to increase the durability of the scabbard and extend its life. Brass tarnishes, and it's heavy, but it doesn't rust, and it's easy to polish it up nice and shiny again. These scabbards are deliberately overbuilt to be purposefully tough. This particular scabbard is not as elaborate as many historic pugio scabbards are. Romans loved their bling. But I feel it's visually impressive enough to get some attention if worn in public.
I have the dagger mounted on the wall near my bed and greatly enjoy looking at it when the sun gets low and makes the brass glow. I feel Medusa's presence in my room at all times, but on the opposing wall of my bedroom is a certain sword that symbolically depicts Medusa being slain, so the room decor is in perfect balance.