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Post by antoine99 on May 6, 2018 3:44:55 GMT
Thanks for the pic, that actually looks pretty good, kind of a worn-in look
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Post by antoine99 on May 6, 2018 0:29:01 GMT
That’s a good video, however you might want to view other videos to give yourself a broader base to start building on. A couple of things I’ll throw out to you is the first time on your machete use nothing finer than 220 grit to start. Most people in the beginning will start with too fine of a grit making more work for themselves. As I like convex edges I find a compressible backing on the paper advantageous as it will follow the surface of the blade better than a flat backing, even when rocking the blade. There are several techniques, even when using sandpaper some will work for you better than others, and in one case one technique will work best and in another a modification will be needed. As an example stationary paper or stone and move the blade, and in another just the reverse. Above all PATIENCE. Thanks, great advice, can't wait to try this. The machete actually has that black anti-corrosion finish (Cold Steel), I guess that will automatically be taken away when I sharpen the edge. I already tried with steel wire but the progress was painfully slow so I just left it the way it is.
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Post by antoine99 on May 4, 2018 1:27:51 GMT
Here's Tom Kinder of TomKin Forge's old video on how he does it. Before he was a sword maker he was well known for his sword sharpening. Oh that's a great idea, thanks again
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Post by antoine99 on May 3, 2018 19:57:02 GMT
Wow, I had no idea sandpaper would be so effective, thanks guys!
My first "learning experience" will be putting an actual edge on the machete I mentioned, it came with I think a "factory edge", but it seems very dull. I guess you could cut something with it if you really tried (though not well at all) but I'm sure it's not sharp enough. I know not to put too sharp of an edge on "combat" weapons but this one is definitely too dull.
I'll look into some sandpaper then, is it really as easy as I think it is? Just put on some hand protection and run the sandpaper across the edge at a 25-30 whatever you want degree angle, just like you would with a metal file, but much more carefully? I have a strong feeling I'd mess up the angle.
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Post by antoine99 on May 3, 2018 1:28:22 GMT
Hey everyone I was reading some articles about which whetstone to use for sword sharpening, including on this site, but it didn't really go into much detail about the grit, so I found this one (recommended by one of them) which seems to have great reviews, what do you think? www.ebay.com/itm/SHIPS-FROM-USA-CA-KING-Japanese-Whetstone-combi-1000-6000-KW65/152881411122?epid=710094793&hash=item2398713432:g:p9sAAOSwndZaXa8EThat one has 1,000/6,000 grit. I'm completely new to sharpening and if I do try it, it will be on a cheap "kopis" machete to practice (although I am absolutely not trying to ruin it). Also the SBG article said I also needed a metal file (to use before the whetstone), are there specific types of files I need or are metal files mostly the same, I'm totally new to this. The part that is amazing to me is that people can actually get such a specific angle, like 25 or 30 degrees freehand without using and sort of guide. Thanks everyone!
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Post by antoine99 on Mar 14, 2018 21:16:02 GMT
That's a very good point-I guess you have to balance the cost with the risk. I think I'll e-mail them though and ask about the tang (they don't seem to mention it anywhere, making me pretty suspicious). I'll post their reply. EDIT: They just wrote back to me (very quickly), and said that it doesn't have a tang. That's that then I guess
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Post by antoine99 on Mar 14, 2018 19:48:31 GMT
Many things depend on your definition of "functional". If you sharpened it up, would you be able to effective kill/injure people with it (after all, that's the purpose of a dagger)? Probably, yes. So it's at least "functional" in that respect. However, I highly doubt (and hope) that none of us intend to use our swords/daggers/etc. to actually cause harm to other people. That being the case, what else do you want to be able to do with it? Cut tatami? Chop fruit? It's possible that this dagger could break while doing so, and you'd be out $30. It's also possible that it wouldn't: I've put cheap $1 kitchen knives through a lot of abuse before they finally broke. It's a question of whether it's worth a $30 gamble for you. I, for one, like my swords and other weapons to "battle-ready", even if I never plan on using them. Just a personal preference; there's absolutely nothing wrong with collecting wallhanger art pieces, as long as you never try to use them (that can be dangerous). Hi, thanks for the reply! Yes I suppose battle ready makes more sense than just saying "functional". I don't plan on using them even for cutting practice (maybe in the future), even my "battle ready" gladius from KoA which I'm sure would do fine, but I just don't really want something that isn't "real". I guess if it's battle ready, but just not sharpened, I might consider it. That's true about kitchen knives, I thought maybe this one, not being really historically accurate and made with modern methods (I assume) would be a good deal. I can probably find a bunch of very cheap modern knives that are at least reasonably tough, so I was wondering.
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Post by antoine99 on Mar 14, 2018 1:15:17 GMT
I wouldn't trust it. Looks super cheap and if the tang is as poorly done as the "brass finishing" (paint?) then I wouldn't trust it to cut the air honestly. Yeah that's what I was thinking, unfortunately there's nothing mentioned about the tang, thanks for the input! I'm kind of tempted to find one of those ~$10 daggers and see how good they actually seem, and if it's terrible, it's only $10. I guess I might as well e-mail them just to see what they say about the tang. If I do, what would an acceptable response be from them in order to make this dagger functional? Full tang? That kind of sounds like hoping for way too much.
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Post by antoine99 on Mar 14, 2018 0:44:24 GMT
Hey everyone! I was just browsing and came across this beautiful looking Roman dagger for only around $30 (I'll probably get it from E-bay): www.darkknightarmoury.com/p-48593-brass-finish-roman-eagle-dagger.aspxIt doesn't tell you a whole lot about the materials and stuff though, all it says is: Key Features: Based on the daggers of ancient Rome Black and brass tone detail decorates blade Pommel is shaped like the head of an eagle Includes sheath with matching brass tone detail Fantastic collectors piece or decoration Great gift or reenactment accessory for Roman history fans Materials: Blade made of polished stainless steel Hilt and sheath made of cast metal Apparently stainless steel is fine for kitchen knives and stuff, not for functional swords (in general). But what about a "dagger" like this? How functional would this actually be? That's my main concern. From somewhere on this website it says that basically SS is not good for any blade over 12", but this one has an 8" blade. After browsing DKA, it seems that there are a ton of very cheap (~$10) daggers with similar descriptions to the Roman one. I know it's obviously not top-quality stuff, but assuming they are at least functional, I had no idea they were so affordable. There's nothing mentioned about the tang or anything (again I'm 100% inexperienced with daggers). It says "great for reenactment", but I guess that could mean anything from full-contact to no-contact. I could e-mail customer support and ask them I suppose, but I thought maybe in the future if someone else has the same question they will find this thread helpful, and maybe I'll learn something. Also I'm not sure if it's really historically accurate or not, but it's at least believable and the shape and decorations really appeal to me. The style of the real pugio doesn't really interest me that much (by that I mean those super wide, wavy-shaped blades). Thanks everyone EDIT: Also the impracticality of the eagle head pommel with that beak seems pretty obvious to me, you don't have to mention that OH, and also, maintenance on something like this should be really simple, right? Since it's stainless steel, I don't have to oil it (I use gun&reel cloth on my gladius)? Maybe just a little wipe with a dry cloth now and then?
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Post by antoine99 on Feb 28, 2018 6:41:29 GMT
Thanks, great advice. For now I'm going to make my other greave, but when I actually make the torso/chest part, perhaps I'll put a lot of duct tape on the top edge of the armor, or something else if I can find something. Maybe some foam or something. Worst case scenario I guess is I just make a piece for my torso and not my chest so it's very, very unlikely to be dangerous. Removing it I don't think will be a problem, but I will certainly keep that in mind. If the greaves I made are anything to go by, all I have to do to remove them is pull on the string on the top and the bottom and they are untied, just like shoes Also you're right, they are very light, I'll weigh them sometime later. I've actually wanted to make an Aspis shield for awhile now (though without a curve), soon I'll see if I can buy some sort of tabletop and attach a cabinet handle or something to it with a leather strap for argive grip. If it happens I'll make another thread for that. Maybe I'll have done with it and just make a full set of armor, lol I was just thinking again about the neck issues; I suppose I could buy a gorget, looking on Dark Knight Armory for example, they are very cheap, and while they don't look that pretty, for my purposes, it's probably enough, right? Most of them are 18 gauge steel anyway, that should at least provide some protection from stabs even if it's not perfect (slashes I assume would be completely ineffective). But my main issue is preventing my aluminum armor from slamming upwards towards my neck. I think I'll get a pair of cheap 18 gauge steel bracers from them too, I'm not sure I can make something I could actually safely wear on my arms myself. With the low price it's probably not worth it to try. I was also toying with the idea of making some really simple paper armor from some regular blank writing paper (stationary paper I think). After watching a few demonstrations I think it might be an interesting project, and probably safer to wear, since it either bends, or is flexible enough to not harm myself. At first, all I'd do is take some sheets and duct tape them together, until there is enough duct tape to cover it so there isn't any visible paper, just so it doesn't get wet, or move around, or anything like that. However, I'm wondering how many sheets I'd actually have to use to have a somewhat effective piece of armor.
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Post by antoine99 on Feb 28, 2018 3:36:29 GMT
Hey everyone It turns out I received the wrong item so I just ordered a 1/16 inch thick aluminum sign to experiment with along with two 1/8 inch thick aluminum sheets. The 1/8 inch are FAR harder to bend that I expected. However, the 1/16 was very easy. I ended up making one greave with it (is it still called a greave if it only covers the shin?), and taking some shoelaces from an old pair of shoes. It actually looks pretty promising if not sloppy and totally unprofessional, lol. So I ordered two more of the 1/16 inch signs (the 1/16 inch ones are street signs, the 1/8 ones are just aluminum blanks, all are 8" x 12"), and I'm going to make another greave for my other leg the same way. I just bent it a little bit in the middle, then places it over my shin and bent it the rest of the way. My issue right now is just having it stay in place. I tried it and it seems to be pretty stable, but I tied the laces around my leg. It's not actually uncomfortable, but being a complete hypochondriac if I can find something that has 0 risk of cutting off the circulation I'd probably use that instead. I didn't try it while wearing my jeans over it or with shoes, I can assume that once I do it will be even more stable. Overall I'm pretty happy with how it turned out as a first project. If I can't work with the 1/8 inch sheets, I might just order more 1/16 inch signs and secure two of them on top of each other. Now as for my original question about the body armor, I had a serious concern about that that never occurred to me; is there any risk if, for example, I am in a car accident while wearing it, and my body bends forward or whatever, that it could be forced upwards towards my throat? I do know that neck protection was very important during jousting, combat, etc. Cosmoline ; yeah that's what I was thinking, to leave the street sign paint on. I thought it would look funnier. Otherwise I might paint it bronze. Thanks again for all the replies!
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 29, 2018 17:55:12 GMT
I have the CS European spear. It's a great weapon, and tough as nails, but I wouldn't call it well balanced. It's too heavy for me to wield effectively with one hand, so I'm not sure how good of a dory it would make. Damn! That would have been perfect. Thanks
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 29, 2018 1:01:11 GMT
^ EDIT: Actually, after searching a bit further, I found this "European spear" that seems like it fits my needs a bit better than the Assegai spear: www.ebay.com/itm/Cold-Steel-MAA-European-Spear-20-5in-Head-Length-191984-Fixed-Blade-95MEP/352264996387?epid=1837513857&hash=item5204a14623:g:~MoAAOSwcuZaauSFOf course CS doesn't list the shaft thickness, so that's the only thing I'm concerned with now. I found one on E-bay for almost the same price as the Assegai spear. I watched a review of a guy throwing it and it seemed pretty easy, so hopefully it will handle well one-handed (3.26 pounds, well winin the 2-4 lb Dory limits, but it may limit my options if I want to attach something to the end for balance). Also, not that it's a big deal, but it seems that both sides of the spearhead attachment are solid, unlike the Assegai (you can't see the shaft poking through).
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 27, 2018 1:56:50 GMT
Oh yes, thank you However, that's a bit out of my price range. They actually have a similar one (not exactly the same with a few inches difference on the head) for around $80, but in my case I think it's better to leave it to the professionals EDIT: Also, I assume maintenance on something like this is pretty easy? Just rub a tiny bit of lemon oil along the wooden parts, and just clean the spearhead with rubbing alcohol, wipe, then use gun & reel cloth? I'm just wondering because this is a different metal than the typical 1095 high carbon. I assume the preventative measures are the same though? ^ I just read somewhere that mentioned treating wooden grips once or twice a year is enough, wow, really? I understand over-oiling is certainly not good, but that rarely?
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 27, 2018 1:21:36 GMT
Do you have an angle grinder? I think that's what he used for the grooves right? If not I'm sure you will be able to just bend it over a solid right angled surface like a work bench That's actually the reason I was considering something thinner, so I could more easily bend it, but I'm more than willing to try my hand at this without that equipment. Wish me luck
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 27, 2018 0:42:13 GMT
Thank you for all the replies everyone!
I just ordered a 1/8 inch thick, 8" by 12" aluminum street sign off Ebay, wonder how this will turn out! I very much doubt it will be pretty. As this is really my first craft project, if it's at least functional, I'll be happy.
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 26, 2018 21:41:37 GMT
That’s a good spear and will give you good service. I have the short version of the same. The spear head is stamped out of sheet metal with sharp edges. It probably performs better than other spear heads costing more. While not intended for cutting it will slice a plastic bottle in half. If the exposed haft end bothers you, it did me, spray paint after installing with flat black. Unless CS has changed its policy screws are included. If not 2 wood screws will do the trick, no nails. Shows painted haft end. Front side For what it's worth, I added upholstery tacks to know blade orientation by feel without looking. Thanks It does look very pretty, especially for that price. I'm kind of surprised there aren't that many Dory reproductions available, I thought the famous Greek spear would be more popular. Also those tacks are a great idea EDIT: Something just occurred to me; I have one of those adjustable painter sticks, if the weight is roughly similar to that I can use that as a practice "spear". Also it's adjustable! I'll try to find it tomorrow. Still definitely buying the CS spear though.
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 26, 2018 16:49:08 GMT
It's structurally sound enough. AFAIK, it comes with the head unmounted, and with screws supplied. Drill pilot holes, and screw away. If it doesn't come with screws, yes, use wood screws (or nails). Thanks a lot for all the help!
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 26, 2018 7:11:41 GMT
So back to this again. But to answer your question, I would not try it with thinner aluminum. A dedicated thrust from a competent attacker could punch through a lot of different materials. But just to be clear, what thickness of aluminum are you thinking? P.S: I am a big fan of Eli's builds. Never thought I would see them on SBG Yeah I had a thread about a similar topic but I thought I could use a thinner, more flexible aluminum to make it in a different way. Oh well, I found some cheap 1/8 inch street signs on Ebay. I didn't really have a thickness in mind, it's just that it performed so well in his test. I mean he set it on the ground and drove a spear into it, and it only just penetrated, and only very slightly. I would think I could get away with something thinner to prevent your average stabbing/thrust, but otherwise I'll try with the 1/8 inch, it's not like it's extremely heavy anyway. Thanks
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 26, 2018 6:28:20 GMT
Hey everyone
I saw this video where this guy made a pretty effective stab-proof vest out of 1/8 inch thick aluminum (from street signs):
I really want to try this and was wondering if a slightly thinner aluminum would be more efficient? As in, would it still protect against your typical thrust attacks (I wouldn't be worried about slashes at all with this thing)? It would be easier to bend to fit me if it was thinner.
Thanks everyone
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