Vulpius

May I also suggest large hedge cutters (the ones with the two handles) which are great for forging knives. I use those as stock for my Roman and Frankish replica's, although the steel is a much better grade then they had available most of the time.

There is a much easier way of making a broadhead and that is to start with a triangular piece of metal about 3 mm thick (long triangle about 2 cm at the base and 5 cm high). Thin the metal at the base of the triangle to about 1.5 mm using first a peen and last the flat of the hammer to work out the bumps, expanding the base to about 4 cm. This creates a flange, with 3/5 of the triangle untouched and the lower part expanded. Then, roll the flattened flange into a socket by crimping the head of the socket at yellow heat (about 2 cm up from the base of the triangle) and tapping the sides of the flange inward to form the socket. Roll on the anvil, closing and overlapping and the finish the shaping on a spike. Then all you need to do is thin both sides of the triangle above the socket to form the cutting edges. Forming a socket this way takes a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, you can move on to spearheads, javelins, socketed pila, ballista bolts and what have you. For a more peacefull use, make a shovel, same way of shaping the socket!

The reference to marrow is indeed somewhat confusing, I am sure the spongy material in the center of the antler is meant. There is no way marrow will grip a tang, I assure you. When using a bone handle, I would suggest passing the tang all the way through and peening on a buttplate, or maby filling the cavity in the bone with wood, leaving a slit, and tapping in the tang to set the wood solid in the bone.

May I caution you to not try to burn anything into an antler. The stink is horrible and the heat causes irreversable discolouration. The soaking method works, believe me. The tang is gripped solid. You may use a white epoxy ressin te let soak into the spoungy central material after it has dried if you want a smoother looking finish. Just a tip, next time, make the tang a bit longer and narrower. But it looks a really nice blade.

Good job! Like the way you riveted the handle, too.

Nice dagger! Well, it may have a faint hint of Roman to it, but if anyone really wants to try a Roman piece, visit Legio XX Handbook for Legionaries . This has a treasure trove of How-To's and good links to pictures of Roman originals. Matthew Amt is a much respected member of the Roman community.

Steve, How hot do you make the knife for a straightening of a warp with the 2 x 4? I am still a bit warry of dropping a knife back in the forge once the edge has been set.

On the subject of recycling, anyone into hedgecutters (the large shears)? That is very sparky steel as well, I use the ancient ones about 50 years or more old.

Salve frater! Good looking piece of hardware and I very much welcome the tip on the cooking oil, having tried motor oil myself (and after that first terrific pall of smoke drifting through the backyard thought the beter of that). Is that temper 350 Celcius? Kevin, if you cut your wood into a shape slightly larger then the handle you want to make, it will dry well in relative short time. The wood is exposed to the air for most of its surface, the thing that makes drying wood slow is the distance water needs to migrate to the surface. Thicker the log, longer it takes, so cutting it up pronto saves much time drying.

Thanks guys! The blade is 6 # or 15 cm as in the original. The handle is 25 mm (bit less then an inch) across at the blade. I believe they call a point like this a clip point, it was also in the original, of course. I am presently doing some seax blades, those are a bit later (600 - 800 ad) then this piece. Most seax "replica's" one see's are firments of the imagination, so I want to do some historicly correct ones. Found a book with a lot of Frankish grave finds, am working from that.

Hi All ! First post here. I am from The Netherlands. Have recently started forging as a hobby and want to specialize in Iron Age, Roman and Frankish/Saxon weaponary, presently spearheads, arrowheads and knives. This is the latest attempt, a replica of a Late Roman knife found at the Donderberg (Thunder mountain ) in Rhenen, The Netherlands. The antler grip is on request, the chances are higher the original had a wooden grip. The slight ridge between blade and grip is an original feature !