A Salle of Swords

This year for Athenaeum I am continuing my focus on making Rapier hilts. In addition, this year I have added some wire wrapped grips and made all but one of the pommels for all nine of these swords. I gave myself plenty of time to complete them and still as usual it came down to the last moment. I had originally chosen fifteen different hilts to make. I wisely chose to narrow the focus to 9 and did some of them in batches. While I did choose to use a source image for most of these swords, I did not attempt to recreate these swords exactly. I use them as an inspiration and allow myself some creativity and personal expression to each rapier. I often choose a different inner guard out of preference to the look and feel as well as hand protection.  I hope you enjoy reading about how these swords were created as much as I enjoyed making them.

History of the Rapier

The Rapier has been known by many names and has many different shapes, blade widths, and styles throughout history. A rapier is defined as a sharp, narrow, double-edged blade used for thrusting, cutting, and slashing. There are many sub categories and specialties for Rapiers that have different uses and styles. Side sword, Epee, Spadroon, Backsword, Bilbo, Swept Hilt, Papenheimer, Schianova, and Espada Ropera are different types of Rapier. This last one in fact, the Espada Ropera, in Spanish means “clothing Sword.” Rapiers were worn as both fashion statements and as self protection.

The most common definition for a Rapier defines the blade. But ironically it is the Hilt, the part of the sword that protects the hand, that is the most distinct and unique portion of the sword. Rapier hilts are usually split up into three different types. I tend to default into the Spanish or Italian definitions. These types are; Espada Ropera de Lazo, or Ring Hilt; Espada Ropera de Conchas, or Shell Hilt; and Espada Ropera de Taza, or Cup Hilt.

Parts of the Sword

In order to begin in Rapier Fencing you must have or have access to not only a sword, but also all of the protective gear required for the sport. This can be very expensive to start from scratch. Often we lose potential rapier fighters for this very reason. The sword is truly the most expensive and highly detailed tool that you must have to get started. The blades were easy to purchase by themselves but rapier hilts were anywhere from one hundred to four hundred dollars! But I wondered if it was possible to make this less expensive? I was not terribly pleased with my first rapier I had purchased. it was very heavy and not well balanced. it had a sabre guard and nowhere to loop my finger over a quillon or ricasso for more control. I decided to try to make my own sword hilt. I enlisted a friend with a forge to help me make a quillon and found a silver bowl to use for hand protection. It was a sorry sight, but it did the job. Soon I became tired of that hilt and began to cold bend metal bars and turned to our local makers space to learn how to weld these into a hilt. I found others who make sword hilts and asked way too many questions. I began to research different styles and types of sword hilts. I purchased my own forge and welding torch and with each new rapier hilt I learned new skills and processes. I’m still learning and I love the challenge of figuring out each new skill.

Type 22

Source Sword

A hilt from Northern Italy 1545 

Why I chose this sword

I have always been a fan of this type of sword, and this was a perfect chance for me to give it a go. I really liked the detail on the prongs on the forward arms and felt this would be a great opportunity to stretch my skills.  

Construction

The quillon and block made from one piece of metal forged and pierced for the tang. The ends of the quillons are spatulated and fanned out. This made for a beautiful shape but was a lot of work. The forward arms are ¼ inch square stock and the prongs rooted at the forward arms are ½ inch flat stock flattened and shaped. The grooves were added later with a circular saw and filed to definition. The inner guard was fun to make. I had a difficult time deciding if the crossing arches should meet or pass under the other. I liked the pass under as it was one I had not tried before and would be a unique look and feel. After I had all welded up and assembled, I took it to the back yard to be tested. Occasionally, when its blade contacted with another blade it would slide off the blade shoulders from the forward arms. This was remedied by adding two small flat metal bars made from 1/8-inch round bar flattened in the forge and welded between the forward arms.

The grip is made from purplehart and shaped on the belt sander. I really liked the way it felt in the hand even though it looks a little odd. My wife convinced me to do a leather wrap and it came out beautifully. I cut a piece of black leather and applied barge cement to both the leather and the wood grip, wrapped it tightly and held it in place till dry. Then glued the ends and assembled the rapier to keep it all nice and tight. 

The pommel is made from the same two inch round bar but this time I shaped it in the forge. It took forever to heat up and was very difficult to shape, but I got it close and was able to fine tune it with my belt sander and tap and drill to finish it up.

The Good

This rapier was a smooth build for the hilt and grip. The lines in the prongs were a very successful growth point. I had very few problems with its straightforward design and simple yet striking features. The pommel is another story. 

The Bad

The pommel was the last thing of all to be forged. It took me a long time to figure out how to get the shape I wanted and also to decide on the shape. I am not a big fan of using a tap set for threading, but it is much better than using the ones you can buy onlie that attach to a drill… there are no shortcuts people… trust me. 

What I learned

Never buy tools online that seem too good to be true… the are not worth the price… and can really mess up your project. Sometimes the old way of doing things is still the best way. True in hilt making, true in life. 

---

Type 22 Variant

Source Sword

The inspiration for my rapier is this German rapier from the early 17th century. I decided to follow the design of this sword but change the grip and pommel. This rapier has also been brass polished which I had also considered emulating, in the end I chose not to employ this technique.

Why I chose this sword

This rapier was a personal challenge for me. I made the main construction in just 6 hours! I had a single day off with the house to myself and I asked myself if it would be possible to make a hilt in one afternoon. I had been looking at this particular hilt and had broken it down into steps that I could easy shape and make quickly without reducing strength or creating additional weight.

Construction

I started construction by creating a drawing on graph paper, measuring, and cutting the lengths of each piece of the project I decided to use ¼ inch round stock for the bulk of the hilt and 1.5 inches of flat stock for the quillon plate. I welded a .5-inch of steel pipe with a ¼ inch opening to the ends of the points and quillons and fixed them to a hand drill. Spinning the bars in opposite direction to the grinder I was able to create the knobs for all of the points. This took a bit of practice and not a little trial and error.

Once I had all of the knobs shaped, I made the tang plate and welded the quillons and the forward arms. I was unsure about the angle of the prongs in the front, so I opted to add the side ring before committing to the prongs at the front of the forward arms. Once that was complete it was much easier to gauge the amount of bend necessary for them. Adding the swept inner guard was very simple and went smoothly. When all the pieces were welded together and cleaned up, it had been just over six hours from when I had started.

The final grip I chose was intended for the “Brandenburg rapier” but it worked so much better for this sword in the end. It is a piece of African Blackwood turned on the lathe and shaped with a bulb at the top for a comfortable grip.

The pommel was made by cutting 1 inch of two-inch round bar. I do not own a metal cutting band saw and used a —saw which did not give me a very clean and even cut. So, into the forge it went! Using a sledgehammer, I was able to flatten each side and get it closer to the shape I was going for. Then, once it had air cooled, I used and grinder and belt sander to clean up the edges. Drilling into this big hunk of metal was much made much easier by letting it air cool rather than quenching it in oil or water…. (Learn from your mistakes!). Quenching metal from the forge makes that metal MUCH harder and more difficult if not impossible to drill into with the tools I have available. After drilling I tapped the threads in by hand to M6-1.

The Good

Challenging myself to make a hilt in one day was not intended to be part of this display. I wanted to see if I could do it without sacrificing quality and durability. And I may have watched too many episodes of Forged in Fire. I was very happy with the results of this hilt even though I could have made a much finer one if I had spent more time on it. I chose to leave it as it was and make it more of a munitions grade weapon. I have had multiple occasions to fence with this sword and found it to be incredibly light, with more than adequate hand protection.

The Bad

I did have an issue with the hilt turning in the block which was easily fixed by creating a channel for the shoulders of the blade to sit in. creating the threads for the pommel has been a problem for me with all these rapiers. Taps are incredibly easy to break and difficult to remove once they snap off inside…. Grrrr.

What I learned

Sometimes you must experience something that you should have been able to reason out in the first place… I learned I can make a decent hilt in a very short time, but I I will likely make a much fancier version in the future.

---

Type 28

Source Sword

This was a gift/commission piece so does not have an inspiration or source sword besides the AVB Norman example.

Why I chose this sword

This rapier is a gift for a fellow fencer who needed a much lighter sword then the one she currently uses. After many conversations and discussions, we opted for this hilt. She chose to mirror the inner guard and no knuckle guard so that she could switch from right hand to left with no difficulty. The acorns are a nod to her obsession with squirrels… I had made an attempt to make a squirrel tail in the guard but it did not work out as I had planned and had to be scrapped.

Construction

This rapier underwent many changes from its original design. I made 7 different layout drawings and eventually gave up and just went with the changes as they came. I started by forging the quillons and the triangular block, added the ¼ inch square rod forward arms, and shaped the diagonal rings from flat stock and tapered them to shape.

Once we had confirmed the acorns as her theme, I created the large acorns and welded them in place. I wasn’t happy with the original layout and remade them with a stem to cover more of the hand. After the initial clean up I began to carve in the details of the acorns. I tried several different ways to define the shapes. I tried using a Dremel, etching, chiseling, and an electric engraver. They all had different pros and cons and had varying degrees of success with my meager skills with them.

I wanted to make this a unique and pretty sword, so I decided to make an acrylic grip. I had to special order for the marbled white I wanted in the size for the grip. It came very quickly and worked like a charm. I was able to shape and glue both sides perfectly and then measured and filed in the inlay groove for the silver twisted wire. To keep everything in place I added a band of quarter inch flat wire to work like a Turks head (which will be a future learning stretch) the pommel Is from Zen warrior. It was decided that she preferred a more finished look than I was able to make at this time.

The Good

This is one of my favorite sword I have made! I learned many new skills like working with acrylics, detail carving, focusing on cleaner welds and making everything flow together to create balance to the blade both visibly and in action.

The Bad

Not having a design to reference throughout the build was a little frustrating and not having a clear knowledge of how to add details was a big challenge.

What I learned

I learned a lot by trial and error. I made a lot of errors… I learned new techniques for making a quillon block, adding detail, adding a wire inlay, ergonomics of hand protection in design for both hands, and new filing skills! This was my longest build and I wanted to make sure that every detail was my best work. I received a great deal of knowledge and advise from the wonderful makers on the Hilt smith page on Facebook.

---

Type 43

Source Sword

Why I chose this sword

This sword began as a very different sword. It was a for a first draft of a Saxon rapier for a commission piece. The project was scrapped but I liked the shape so much I decided to make something fun with it.

Construction

I already had the quillons, block and forward arms when I began this project, so I continued by clipping the ends of the quillons and shaping the side rings in the forge to give them a slight point in the center. For the inner guard I added a three-part cross made with 1/8th inch round stock. The long section is attached in a diagonal and the two other pieces connect midway at the longest piece to form the cross. I ended up changing the shape of the cross from the original design as it was uncomfortable to hold.

The wire grip was a first for me. I got some advice from the experts on the Hilt smith FB page and created a jig for making wire wrapped grips. The jig provides constant tension for the wire and makes creating a tight and consistent wrapped grip. I used an old ratchet to allow for changing direction of the tension. The design comes from James Vansandt. Once the grip is formed and holes for the wire are drilled in each end, it is placed in the jig. The wire is secured with toothpicks and the grip is given a nice coat of barge cement. The wire is fed through the tension bar and as the crank is turned, it is wrapped around the grip. Careful attention must be kept keeping everything tightly compact. Once the ends are reached each wire is cut and forced into the drilled holes at the end of the grip, plugged with a toothpick, and the excess clipped off.

The pommel is a mild steel ball drilled and tapped to M6-1.

The Good

I am so pleased with how the wire wrap turned out and very pleased with the overall aesthetic of the hilt. I learned an excellent new skill that brings a new level to my hilt making. I had to tell myself that not all of my swords needed to have wire wrapped hilts. I had to limit them to three.

The Bad

I had a difficult time with the crossed inner guard. The paper design does not always work in reality, and I found the original asymmetrical cross to be less than pleasing. It had to be cut off and reforged for symmetry. As a result, I had much more filing and sanding to get rid of the remaining welds.

What I learned

I learned how to make a wire wrap hilt! This is a skill I will use repeatedly. It takes a little practice and I look forward to trying out new ways to wrap things… I may end up with wire wrapped kitchen utensils…. Just sayin…

---

Type 43 Variant

Source Sword

Why I chose this sword

I have made several of this type of sword hilt because it provides an excellent balance of hand protection and versatility of movement without a lot of excess weight. The hilt is easily recognizable as a classic style of construction and found in both basic military grade and more complex High styled craftmanship.

Construction

Description of Process The quillons are a four-piece construction made from .5-inch flat mild steel forged to a taper with the ends rounded off. The quillon block is two pieces of the same flat bar shaped to a triangle and welded the four pieces together. The forward arms and forward port are quarter inch round bar. I flattened and closed the port with a piece of 16 gauge steel and pierced it with 5 holes to reduce weight and give it a nice look. The inner guard is a diagonal ring of flat bar narrow tapered at the ends to give it a nice flow.

The grip is a piece of burled hardwood turned on the lathe and polished with a mixture of beeswax and mineral oil.

The pommel is a type 14 ball pommel drilled and tapped to M6-1.

The Good

this was a very smooth build and one of my favorite rapiers I have made to date. Its symmetry and balance between the two ports flows nicely and the triangular quillon block is easy to hold. The grip is shaped perfectly to my hand and is visually pleasing. It doesn’t hurt that this is the best of the pommels I made.

The Bad

There were very few issues with this build as I was building this hilt at the same time as the acorn sword. So I learned from my mistakes as I was figuring out the other.

What I learned

Working on so many different swords and new techniques allowed me to grow immensely and try out new ideas. Experimenting on one sword and then perfecting the technique on the

other. I may make a habit of building two similar swords at a time. It seemed to work well for me.

---

Type 61

Source Sword

Why I chose this sword

I have always been a fan of twisted metal. When I found the “Brandenburg” rapier, (which is not actually a Brandenburg rapier. They just decided to call it that.) I knew I had to make this sword a reality.

Construction

I started this project by twisting about ten feet of ¼ inch square rod to make certain I would have a consistent twist and not run out and have to recreate the same rate of twist. I cut all the pieces to their respective lengths and bent them to shape. I welded the quillons and the tang plate with the forward arms and began assembling the rings. There is a counter twist in the center of the middle ring. Then gave the quillons an S curve and added the four-point swept inner guard. This was a simple build that went very quickly. However, cleanup and polish had to be entirely by hand in order to keep the twist I was able to use a wire brush attachment with a drill, but the rest was done with files.

The grip is made from poplar in two pieces glued together and wire wrapped with black annealed steel wire and twisted polished steel wire. I used the wrapping jig for this grip and followed the same process as the type 43 rapier. I am extremely happy with how the grip turned out.

The pommel is a type 14, and it was my first attempt to make a pommel. Unfortunately, I drilled too large of a hole (1/4 inch) and had to weld a M6-1 nut to the top of the ball. This worked well but in hindsight I should have put a cap nut at the end of the pommel.

The Good

I really like the overall look of this rapier. The twist is striking and elegant in its simplicity.

The Bad

This sword is a tank! Due to how thickness of the metal pieces and Zen Warrior blade, this sword is quite heavy.

What I learned

Doing all of the cleanup by hand really gave me some insight to the skill and talent that the original makers of these swords had. The amount of time and attention to create these works of art is monumental compared to how quickly power tools can level the playing field. Perhaps one day I will make a sword with a coal forge and do everything by hand. Someday maybe.

---

Type 64

Source Sword

Why I chose this sword

I tend to like the less complex and lighter styled hilts and I wanted to show some versatility to my work. This hilt is just that. While it is still simple in design, it is complex in using different types of metal. This had potential to be one of the heaviest hilts I have made to date. I decided to use quarter inch round bar to keep weight down and still provide enough strength to be usable on the field.

Construction

I had a clear idea of what I wanted this sword to look like but no idea how to get there. I started with a simple ¼ round bar and forward arms. I cut out and dished the plates for the front of the hilt. Then made a rough estimate for the rings and welded them in place. This hilt took a break for a while due to some frustration with its design and trying to figure out how some of the pieces fit together. I almost gave up on it. It spent about 2 months on the shelf and then one night I had a breakthrough. I added the support arms to the rings and welded the plates to the hilt. Then began to shape and weld the supporting outer bars to the entire piece. There was quite a bit of cleanup before I could start decorating and adding details like the stenciled bluing. To make the design stand out I used a chemical blue and gave it several passes before removing the stencil.

The grip is made from padauk, drilled, and sanded to shape. I was tempted to do another wire wrap with the black and silver but it would have been such a shame to hide the beautiful color and wood grain of the padauk.

The pommel was made from 2-inch round bar, drilled and tapped to M6-1. It was an exercise in patience. I had several failures in making it.

The Good

The stencil bluing was an experiment that I think was a huge success. It added a lot of detail and gave this piece a finished look.

The Bad

This rapier suffered from a lack of planning and was off the cuff. It was more reactionary in how it was made than I usually care to make my hilts.

What I learned

The pommel was a bit of a learning curve. I did not know the size of hole to make for the tap and had to give it several attempts. Overall it was a good learning experience but this is not my favorite build.

---

Type 74

Source Sword

Why I chose this sword

I have made three of these hilts and they provide excellent protection and have great flow as well as a very simple construction.

Construction

I have made a couple of this type of hilt and I decided adding the balls to the center point of the spirals would be an excellent growth point. I cut and added the bulbs to the quillons, made a simple sandwich quillon block and attached the forward arms and knuckle guard. Then shaped and welded the spirals and added the three-point inner guard. Once I had the basic structure, I center cut all three loops and inserted a ½ inch ball bearing and welded it in place. Clean up was simple and easy.

The grip is a piece of red heart turned on the lathe and then measured and filed in a 4-line spiral, sanded and polished with a mixture of mineral oil and beeswax.

The pommel is a type 14 ball pommel drilled and tapped to M6-1.

The Good

I am very pleased with the fluted grip. It adds some sophistication to an otherwise basic hilt. I have become comfortable with this technique and enjoy making them.

The Bad

I really wish I had made a nicer looking quillon block. The utilitarian one I made actually detracts from the finished piece and makes it look a bit clunky.

What I learned

Having a pattern and knowing the lengths of materials or a pattern beforehand is a serious bonus to making these swords. I need to take more care in saving my designs and measurements for these swords so that I can repeat them at a later date instead of recreating the wheel each time.

---

Type 80

Source Sword

Why I chose this sword

Shell guards provide both great hand protection and an elegance of shape and form. Choosing a shell guard was a no brainer to showcase my skills and add diversity to my collection of swords.

Construction

Making your own tools is one of the amazing things about owning a forge. I made a very simple swage for the ends of the quillons and made a very easy sandwich quillon block by welding ½ inch flat stock to the inner ends of the quillons and added the forward arms. Then cut a circle of 14-gauge sheet and began to flute and dish it into a rough shell. It took quite a while before I was happy with the shape, and it had several versions before I settled on the final shell. Then I made the support for the shell to rest on, attaching it to the forward arms and a second support at the middle of the arms. The inner guard is a four-point swept which anchors at the quillon block. Once everything was assembled, I decided to add some contrast by chemical blacking the shell and alternating tines of the inner guard.

The grip is a two-part poplar core wire wrap of annealed and twisted wire in the same pattern as the type 61 rapier. I had plenty left over and was really excited on how the other one had worked out that I could not resist.

The pommel is a type 14 ball pommel drilled and tapped to M6-1.

The Good

Adding the chemical black was an excellent way to give the hilt some contrast and accentuate the key features of this hilt.

The Bad

I had several issues attaching the shell guard to the hilt. I had the power set too high on my welder and burned through one portion of the shell. I had to spend several hours to repair it.

What I learned

The fluting on quillon ends and shell guard were an excellent learning experience that I enjoyed immensely.

---

After finishing all of these swords and learning so many new skills through burned, sanded, pinched, hammered and sliced fingers and hands, I feel a sense of accomplishment and I am proud of my work. With that said, I still have a lot to learn. I have already set my goals for next year and build a foundation of skills to meet these next stages. Stay tuned for more swords in the future. If you see me at an event please feel free to come and try out one of my swords or just geek out with me.

Citations

• “A Fine Early 17th Century German Rapier.” Garth Vincent Antique Arms Armour, Garth Vincent Antique Ltd, www.garthvincent.com/a-fine-early-17th-century-german-rapier/.
• “A Nice Composite Rapier – Dating: 17th/19th Century.” Czerny’s Auctions, Czerny’s Auctions, czernys.auction.fr/_fr/lot/a-nice-composite-rapier-dating-17th-19th-century-provenance-germany-wide-14603367#.YLkah6hKiM8.
• Mindhost. “Estoc of the Trebanten Guard of the Prince Electors of Saxony.” The Fencing Hindquarters, 7 Apr. 2016, mindhost.tumblr.com/post/142371836647/estoc-of-the-trebanten-guard-of-the-prince.
• Norman, A. Vesey B. The Rapier and Small-Sword, 1460-1820. Ken Trotman Publishing, 2019.
• “Rapier Early 17th Century.” Metmuseum.org, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/24690?rpp=30&pg=1&ft=rapier&pos=7.
• “Samples of Weapons.” Mečířská Dílna, www.sword.cz/rapiers.htm.
• “Sword Unknown Artist / Maker Blade- Germany, Hilt- North Italy c. 1545 – c. 1550 | Zbraně.” cheapsalesstore2021, Online.cheapsalesstore2021.Ru, online.cheapsalesstore2021.ru/content?c=koza%C4%8Dky%20a%20%C5%A1avle&id=15
• The-Saleroom.com. “ENGLISH RAPIER C1630. A Very Scarce Form of Rapier, English Manufacture and Dating Just Pre – En.” The Saleroom, Auction Technology Group, www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/high-house-interiors-ltd/catalogue-id-srhi10002/lot-2f772272-6292-47d6-a075-a55f010671d0.