Anton Irmen
BOUNCED EMAIL: I need to update my email address in my profile!
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2001
- Messages
- 68
Finally, I found the time to finish the Falcata model. Pics and specs below. A few additional comments: The model is based on the two examples of this weapon I have seen so far, pictures and data from various sites, including:
http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/thrace/weapons.htm
(great site about Thracian weapons)
http://swordforum.com/swords/deltin/dt-falcata.html
(the only review of a falcata-replica I found so far; IIRC, the original, on which this replica is based, is (or was) on display at the British Museum: It was from Northern (?) Spain.
the model:
the specifications:
I have been playing around some time to find the right handle, just to find out that the original crooked handle has many advantages. It gives you a really secure grip (and at the same time you can keep a loose wrist), it maximizes your radius of swing, and it provides the counter-balance needed to get the point of balance closer towards the handle (BTW, the handle slabs of the model are epoxy-impregnated balsawood, so they should provide for a more "real" balancing). The originals nearly always had bronze-handles, and a full-tang construction. To get the balance right with a wooden handle, the blade needs pretty wide fullers, which the originals did not have (they have had apparently thin blades with either a "center rib" or a "t-beam" cross section, or very narrow, "cosmetic" fullers). The blade is a little over 2.5 mm (1/10) thick at the deepest part of the fullers. I think this still will be thick enough to prevent warping of the blade during heat treatment. To shift the weight more towards the handle, the tang does not taper, it remains at nearly full thickness all the way. Hardening of the blade could be done Khukuri-style, maybe except for the tip, which should not be too soft.
The only aspect of the construction I am a little worried about are the wooden slabs of the handle. At the crooked part of the handle, before the head begins, the grain of the wood will run perpendicular to the tang, which, together with the pin at this position, could mean there is a high risk of cracking of the handle. Oh, the head; since I lack the skills to produce something interesting, I kept the shape pretty simple, but maybe, its a garud
(the grip of the originals always terminated into an animals head mostly a bird, but I have seen a horse at least once). Last but not least, I think there is enough disagreement between the scholars or historians about the correct usage of the terms machaira/machaira and falcata, so we can just as well stick to the falcata label.
Oh, I completely forgot about the weight: I hope that will be possible to keep the falcata somehow within the 2- 2 1/4 lbs. range.
After the model was finished, I began to realize that I completely forgot that there might be people around with larger hands than I have (4" wide), but the grip can accomodate at least two more fingers without problems.
Thanks are due to Onkel Bill and Yvsa for suggestions how to make a model, and to Tom Holt for valuable input on the specifications.
--[------ anton
P.S: After measuring the model, I found out that it is actually a little shorter than the data in the drawing. It is 66cm (26) instead of a little more than 27.
edited for UBB - as always
[This message has been edited by Anton Irmen (edited 05-08-2001).]
http://members.nbci.com/_XMCM/thrace/weapons.htm
(great site about Thracian weapons)
http://swordforum.com/swords/deltin/dt-falcata.html
(the only review of a falcata-replica I found so far; IIRC, the original, on which this replica is based, is (or was) on display at the British Museum: It was from Northern (?) Spain.
the model:
the specifications:
I have been playing around some time to find the right handle, just to find out that the original crooked handle has many advantages. It gives you a really secure grip (and at the same time you can keep a loose wrist), it maximizes your radius of swing, and it provides the counter-balance needed to get the point of balance closer towards the handle (BTW, the handle slabs of the model are epoxy-impregnated balsawood, so they should provide for a more "real" balancing). The originals nearly always had bronze-handles, and a full-tang construction. To get the balance right with a wooden handle, the blade needs pretty wide fullers, which the originals did not have (they have had apparently thin blades with either a "center rib" or a "t-beam" cross section, or very narrow, "cosmetic" fullers). The blade is a little over 2.5 mm (1/10) thick at the deepest part of the fullers. I think this still will be thick enough to prevent warping of the blade during heat treatment. To shift the weight more towards the handle, the tang does not taper, it remains at nearly full thickness all the way. Hardening of the blade could be done Khukuri-style, maybe except for the tip, which should not be too soft.
The only aspect of the construction I am a little worried about are the wooden slabs of the handle. At the crooked part of the handle, before the head begins, the grain of the wood will run perpendicular to the tang, which, together with the pin at this position, could mean there is a high risk of cracking of the handle. Oh, the head; since I lack the skills to produce something interesting, I kept the shape pretty simple, but maybe, its a garud
Oh, I completely forgot about the weight: I hope that will be possible to keep the falcata somehow within the 2- 2 1/4 lbs. range.
After the model was finished, I began to realize that I completely forgot that there might be people around with larger hands than I have (4" wide), but the grip can accomodate at least two more fingers without problems.
Thanks are due to Onkel Bill and Yvsa for suggestions how to make a model, and to Tom Holt for valuable input on the specifications.
--[------ anton
P.S: After measuring the model, I found out that it is actually a little shorter than the data in the drawing. It is 66cm (26) instead of a little more than 27.
edited for UBB - as always
[This message has been edited by Anton Irmen (edited 05-08-2001).]
