Late Roman Spatha- Pattern welded blade

[markusaurelius]

After commissioning a couple beautiful sword blades from jackmcauliffe (RAT) I wanted to start a thread to show case the blade, and the subsequent making of the handle, scabbard. This will be an ongoing thread and the completed sword will likely be for sale once complete.

Blade details:

- bloomery/smelted iron

[attachment=9579]1-rawOre.jpg[/attachment]

- Smelting the iron

[attachment=9580]2-smelting.jpg[/attachment]

- Raw Iron

[attachment=9581]4-rawiron.jpg[/attachment]

- Iron bar forming

[attachment=9582]7-Ironbarforming.jpg[/attachment]

- Four Iron bars, half twisted and opposing spiral. This pattern was taken after one of the complete Roman swords found at Illerup Adal.

[attachment=9583]8-barshalftwist.jpg[/attachment]

- Hardened steel edging being put in place

[attachment=9584]10-barswsteeledgesformed.jpg[/attachment]

- Hammered blade

[attachment=9585]13-rawhammedblade.jpg[/attachment]

- Nearly complete- see the beautiful pattern weld showing through in the blade

[attachment=9586]16-nearlycomplete.jpg[/attachment]