07-01-2013, 09:17 AM
The use of a swageblock is a possibility, for sure. But the filing/grinding out would also have been a real possibility, as it allows more control of getting the line straight. When the hot iron is placed between the blocks, keeping it aligned is quite a trick, as the block hides the blade from view and you can only do a small section at a time. It also takes two people to do it. Perhaps a combination was used, the blade roughed out using the swageblock to distibute the metal, then a subsequent fuling/grinding to get it straight. As there is always a good bit of work after the forging, I would think they left out the swageblock all together, forged the blade to a rhomboid cross section, cleaned it up removing the firescale and any bumps and then filing in the midrib. Some pugio show the midrib being defined by cutting in two narrow fullers. It looks raised, but on close inspection of the blade, the sides of the fullers are near level with the central ridge. Should you then file away the sides of the fullers, the ridge is left standing pround of the blade.
