Anybody willing/able to make a Gladius for me?

S

Stiletto Raggio

Joined
Jan 29, 2000
Messages
546
After seeing Gladiator, it was final. I will have a Gladius. I have always liked the simple and functional design, ever since seeing Julius Caesar when I was a wee little Roman.

Would like help finding a place to get one made, traditional styling but with modern materials (high performance steel, micarta handle, maybe Ti guard/bolsters). Would need a nice sheath, too.

If anyone else is interested, maybe we could get a limited run of Bladeforums exclusive Gladiuses (or Gladii, whatever they are called).

THANKS BUNCHES!!!
 
After seeing Gladiator, I am determined to make one. I am currently trying to get specs from originals. found lots of pics o replicas, but I dont want to make a replica of a replica.
once the the books arrive, I will be starting on the project.
Glad somebody else feels the same after watching the movie.

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There is no such thing as "good enough", either your work is good or it is not. How is your work?
SGT BLADES www.therockies.com/hagar/
 
There is a maker in arizona named Kirby who makes a very high quality sword for use.

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The thorn stands to defend the Rose, yet it is peaceful and does not seek conflict
 
Reputedly, the best gladius for the money at the moment is from Kris Cutlery: http://www.invis.com/kriscutlery/roman.html

The best gladius available short of a custom made one is reputedly that from Albion Armorers: http://albionarmorers.com/swordsmain.htm

Both of these are the later Pompei style gladius. so called after one found in the ruins of that city. There is an earlier style, one which I find vastly more graceful, yet more deadly, the Mainz style so named from examples found in the Rhine River at Mainz in Germany. It is wasp waisted with a very much more tapering point and was in use rather earlier. Museum Replicas makes one (don't bother) as does Lonely Mountain Forge (but, Lordy, the price, if you include the scabbard): http://members.aol.com/gijchar/roman.htm#mainz

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh Fuller
 
We have made the Pompeii, Mainz, and other styles of gladius on occasion. Kirby's work is custom with all handforging done here in a traditional blacksmith shop. All weaponry is fully functional and he has been doing this for the past 45 years.

"Gladiator" uses most styles of gladius in the film from what I have seen. Crowe uses both the Spatha and the Mainz style gladius in the openning battle scenes.

On our website is a photo of a Pugio (webmaster misnamed it as a "gladius"). The blades are handforged Spring Steel...which the Romans were able to get in a natural alloy from certain Celtic mines in the Danube region. (Hilda Ellis Davidson's "the Sword in Anglo-Saxon England" and Oakshotte's "Archeaology of Weapons"....these were later closed down/lost when the Romans left until some of the Frankish Swordsmiths)

You can contact Kirby at kirbywise@redrivernet.com and his website is http://www.kirbywise.com
 
I am very sorry, Laurie and Kirby. I should of course have included you with Lonely Mountain as custom makers. You have my sincerest apologies.

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh Fuller
 
I have 2 orders and can't wait to make them one in high carbon 52100 and one in damascus and mastadon and gold . The movie was great had to see it again. Cheers, Wally
 
I'll make you a gladius if you come and tell the socialists that run my city to let me set my shop back up.

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I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me
 
Hey, there's nothing wrong with socialists
smile.gif
. Communists, on the other hand, are just plain evil...
frown.gif


--JB

P.S., did your city gov't really force you to close your shop down? What legal trickery did they use to pull that off?

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e_utopia@hotmail.com
 
Socialists do suck, they are the enemy of liberty and should be treated just like communists, with extreme distrust. That said, some socialist ideas are ok, such as certain things vital to any government, but those ideas should only be introduced in moderation.

Anyway, yes, the city shut down my shop because they have laws that state your yard must conform to their exact specifications and they have property tax laws, which are just plain evil(making you pay for your own property or you lose it means you basically don't really own it, which is stupid).

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I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me
 
Dangus, socialism just means that the means of production are owned by the producers. As in, the workers at a factory would own that factory. (yes, I know, that's really condensed, but I'm trying not to post a whole book here) Communism is a facist government based on the socialist economic system. During hte cold war, in an effort to make it seem like we were being overrun, the government ran a lot of smear campaigns to blur the line between the two, so they could group socialists in with Communists to make the numbers of 'un-Americans' larger than they otherwise would be. Please, before attacking someone, make sure you have your facts straight.

Well, those laws about your yard are pretty stupid, but without property taxes, how do you expect the governemnt to operate? They need money from somewhere. Now, personally, I think they should tax the large companies more, instead of less, than you or me, but that would make sense, do there's no chance of that happening
smile.gif


--JB

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e_utopia@hotmail.com
 
How did we go from a request for a Gladius to a political ideology debate? Having seen Gladiator I am convinced that the next pattern to come from my humble drawing board will be the specs for a Sparta Gladius. And by the way I now live in Turkey which is a Democracy (sort of) and they wont let me a my shop here either. :confused

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SSgt Christopher Wardlow
USAF Security Forces
425th ABS Izmir Turkey
 
I have studied history quite extensively, and I still believe socialists are just as much a threat as communists, and they do share a great deal of ideology. My city, as with a great deal of cities, is extremely socialist. They wish to control everything in the name of greater social order and beautification. For your own good kind of crap.

Socialism and reality do not mix well, with imperfect people you get imperfect socialism, which is, unfortunately, nearly perfect for breeding tyrants and thieves. However small it's affect may have been, I do consider what was done to me regarding my shop to be an exercise of tyranny. My shop was not visible to the surrounding area, and therefore not and affect on land value. My shop was not a danger to society, and therefore not a logical thing to shut down for safety. My shop simply was not in keeping with their concepts of perfect order.

I'm mad as hell about it still I suppose.

Really though, enough said, it's got little to do with the original subject. I am capable of making him a gladius, but the city has slapped me on the hand and told me no like the bad little libertarian I am.

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I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me
 
A couple of things,

"socialism just means that the means of production are owned by the producers. "

Actually in practice socialism really means that the means of production are usually in the hands of the government. Sort of sounds like communism doesn't it?

"Communism is a facist government based on the socialist economic system."

If you sort of thing of socialists as junior communists you won't be too far off.

"how do you expect the governemnt to operate? They need money from somewhere."

Actually I would love it if the government operated a whole lot less. As time has gone on the government has begun to interfere more and more in people's everyday lives much to our detriment. If the government managed to quit sending billions of dollars all over the world and wasting billions more right here at home it wouldn't need any property taxes. That would make sense.

"Now, personally, I think they should tax the large companies more, instead of less"

This is a patently absurd solution. Where do you think companies get their money from anyway? They charge customers. If the government takes more from them where are they going to make up the shortfall? They are going to charge customers more! Who pays more? That's right the customers! The only solution is fewer taxes period not fewer taxes for some and more for others.


[This message has been edited by Triton (edited 08-14-2000).]
 
Please debate politics in the political forum and let Stiletto Raggio continue to use this thread to look for his gladius.
 
Sorry Tom, I'm just sore about losing my shop....

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I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me
 
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