WIP..... possibly A Hobbit Sword

[Bob Ouellette]

Good luck on the staking, Rob. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing it finished.

[Guy Thomas]

Great progress on this one Rob! Lovin the hilt elements

[Rob Toneguzzo]

Been tweeking and tinkering with things like pommel weight and balance and cleaning  things up a bit more.

 

forward pivot point is right on the tip and it feels lovely and balanced... even lively!

 

Amazing how the addition of a weighted pommel changes the whole feel of a blade.
 

I know it’s looking quite plain and not very Hobbity but it could have been a knights side arm who fell in battle that a Hobbit finds... perhaps 

 

Anyhow I think I will do a leather wrap handle. Any advice on what glue for the leather and what kind of leather to use or even a good tutorial you know of would be greatly appreciated.

 

Alan.. I made a square graver like you do and it works 100% better than my last on so thanks a heap.

 

well I enough gabbeling.. here are some pics

ps.. funny how small animals turn up when tinkering is in progress 

 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2020 by Rob Toneguzzo

[Bjorn Gylfason]

The scale is a great way to keep eye on progressively shedding weight of each piece and fine tune it. 

 

I actually think it is quite hobbits as they are small and stout people that like the finer things in life and comfort so when they would find themselves in the dire need to arm themselves they might not see a reason elaborately engrave and pretty up a tool that doesn't really follow their life philosophy

[Alan Longmire]

3 hours ago, Rob Toneguzzo said:

Any advice on what glue for the leather and what kind of leather to use or even a good tutorial you know of would be greatly appreciated.

 

Ask and ye shall receive!

 

Peter uses rabbitskin hide glue, but I've found that generic dry hide glue works fine.  If you do it as badly as I do it'll look pretty good, if you do it as well as Peter it's awesome.  Here's mine:

 

[Gerald Boggs]

It's great to see cool projects coming along :-)

[Rob Toneguzzo]

8 minutes ago, Alan Longmire said:

 

Ask and ye shall receive!

 

Peter uses rabbitskin hide glue, but I've found that generic dry hide glue works fine.  If you do it as badly as I do it'll look pretty good, if you do it as well as Peter it's awesome.  Here's mine:

 

Once again thanks Alan, that’s just the info I was After. I’ll be very happy if it comes out like yours though Peter’s work is just flabbergasting.

[Brian Dougherty]

I just struggled through my first true leather wrapped grip.  It actually goes much easier that it sounds, and was actually quite enjoyable.  Following Peter's tutorial that Alan linked made it easy.

 

I used some 1oz veg tanned goatskin with hide glue, and it worked out pretty well.  

Edited October 19, 2020 by Brian Dougherty

[Rob Toneguzzo]

sounds Good Brian, love to see a pic if you have one.
 

Found some wood for the hilt. It’s Genuine Hickory!

Edited October 22, 2020 by Rob Toneguzzo

[Rob Toneguzzo]

[Rob Toneguzzo]

Still got more sanding to do on blade and hilt but getting there.
 

My apprentice is dog tired so no more work today.

 

 

Edited October 22, 2020 by Rob Toneguzzo

[Brian Dougherty]

1 hour ago, Rob Toneguzzo said:

sounds Good Brian, love to see a pic if you have one.

 I posted this elsewhere, but since you asked:

 

 

 

This is an oak core (no "Genuine HIckory" available  ) wrapped with a single layer of cotton string.  The risers are pieces of leather cord.  You can see more details in the WIP I'm doing in the 2020 KITH folder.

https://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?/topic/40326-mystery-project-for-2020/

 

The biggest trick seemed to be the order of operations.  Per Peter's tutorial, I dyed a piece of 1oz goatskin that had been cut to size and skived on both long edges.  I skived the visible or outer edge down to a wire edge, but made a mistake on the inner edge.  Since it was going to be hidden inside, I didn't think it needed to be quite so thin, and I only skived it to about 0.5 to 0.3mm.  That caused a ridge on the finished piece.

 

Anyway, once the dye had dried, I weted the leather to about the same level I would if I were wet forming a sheath, and covered the inside with hide glue.  Then I wrapped it around the handle core and lightly wrapped the whole thing with string.  You don't need to pull the overwrapped string very tight.  Just enough to mold the leather to shape around the risers.  The places where I jumped over a riser with the string actually left impressions in the riser that I had to work out later.

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2020 by Brian Dougherty

[Rob Toneguzzo]

37 minutes ago, Brian Dougherty said:

 I posted this elsewhere, but since you asked:

 

 

 

This is an oak core (no "Genuine HIckory" available  ) wrapped with a single layer of cotton string.  The risers are pieces of leather cord.  You can see more details in the WIP I'm doing in the 2020 KITH folder.

https://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?/topic/40326-mystery-project-for-2020/

 

The biggest trick seemed to be the order of operations.  Per Peter's tutorial, I dyed a piece of 1oz goatskin that had been cut to size and skived on both long edges.  I skived the visible or outer edge down to a wire edge, but made a mistake on the inner edge.  Since it was going to be hidden inside, I didn't think it needed to be quite so thin, and I only skived it to about 0.5 to 0.3mm.  That caused a ridge on the finished piece.

 

Anyway, once the dye had dried, I weted the leather to about the same level I would if I were wet forming a sheath, and covered the inside with hide glue.  Then I wrapped it around the handle core and lightly wrapped the whole thing with string.  You don't need to pull the overwrapped string very tight.  Just enough to mold the leather to shape around the risers.  The places where I jumped over a riser with the string actually left impressions in the riser that I had to work out later.

 

 

 

I have not seen that thread before now. Awesome work Brian. That grip looks wonderfull.  Do you have a pic of the finished blade?

Edited October 22, 2020 by Rob Toneguzzo

[Brian Dougherty]

15 minutes ago, Rob Toneguzzo said:

I have not seen that thread before now. Awesome work Brian. That grip looks wonderfull.  Do you have a pic of the finished blade?

Thanks Rob.  I like your "Hobbit" project better   I haven't taken the final pics yet.  Stay tuned...

[Joshua States]

I have only done this type of handle once, and that was in a class with Matt Parkinson teaching.

We wrapped the handles off the blade, and before the pommel was attached. This enabled us to fold the leather (just a tiny bit) over the ends of the wood and secure it with the guard and pommel. We also dyed the leather after gluing and tying with the string. Then, the completed handle was put back on the tang, and the pommel permanently set.

Edited October 22, 2020 by Joshua States

[Rob Toneguzzo]

8 hours ago, Joshua States said:

I have only done this type of handle once, and that was in a class with Matt Parkinson teaching.

We wrapped the handles off the blade, and before the pommel was attached. This enabled us to fold the leather (just a tiny bit) over the ends of the wood and secure it with the guard and pommel. We also dyed the leather after gluing and tying with the string. Then, the completed handle was put back on the tang, and the pommel permanently set.

Hey great job Josh, do you know of an alternative to hide glue that will work with wet leather? Not sure if I will be able to get it where I am.

 

 

Edited October 23, 2020 by Rob Toneguzzo

[Joshua States]

Most wood glues will work and can be cleaned up with water when fresh. Just dampen a paper towel or cotton rag and wipe. Don't saturate it.  Any contact cement or rubber cement also works well, but they are more difficult to get a really thin layer on.

[Rob Toneguzzo]

Well I decided to give the handle wrap a go. 
 

I only had 2.5 mil vegi tanned leather left over from my sax sheath and thinned it down to about 1.25 mil.
 

I probably should have ordered some leather on line but thought I would make do with what I had which I suppose fits with the rest of this build.

 

Anyhow I have just pulled off the outer wrap and everything seems to be stuck very solidly.

 

The seam is by no means perfect but I think with burnishing will get better.

 

At this stage it really looks like wrapped cord more than leather and is quite dull but I will leave it for 24 hours then add some leather dressing and burnish it with a bit of antler and see how it looks.

 

Thanks again for the advice on this.

[Rob Toneguzzo]

Oh... as I was at home all day I thought I would smoke some beef ribs. 
 

I love watching those pit master shows in the USA and while I am no pit master or even close I would dearly love to be hahah
 

I would love to make a coal smoker at some stage but at this time like this blade build I am making do with what I have.

 

Well in any case I am looking forward to eating this in a few more hours

Edited October 25, 2020 by Rob Toneguzzo

[Joshua States]

I think that came out really well Rob. Now that I really think about it, I may remember something about not leaving the seam a straight line, but having it get a little jagged when skiving. It will hide better. Sorry I didn't remember that earlier.....

[Alan Longmire]

That does look good, and it will shine up nicely.   

The ribs look good too!  

[Robert D.]

a leather wrapped handle is something that slightly terrifies me, but you guys are giving me a reason to want to give it a go in the very near future. Wouldnt mind making my own Hobbit sword for my oldest tiny human, he keeps begging me for a blade and now that he is 12 I really am running out of excuses to make him something. 

Cant wait to see this done Rob, its quite the inspiring piece. 

As for the smoker, nothing beats smoked foods, The oven in my house gets used more for tempering then it does for cooking because of the smoker out back. 

[Rob Toneguzzo]

7 hours ago, Joshua States said:

I think that came out really well Rob. Now that I really think about it, I may remember something about not leaving the seam a straight line, but having it get a little jagged when skiving. It will hide better. Sorry I didn't remember that earlier.....

Thanks Josh, you have been a great help man.

 

7 hours ago, Alan Longmire said:

That does look good, and it will shine up nicely.   

The ribs look good too!  

Hi Alan, do I have to be conservative with the leather dressing as I was not sure if it would weaken the glue? Ribs were good but still a WIP too. I am better at eating than cooking.

 

4 hours ago, Robert D. said:

a leather wrapped handle is something that slightly terrifies me, but you guys are giving me a reason to want to give it a go in the very near future. Wouldnt mind making my own Hobbit sword for my oldest tiny human, he keeps begging me for a blade and now that he is 12 I really am running out of excuses to make him something. 

Cant wait to see this done Rob, its quite the inspiring piece. 

As for the smoker, nothing beats smoked foods, The oven in my house gets used more for tempering then it does for cooking because of the smoker out back. 

Hi Robert, Thanks, I was inspired too by the work of others here and with the great advice and Peters tutorial I thought I got to try this....you should give it a go and make that Hobbit sword too .

[Alan Longmire]

Just act like you're giving a shoeshine. Thin coat, spit shine.  

[Joshua States]

A little dab'll do ya.
 

Oh wait, that's for hair.......