Rapier Hilt project

[CSR]

Here's one of my latest projects, this is the basic parts of a Rapier hilt (fancy fencing sword). I was going to do a complete build, but I forgot to grab the camera till this point. I'm planning on doing a 3 ring sweep hilt, but you never know what happen when your working. All the parts are 5160 and started life as a leaf spring, AKA, junk yard blacksmithing. The hilt will be fully heat treated and tempered when finished. What you see in the pictures are the guilllion (cross bar), the quillion block, and the finger rings. In the 2nd pic I've got the knuckle guard some what in position. This is the rough stage of the 1st part of the build. Once the guard is on, I'll need to finish prepping and finish sand the whole guard because once the next parts are added. It's near impossible to get to parts of the guard when completed. Each part that is added will be finished off before the next part is added.

Cliff

[performance]

Nice. Lets see some more work.

[everlastsupport]

Do you have your own blacksmith shop? If so, post up some pictures as well. I built and used a little foundry way back, it was a lot of fun. But the heat was a bit much.

[CSR]

I wouldn't call it a blacksmith shop, just a few toys for blade and hilt work. When I started doing hilts, I built a freon tank forge to handle the larger parts. I use fire bricks to build a forge to heat treat them. I use a ferrier anvil, an I-beam, and a railroad tye with a 3.5 and 4.5 lb. cross peen hammers. I've got a large ball peen I use as well. Most of the parts are formed over different size pipes I use. I'm rebuilding an air over hydraulic press which will make life a lot easier making the bar stock for the projects. But doing all the extra hammer work has been good for my training. I get more respect for the old masters that did the work with 1/2 the tools I use every time a hand pond out the bar stock.

As you guys can see, it's coming along. I did change things a bit from the original plan. The flat rings are something I've never tried before and figured out a way to try it. I think it turned out OK, the middle ring is a bit off. But for my 1st try at flat rings, I'm not complaining that much.

[everlastsupport]

Very nice. Maybe some short videos of you in action so others and I could see some of the process. I would love to see how you do it.

I can get black pipe in about any side, maybe I will cut some up for a crude bender and have a go at some curves. The old fashion way.

Do you fab a metal handle? Or wood/leather?

[CSR]

It's hard enough to remember the still camera, let alone a video camera. LOL...

Here's how I did the finger rings, which is similar to any other curve part. Plasma cut a length leaf spring about 3/8 to 1/2" wide. Work that down to a 1/4 square stock. Heat a length of the stock about 6". I have a piece of 1.5 black iron pipe (about 2" OD) I lock in a vise. I use a pair of pliers to hold the hot stock to the top of the pipe with about 1" overlapping. Grab the other end with some tonges and wrap the stock half way around the pipe. The stock is as long as I can get it for leverage. The stock must be cherry red or a little hotter to be worked that easily. I use iron pipe and tubing ranging from 1 1/8" to 6.25". The horn of the anvil help to fine tune the curves to fit whats needed.

I tig weld all the parts together. Welding those small parts can be a real pain, not just getting the torch in place after it's half built. I do wood handles and metal pommels. I use a poor man lathe for the pommels. Drill and tap the end and a cut off bolt in there then put it in the drill press. With a 4.5" angle grinder I shape then to size. Finish them with files and sand paper.

The hilt will be used for actual fighting. I've been playing with swords for decades. It will become a loaner sword, so people can check out fencing without dropping $500+ on gear to try it out.

Here's another tease. I did this blade for my seamstress. It sitting on my fighting doublet that she made for me.