My Rudis Project

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 This is a piece of maple I bought a few years ago.  The sword outline is 28" long, and the thickness of the wood is 1 and an eighth inches.  The entire piece weighs about 2 and a quarter lbs.  I am going to carve it into a gladius shape, once I figure out the right combination of tools to use on it.  My hunting knife won't make a dent in it, I will have to use chisels to rough out the shape.  The exaggerated curve to the blade is to allow for mistakes, the finished piece will be almost straight sided.   Carving the fuller down the middle will be tricky, as will the handle. 
Gladiators given their freedom were awarded the wooden sword, pretty much like I am going for here.  I will have to decide whether to paint it or leave it finished and varnished.  Since I will be useless in any crisis I need to announce my retirement from the fields of action and what better way than to have the Rudis, or wooden sword, hanging by a horsehair above my chair here at the computer?


The Mainz Gladius, or Sword of Tiberius, found in the Rhine River.  It commemorates victory after an Alpine campaign, and depicts Tiberius handing Augustus a statuette of the goddess Victoria.  This is a senior officer's parade sword.  It was about 29" long and would have weighed two pounds.  It seems there are companies selling wooden swords to veterans with all kinds of engraving on them.  I just now found out about that, and how dare they steal my idea years before I think of it.
The fucking nerve.


My greatest flaw is my peaceful, conciliatory nature.

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