Gallic knife blade shapes

[T Hodgsn]

Hi all

I've finally been able to get back into reenacting, and am starting to piece together the stuff I need for a basic kit. I've got some steel I can use to make a basic knife from, as well as the skills and equipment. However, I'm having trouble finding pictures of knife blades. Does anyone have any pictures of gallic knife blades? I'm not looking for weapons, but a basic, day-to-day utility/eating knife, like the germanic sax. If it helps, I'm wanting to reenact a 3rd century Gaul.

Cheers
Hodgson

[Wenzel Ribbens]

Third century before or after ;)

[T Hodgsn]

3rd Century BC:)

Cheers
Hodgson

[Alex Hovorka]

Check out the new picture under "musea" in the gallery. Theres one of a whole selection of knives. Most are ring hilts. I think its in the Munchen gallery.

[T Hodgsn]

Thanks for that Alex. I had no idea that that section of the gallery existed. Don't know how I'd missed it. There's a lot of great stuff there.

So if I was to use the blade shape of one of the ring hilt knives, but give it a tang and put it in a wooden hilt, that would still be acceptable and pass most authenticity tests or the equivalent? Just checking.

Cheers
Hodgson

[Alex Hovorka]

I'm not an expert on period knives but I personally haven't seen any ring hilts with rivet holes.

[T Hodgsn]

Cheers for that. I guess I'll have a go at making a ring-hilt, unless I find pics of a different knife. I still haven't finished going through the photos in the musea section.

Cheers
Hodgson

[Alex Hovorka]

I love the look of ring hilts. Though I'm still confused by the functionality of it. I had a knife made with a ring large enough to fit my pinkey through just because of how short a lot of the handles are (usually enough room for three fingers) but I've found that first of all having the ring rap around the pinkey is more hindering then helpful in most situations and second of all after later research I found that many ringhilts are much too small for pinkey's to fit through.

[Wenzel Ribbens]

I personally think it has 2 functions:
1) Aesthetic: No idea why, but it's like most of us place flowers somewhere in the house.
2) Easy to store away and hang it somewhere.

I do not believe it would be extra functional during cutting.

[Tyson Colleton]

Im a knife maker and metal worker my studys show knives like the fins and primatives are small flat back the steel gos that way by it self know what i mean ?

[Tyson Colleton]

Im a knife maker and metal worker my studys show knives like the fins and primatives are small flat back the steel gos that way by it self know what i mean ?

with a rat tale tang 1/2 to 1/3 of the handle heat fitted or drill a hole and glue in the blade horn antler ir wood

[Alex Hovorka]

There's a lot of iron age finds that have very thick handles with no rivet holes and often have a ring on the end. Generally points toward being rapped in leather.