Etched Dish Hilt Rapier
Etched Dish Hilt Rapier
This rapier was commissioned with the intent of replicating the heft and handling of an original period weapon. Working from the commissioners sketches as well as images of a few original weapons of similar proportions, I built this hilt around a lovely pair of matching sharp & blunt blades from Balefire Blades.
The blades are made from thick 8mm stock, and are 45” long with a deep fuller. The blunt blade has greater flexibility and a nail tip—the sharp is more rigid, and very nicely ground.
The customer requested a POB of about +5” from the crossguard based on examinations of similarly proportioned originals, which is just where we landed on the final weapon.
Mounted with the sharp blade, the weapon weighs 2.97 lbs and is 51” overall.
The guard, pommel and scabbard fittings are etched steel with some decorative bluing. The knucklebow attaches to the pommel with a small screw. For durability in HEMA bouting, the dish plate is welded to the guard.
The spiral carved grip is PETG covered in steel wire. The hilt is secured with a pommel nut threaded 8x1.25mm
The scabbard is made from laminated birch plywood covered in snakeskin.