Damien's New Swords (Updated: June 4th)

ATTENTION: I've removed all non-essential pictures and links as I make the annoying transition from Photobucket to Brickshelf. You can find everything at my Brickshelf account, however.

ATTENTION again. . .: Switched existing pictures with the ones in Brickshelf to finally clear out the Photobucket account. Nothing new, though.

Played with a Little Armory longsword today. Pretty simple operation. Just file off the nubby bits on the quillions (the 'arms' of the crossguard), then heat the guard indirectly and turn it. Ta-da.

I was inspired to do this by this sword design (as yet unproduced) at Albion, called the Fiore.

For those who don't know, the standard LA longsword looks like this:
(Pic Removed)


This is my modification:




And if you click right here (link removed) you can see it in the hands of our noble knightly model - Ferdinand.

I think it turned out well.

 -------Update-----------

Tried something else. Started out with the sword in this picture. (Link goes to Jeff's Brickshelf).

Curved the guard into a style 9, like the one you see in this picture.

The result was this:

(Pic Removed)


Not too shabby. Wanted to combine it with the brazil-nut pommel from the other LA single-hander, though. So I did.


Unfortunately, it didn't turn out the way I wanted. The grip is off-center, which looks noticable, and funny, when not in a minifig's hand. And the grip is far longer than I wanted it to be (as I wanted the pommel to sit against the butt of the palm). So while the sword doesn't look too bad, it isn't perfect, either. I'll probably try again on this design tomorrow, as this is the one I'm really keen on doing just right.

--------------Update 2-------------

Tried again. Succeeded this time. Took the same LA single-hander (with the curved guard), filed down the sides a bit to make it thinner and, after heating it, bent the guard up and pinched the ends to give it the 'rolled' look of style 9 guards (at least as best can be done at this scale). Then I cut the grip from a 'boat' or 'brazil-nut' (the difference is negligible at this scale) single-hander and attached it flush to the guard. I was afraid the glue wouldn't hold up - but so far I've taken the sword in and out of a hand a dozen or so times and it's sturdy. Good deal.

The finished piece looks like this:




Our Greco-model Helikaon (link removed) is more than happy to show it off.


And for fun, here's a group shot of all three swords I've finished so far:

(Picture Removed)

As you can see, the new version of the sword has a much shorter grip, which is what I was originally going for. I think it turned out almost perfectly. Now if only I could match the Little Armory silver used on the armour. But I don't think Citadel makes anything that will match the hue, colour, and 'flatness' of the colour. Oh well. I'm happy. Next in line is a modification of the two-hand flamberge. Or maybe another longsword modification.

 

------------Update 3-------------



Added another sword to the collection. Started out with a Little Armory two-hand flamberge, snipped off the lugs, heat-bent (as with the above swords) the guard into a straight position, and filed down the upper portion of the quillions. I also used a LEGO brown cloak, cut a piece of it off and wrapped the sword's ricasso. The wrap is removable (and historically ambiguous).

The result is this:



(Second Picture Removed)

The Black Legion Landsknecht, Johann, is pleased to be our model:

(Pictures Removed)

More info: This sword is loosely based on the Albion Tyrolean. I'm still considering painting the hilt. It's definitely a possibility, since the grip is just loose enough in a minifig's hand that the added thickness of paint and clearcoat won't make it too thick to be held. I originally intended to file down the undulations in the blade, but that would have made the blade too thin. So I have another design in mind for that project.
Historical premise for the fig:  The Landsknechts were a German organization of pikemen, hand-gonners, halberdiers, and two-hand swordsmen. But, for many, the most identifiable aspect is the two-hand swordsman. The Black Legion, specifically, were black-armour-clad Landsknechts who refused to return to Germany after being recalled there from their service in Burgundy during the 16th century. Technically, Landsknechts were known to wear white feathers in their hats, but I didn't feel like painting a ploom - so it's red.

 
---------Update 4------------

Another longsword conversion. This one was inspired by a sword that's dear to me - the Albion Markgraf. But you can also see what I was going for by looking at the hilt of this sword. Unfortunately, there was no really good way to do the rings around the base of the blade like those on the Albion Markgraf. So I had to give up on that, at least until I can think of something that might work.

To make this, relatively minor, modification is a simple matter of filing off the stubby-bits on the quillions of an LA longsword. Then heat the guard and give it a turn in either direction. Simple, but it looks quite nice. I took more than one picture of this one in and out of hand because of the difficulty of catching an angle on this piece that really shows you how it looks.




From tip to pommel

In hand


Enjoy. Still have at least three more designs either in the works, or about ready to get pictures taken.

---------Update 5-----------

And another one!

This particular sword, while historically-minded, has no direct correlation like some of the others. It is inspired by a few different two-handers, like the Albion Chieftain, Albion Maximilian, and even the AT-1520. Stylistically, it's another Landsknecht kind of sword - big. Really big. How did I make it? Thanks for asking. I first clipped off the balls on the quillions of the LA two-hand flamberge. Then I cut off the lugs at the end of the ricasso (the little pointy bits that stick off the blade). Then I cut the blade off at the end of the ricasso (blunted portion of the blade close to the hilt). I had an LA single-hand sword blade laying around from one of my previous mods, so I cut the guard off of that, and pinned the blade to the ricasso of the two-hander. Viola.



Full size


And if you click here, you can see the sword in the hands of its owner, Hans.

The sword does need some touch-up work. A little filing. I can't hide that it's two separate pieces stuck together, which means I will almost assuredly be painting the blade and hilt furniture to make it look nicer.

About Hans (because I know you're curious. . .): Hans, like Johann, is a Landsknecht. However, he's an earlier type. He is not a member of the Black Legion, and he is from a rustic, relatively poor background; meaning he cannot afford the more lavish and colourful clothing styles generally preferred by the Landsknechts. And, not being at all wealthy, his sword is of an early style that's less impressive and ornate as other Landsknecht-style swords.



-------Update 6---------

Finished another. This particular one is based on the Albion Jarl. First I filed down the guard of an LA single-hand sword (the one with a curved guard), then heat-bent it into shape. After that I cut off the grip and replaced it entirely with an LA Viking sword grip. The finishing touch was a very subtle filing of the point of the sword to make it slightly more rounded than normal, to give it that transitional cutting-sword look that the Albion Jarl has. Didn't file it too round, as I didn't want to ruin the blade.


And here's the result:




In Hand



-----------Update 7------------

Finished another. This was a bit more difficult and didn't turn out perfectly, but I really like it nonetheless and I think it looks pretty good. Started with two LA longswords. Filed down the upturns on the guard of one and snipped off the pommel. Cut the handle from the other as well as the pommel and attached the extra piece of handle to the handle of the other sword. Then I cut only the disc portion of the pommel off one of the remaining bits and attached it to the handle as well. It isn't lined up perfectly, unfortunately. And during the picture-taking process it broke again and had to be reglued, so it does have noticable gluing. Not much I can do. Once I get some more LA longswords in the house I may try this one again to see if it can be done with more precision.

Anyway, the design is loosely based on the Albion Talhoffer.




Full Size

First View

In Hand


Like I said, despite its faults - I like it.