The Armour Archive

When one wraps a sword hit first in leather, then runs a wire spiral up the hilt, how do you guys typically afix the wire to the hilt, so that it doesn't come undone? I'm referint to a wrap that is not tight, so that all you see is the wire, but spaced, so that the wire has perhaps 7-12 turns up the length of the hilt. The leather is already held in place with glue...

Thanks for your help!

Cailin

Generally when I've seen a wire wrap like that, it has been on a fluted dagger, not over leather, but I imagine they do the same thing. At the start and end of where you want the wire, there are usually holes drilled there and the wire is affixed with epoxy (not sure of the period equivalent). I would imagine that you could also stick the wire between the handle and guard, wrap the handle, and stick it between the handle and pommel, that way you have a pressure fit when you peen the tang, but that option is assuming that you are able to take the hilt apart. Good luck!

Drill a hole in the ends of the grip, cut a small channel to it from where the wire ends on the surface of the grip, pull wire tight and peg it in the hole. The guard and pommel will keep the peg from working out.

Thomas

Quite often there will also be a spiral wrap of cord laid under the leather, with spacing between the turns to make a valley into which the wire goes.