The Art of the Pommel

The pommel attaches to the threaded end of the blade and secures the guard, finger pad and grip on the foil.  It's not only a tightening device, its weight helps to balance the foil's elements for optimal blade handling.  At one time, when swords were used in real combat, it was considered perfectly acceptable to strike (pummel) your opponent with the pommel.  There is mixed evidence as to all the details of this practice so I won't debate it here but I'm sure, in a life or death situation, all was fair.

While some pommels are cast from brass and other readily meltable materials, I prefer to create mine by machining from bulk  materials.  Presented are three Classical Fencing foil styles that I've made recently.  On the front left is a conical pommel machined from a two inch slug of brass (rear right).  The other two are hex-shaped pommels made from bars of hexagonal steel and brass.  The collars at the very front are matching bushings made to fit over softer wood grips that are cord wrapped (see previous post on grips).

The tool shown at the back left is one of the lathe bits and its holder that I use to turn the pommels.  One of the pleasures of machining is making my own cutting bits from high speed steel.  The pommel in the center is made from relatively mild steel but harder steels often require the use of commercial carbide bits.

One of the more critical elements in making a pommel is maintaining the center so it can be accurately drilled and then tapped with threads.  I try to ensure that the hole perfectly aligns through the entire center of the pommel for a clean fit against the grip so drilling and tapping are done directly on the lathe.  Holding a conical shape correctly aligned in the jaws of the lathe required the creation of a matching sleeve to prevent marring the polished surface.

Machining allows for not only varied shapes but for types of finishes as well.  While the conical pommel at the bottom is highly polished, the two hex-shaped pommels above have a combination of satin and polished surfaces.

In closing, I must point out that the feel and maneuverability of a particular weapon is a very complex issue comprised of many elements and the pommel is just one.  As pointed out by Ben Bowles of Benjamin Arms, even the perfectly "balanced" weapon (by accepted standards) may prove unwieldy and ineffective in use if all the elements don't come together.  I find myself changing things quite often until I'm completely satisfied that a particular weapon is what I want to use.

Abeja Dorada

Abeja Dorada (The Golden Bee) is a commissioned guard for a Classical Fencing foil.  It is based on a design request of a client.  It is shown mounted with the client's existing blade, grip and pommel.  The guard is cut from 18 gauge stainless steel and the backing pad is two layers of yellow felt, heat-fused to a layer of leather to protect the fingers of the fencer.

This guard is a record setter in that it required 70 drill points to allow for tight turns and details.  It was cut with a hardened jeweler's blade designed to cut stainless steel.

The Art of the Grip

Other than blade preferences, perhaps nothing is more subjective for advanced fencers than the feel of a particular grip.  After all, the grip is the link between the blade and the fencer's hand.  It plays a big part in the sensations that are transferred to the fingers as the blade moves and contacts the opponents blade.  The grip plays a part in the fencer's "Sentiment-de-Fer," the sense or feeling for the blade but that is a more complex issue than I can cover here.  More critically, however, the grip affects the weapon's balance, purchase (the ability to hold onto it), weight and maneuverability.  The finest blade with the wrong grip becomes nothing more than a hatchet with a blunted point.

The ten wood grips above are made of Poplar and will be cord wrapped, like the one shown in the middle, so they are slightly undersized from the final dimensions.  They are in semi-completed status and the final shaping and wrapping will be done when the grips are ready to be fitted to blades.  Poplar is a very light, straight-grained wood that absorbs shock well.  I've also made grips with harder woods like mahogany, ash, oak, ebony, teak and maple.  Harder woods are typically heavier and are stained and sealed to show the wood grain.  Wire wrap is sometimes done to aid the purchase of the hand on the weapon but wire is rough on gloves so I only do it at a client's request.  Hardwoods transfer more shock to the hand but, in the hand of an experienced fencer, even the lightest touch of the blade is instantly felt.  

All my grips start as a blocks of wood and are center drilled, cut (based on several time-tested templates), shaped and then sanded.  They are all 6 inches long and will be later sized to the client's hand.  The final shaping will be done when the grip is fitted to the client's blade.  Although the grips above all appear the same,  each is hand made so there are slight differences in dimensions and shape that I use to fit a grip to a particular client's needs.  As I mentioned above, it's a matter of subjective feel.  

The grip in the middle is wrapped with copper-colored nylon and then wrapped on top with black nylon thread.  A small section at the end of the grip is left unwrapped to allow the recessed area of the pommel (or pommel bushing) to overlap and compress directly against the wood.  This prevents splitting.  The blocks in the middle are Mahogany (left) and Poplar (right).  At the back, behind the cords, is Zebra wood that will be part of a future grip project.