I wanted to make a unique melee weapon that had some solid roots in Mandalorian lore. I read about the bes'bev and was intrigued. When I started researching, I found there was no canon pictures for reference and as such, it was up to interpretation.
Below is the "why" the bes'bev is the way it is. This is the article I referenced for the
bes'bev I built since it referenced the books I had read.
A bes'bev was a traditional Mandalorian flute. Forged from beskar iron, a bes'bev was a combination of musical instrument and melee weapon.
Roughly 24 inches long similar to a standard flute. The mouth piece is raised to give it some texture as well as resemble the flute style.
At one end, a bes'bev was cut to a sharp tip, similar to a quill stylus, and this bladed end made the instrument ideal for stabbing and drawing blood. A bes'bev was also hard and sturdy, and could be hefted as a club should the need arise
I took a softer approach to the "quill" as this is a prop weapon and I didn't want to fall on it, proving that it is indeed good for bleeding people out!
The narrow ridges behind the quill are somewhat like a hilt so you wouldn't just run someone through with it. The wider ridges in the middle are to add some texture and effect if the weapon was used as a club. The recessed groves by the mouth piece are to keep the weapon from slipping in the hand as well as the single raised section above those.
By the year 20 BBY, the Mandalorian soldier Wad'e Tay'haai had come into possession of an ancient bes'bev. Tay'haai's flute was colored the same dark violet as the plates of his Mandalorian armor, and he took to carrying the instrument on his belt
I didn't want to paint it black so I choose the primary accent color to my kit being the red. I knew to make this really stand out weathering was an essential part of this build.
And the strings you may ask... In memory of those vode who are marching far away. Green for Princess Leia and the other Verd'ika, Navy blue and gold for Remo, and purple for Daniel Fleetwood. I took a light brown wash and dry brushed the ropes to give them the same feel as the bes'bev. I wanted this to be a strong build to honor the memories of those who I carry with it.
I am going to add the chain slide lock attachment method to this and wear it on my belt as well.
Please feel free to let me know your thoughts, questions, or general comments. 8)
