Mat Maresch

Hello friends of the blade. It has been a long time since I shown anything in these forums, but it is time to show a bit more presence here I thought... So let me start with a customers order for a "large barbecue knife": Blade forged from high carbon steel and 15N20 - 6 2/8 inch, 1/8 inch thick Handle scales desert ironwood, with peened bronze pins and sinew, 5 inch long Sheath is still in the makings, will be a simple leather sheath. What do you think? Greetings! Mat

A real Beauty, Walter. The heart-shaped spot is just gorgeous. O-kissakis rule, and I love the lively hamon. Thanks for showing! Mat

Arthur, this is another top notch piece on this forum. The Niello work is great, as is the Niello work on the guard and the butt. Silver is such a fine material.... The twists on the blade are wonderful, too. Thanks for showing, I love these things !!! Mat

I like these points a lot. You have done some great knives in the last weeks. The stabilised wood is really nice, has some rusty character and goes along well with the wrought iron. Mat

I just saw " la Tene style sword " in the list of topics then I saw Jake Powning then my hands got all sweaty Finally I managed to click on show topic And now the whole house is awake I guess... Jeeesus, this is something rather.... unique! Your best work so far I guess. I have admired all your swords, but this .... this ..... this is the best I have seen so far. Ever. Anywhere. Anytime. Did I mention this is incredibly beautiful? Can´t believe it, you have outdone yourself. Freaking incredible, as Alan said. Thanks for showing ( and awakening the " I wanna have it, Mummy!!!!") Mat

Don, you definitely have crossed the border from hamon making to blade painting. This is awesome. Even if one could say it´s the usual Don Hanson Package ( long fighter blade with crazy hamon, guard and grade AAA+ ivory), you do astonish me every time. Real sweet knife. Thanks for showing! Mat

This is friggin awesome. I don´t dare imagining what the second sword will be like! The guard is absolutely beautiful. All came together very nice. Thanks for showing! Mat

Ray, that is a sweet looking blade. Seems to consist just out of a tip Like it a lot! Mat

Thanks for reminding us, Arno. Weeell, Don of Dons. I wish you the best, a wonderful day and plenty of years with even more knives to come! ( Last one is pure egoism). Happy Birthday! Mat

Hello Everybody. Finally I manage to show you one of my latest: Blade forged W2, clay hardened Fittings tool steel, "yellowed" with heat to match the colour of the blade and bone Handle fossil whalebone. The tang goes through and is screwed with the end cap. Sheath lacks the clip, but thats another topic :-) This is my favorite right now, it has such a solid feel in the hand. Maybe I´m gonna keep it ( as long as nobody wants to pay for it, that is, as usual)

Finally got the belthook done. Hope you like it! Greets Mat

The "moon over mountains" is just right down gorgeous I think. Like that one a lot! keep it up, you do make a lot of progress imho! Mat

I´m very impressed by the performance of your blades, Karl. Congratulations to the JS! Mat

Hello Don. Thanks for showing. I won´t even start telling how impressed I am. Hell of a piece. I would love to own something like this. Totally done for, Mat

Hello everyone! This cutie I managed to get dressed up just in time for tomorrow´s show in Munich. Only the belthook didn´t arrive in time :-) Blade is forged from 1 1/2 inch W2 round stock, 4 1/8 inch long Mounted in damascus, tang screwed with the buttcap Handle is walrus ivory 4 1/2 inch long ( with bolster) Thanks for looking! I´ll show the sheath with hook as soon as I made it :-) Mat

I am glad you like it. I am currently working on the sheath, it is going to have a belthook again. And Greg, of course we would call it a "Messer" in Germany :-) Messer is german for "knife". Have a nice time! Mat

Hello Folks. This blade is forged from about 400 layers of varying toolsteels, 5 1/2 inch long Handle is whalebone, bit under 5 inch long. Bolster steel, textured with the peen hammer. The background swallows the knife a bit on the pics, I will add some more when the sheath is done. Thanks for looking! Mat

Hello Friends of the Blade. Today I wanna show a pair I did of the same materials - 300 layers damascus, nickeldamascus fittings, desert ironwood - but with different size and shape. First is small, a three-finger-knife --- 3 1/8 inch handle, 3 3/4 inch blade Second is slightly larger, a bird and trout-knife --- 4 1/4 inch handle, 4 1/2 inch blade Both sheaths were made by a friend of mine, David Hölter. Enjoy, and tell me what you think if you want! Best wishes Mat

A pity you two ain´t japanese twins ;-) CU there! mat

Hello Friends of the edge, I wanted to show you this knife. The pics are rather crappy, and as it is gone already I won´t be able toget some dcent pictures anymore.... Blade forged from around 400 layers toolsteels, Fitting Nickel-damascus, Handle is a sweet piece of desertironwood burl. Sheath with belthook, damascus too. Overall length is about 11 1/4 inch. Greetings from the old world Mat

Hello Jake. Thanks for taking the time to do this really comprehensible tutorial. It is very well done! Now everyone should be able to understand how it is done, only the trial and error part can´t be done by reading I guess... The pics are very good, give my thanks to the photographer ( your wife? I guess?) as well for taking the nice pictures. Can´t wait to see the falchion finished, good powningesque work as always :-)) Thanks again! Mat

Hey Lambert. I used a cloth and a gripper, and managed to get some *tiny* scratches even so. The nut goes 1/3 inch into the grip. Jeff, you are right, but it is fossile material, not "fossilized", if you know what I mean. It is not *stone* but very old stuff ( as I was told by the seller). So, semi-fossilized might be the right expression, dunno. But, thanks for the advice anyway! Mat

Thanks for your sweet words, guys. The bone is naturely coloured, I just oiled and waxed it. I stumbled across it at my favourite dealer´s. Have a nice time, all of you! Mat

Hello Everyone. This is a knife I made for a swiss customer - Blade is handforged damascus ( all toolsteels), Fittings damascus, handle is whale jawbone. Overall length is nearly 11 inch. Handsewn sheath with damascus belthook. The knife can be taken down for maintenance, as the buttcap is screwed on. Thanks for looking! Mat

Hello Tonu, one can see the photograph is from a pro... and one can easily see that you are a professional smith and knifemaker. This is the absolutely sweetest little thingy I have seen in ages. Thanks for showing, always happy when I see you did something new :-) Mat