Doug Lester

I like Jake's redesign of the front of the handle. I also noted that the scales don't lay flat at the forward end of the handle. Maybe some thin liners would help hide the defect or maybe some colored epoxy. As far as epoxies go, I'd suggest Acraglas, which I believe comes with some black dye, or the West system. You could get some modelers paint to add color to it. Doug

That moment when I start getting that blade down to the final grit and I see that line that says I've got a crack in my blade. Fitting a guard is a close second. Doug

Definitely self adjusting. That's a terrific design. Doug

Try getting a copy of The Archaeology of Weapons by Ewart Oakeshott. It has plenty of drawings and black and white plates of swords of various ages. It's not an expensive book and is a good one for any library. Records of the Medieval Sword by the same author is filled with illustrations and appendix B deals with engraving and lettering. To my recollection from the reading that I've done swords from the "wording" is usually in Latin. The reason that I put wording in quotation marks is that some of the lettering was abbreviations for longer phrases. I don't know Latin but a sword could be engraved something like HMMOCPFMNAATHOMD, which is long enough by itself, standing for Holy Marry Mother of Christ pray for me now and at the hour of my death. The long version would not be impossible to engrave and enlay but the lettering would have to be small and very labor intensive to do. Or the blade could be engraved with something short like Homis Dei meaning man of God. Supposedly this was common on Templer blades. Doug

Super WOW! Doug

If you have a 100-110 lb anvil that basically works well for you but you just want something to move steel just a little better you could look at a block anvil. I had (until it grew legs in the middle of the night) a 110 lb anvil with a bad hardy hole that was ok for moving steel I was reading a lot of comments about how good block or stake anvils were and I got an 86 lb block of H13 from a steel supply house that sold it's cut offs on Ebay. Even though it was almost 25 lbs lighter than my European style anvil it moves steel much better because more of the mass is under the work. Luckily, it evidently didn't look like an anvil so when the thieves stole my other two anvils they left the block anvil behind. Doug

I think that the file work on the hilt was especially well done. Doug

To keep from messing up the heat treat during grinding grind with bare hands to feel heat build up and cool frequently in water plus keep the blade moving as you grind so that you don't run into hot spots. Doug

I think that the swell at the butt of the handle will make the knife more controllable and with most seax blades having the organic parts rotted away it's hard to say that it's historically incorrect. It's hard to prove a negative. BTW, I love the choice of woods and the blade looks good too. Doug

I like the design of the blade. Looks like you could really break down some game with it. The handle is also nice. Looks like it will fit nicely in the hand. Doug

It always helps me to remember when I walk past the liquor isle that that stuff will kill me and it will probably be ugly. I already have some liver problems. As far a smoking goes, besides the Big C, I've known two people who have gone blind behind their smoking and one man who lost both of his legs. I also knew one man who had to have stents put in his lower legs to save them. Be self centered, stop smoking for yourself. Doug

I'm in recovery (from what's my business and it really doesn't matter, addiction is addiction). When you're using whatever you're addicted to you practice those habits that support your addiction. When you stop your addiction you have to form habits that support recovery and you practice those habits every day. Remember, new playmates and new play pens. You don't need to be around smoke filled rooms where someone is going to offer you a smoke out of a sense of courtesy. Doug (just sayin')

Looking good on the blade. One thing that I can't tell about from the pictures is if where the tang meets the ricasso area. Does it have a slight radius there or does't it meat at a 90° angle? If it meets at a 90° angle it could add a stress raiser at that point. Overall, the design looks spot on. Doug

You never cease to amaze, Gary. Doug

That looks like a real leg biter. Doug