Matthew Parkinson

Please don't use hydraulic oil.. if you want a better quenchent buy quench oil McMaster Carr 11 would work for most things in a pinch and is not all that expensive or order 5 gallons of quench 50 (former parks 50) from maxim

The dreaded necropost.. in this case not so much to be feared .. this is one of the few pieces i have made that i can look back on even after all this time and still be satisfied with it, there are some things i would do differently and things I could do better or at least cleaner now but this was and still is a pretty epic sword.

we use it for stabilizing with good effect, you can tint the resin for some neat effects and most wood will still take stain (leather dyes ) after stablizing. they wood needs to be BONE dry, we run it in a dying oven at 250degf for a couple of weeks, then pull at least 29 bars of vacuum soak longer than you think, up to a few days in most cases. I had very mixed results in pre-forming the wood , they seemed to move a lot in the stabilizing, some even cracked . MP

the angle of a blow also makes a huge difference in the direction of movement of volume, you can also use things like a straight or cross peen or a fuller to control much of the movement of the material and keep it in one direction. MP

So I wrote an article on seaxs for knife magazine. Knife is a great mag Worth reading. MP

I still have these three swords available after blade show. I am asking $5000 on the e-type it is a 6 bar damascus blade with steel fittings inlaid in copper, silver and brass and there are two amber cabochons set in the pommel. and includes the matched scabbard and a custom display stand. I want $2500 on the mono steel type XV this sword was made in a class with Peter Johnsson and using his method of geometric design,and his methods of constructions and dynamic tuning. The blade is 1075 with nice subtle hamon, the fittings are 1045, and it includes a custom Oak stand. The asking price on the damascus type XV is $3500 it is a 500 layer random pattern blade of 15n20 and 1080 the fittings are wrought iron and there are two Carnelians set in the pommel, this sword includes a oak display stand.

honestly in the madness of getting ready for Blade I never took measurements.. blade is around a 11" i think.. the blade steels are 1095/1084/15n20, all low layer twist other than the edge bar that is a low layer twisted w's. MP

This is the seax blade I welded up and forged out in my demo at Grizzy Iron works in Phoenix AZ last Feb, Totally welded with out flux or oil under Grizz's chambersburg 300 utility hammer. The bolster is moose antler and the handle is stabilized sycamore

I got the pro pic back on this one, going to have this one on our table at Blade show this weekend, table 21-O for those attending.

I started this sword last Jan In Peter Johnssons sword class at tannery pond forge in NH. I got is as far as as rough assembly then it sat untill I had time ... well i decided to take the time and get it finished for my table at blade show in june, the blade is a little over 500 layer random pattern damascus of 15n20 and 1080, the furniture is nicely figured wrought and I set two 12mm carnelian cabochons in the pommel . the grip is a maple core with cord and leather wraps. the sword is a take down, and is held together with a pommel nut, that is shaped to appear as a peen block. enjoy, and you can check it out in person at table 21-o. Enjoy guys, pro pics to come