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Hello all brothers and sisters f the flame! It was now long since I last made a post. This year has been a bit different because of the work preparing the upcoming exhibition at the Deutsches Klingenmuseum: The Sword - Form and Tought. It will open on the 24th of September, in just a few days. Most of the work has been the documentation and analysis of all the swords to be exhibited, some 48 swords in all. They will be presented with photographs and drawings with analysis of their proportions. Their dynamic properties shall also be presented in a new way in diagrams to facilitate side by side comparison of handling characteristics. The work on dynamic properties has been done together with Vincent le Chevalier, who has invested much work in honing the models of calculations. Another aspect of this exhibit that I personally find exiting is that the museum was interested in displaying the work of contemporary makers alongside the ancient swords. This is to highlight the craft aspect of the sword though the ages up to current times. The makers Ralf Hoffmann & Sabine Piper, Jake Powning, Petr Florianek and myself were invited to create swords on the interpretation of the Word Xiphos as "Piercing Light". Being part of the team that develop this exhibition, it wa very exiting to me to se the progress made by the other makers. I was constantly astounded by the creativity, dedication and skill displayed. I think their results are something very special, showing the potential of sword making today. And now, finally, my own contribution has been finished and delivered to the museum. My take on this theme was to make a sword of the mind. The blade that embodies critical decision, clear insight and sudden revelation. The name of the sword is "Light from Within". This is a section from the text that goes with the sword in the catalogue: "An instant rift in the well established understanding. A bright spark setting alight unknown networks of associations, starting an unstoppable chain reaction. Like the fire of a peat bog it smoulders under the surface of intuition and suddenly bursts open in a white hot maw that consumes all normal expectations. It rots away steadfast convictions from underneath, living a parasitic life on comfortable truths making them hollow and insubstantial. Like a reflective globe rising from the dark it increases in size as it rushes towards the surface. I do not yet know what this quivering thing is that reaches out to me from the scorched fragments that flake away after the blinding flash. For a while now it has been here right beside me and I should have known. A friend, probably, tearing down all I knew when I least expected it. Brittle bones snap under my bare feet as I walk laughing towards the prospect ahead of me. Taking the shape of a sword, it hovers over the surface of a dark pool in the heart of the forest, reflecting light from within. Right before the moment of crystallization it splits the covering veil, knowledge glinting along its edge."