Jake Powning Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 "I am called Du-Sith and you were better to have me with you than against you." - from the battle of Trai-Guinard, in Islay, Scotland 1598, credited to a faerie who helped sir James MacDonald named Du-Sith (dark elf) This is a sword wich I've made as a study of some of the swords I was able to handle at the Victoria and Albert Museum this spring thanks to Todd and Owen Bush. It is especially an attempt to put into practice some of the lessons about balance that I learned from Peter Johnsson. It's a very light fast sword, with a 50% distal taper. The grip is wenge and the pomel and guard are silicon bronze, with sterling silver 'genuis cuculatus' inset in the pomel. it's meant to be a reflection of the 1500's through the shifting mirror of the Celtic otherworld. Here are the stats: weight - 1lbs14.6oz / 0.867 kg OAL - 41" blade length - 32" hilt length - 9" point of balance - 3 1/4" from guard blade node - 18 1/2" from guard grip node - 3 1/2" in from guard, aproximately in the center of the grip. forward pivot point - tip of blade aft pivot point - 9 1/2" from guard, right around the end of the fuller The blade is 1084 steel. With this sword in your hand you develop an irrational urge to slap someone with a glove... Jake Powning Swords Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Thomas Obach Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 i was waiting to see if you'd post again... it was worth it... wow.. very cool and very neat Greg ;) North Shore Forge & Ironworks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adlai Stein Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Wow! That is drop dead gorgous. I don't think you are capable of could make an ugly sword. Adlai Klatu Baratta Necktie! Macabee Knives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpile Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 (edited) JAKE--Me friend. You have for sure, crossed over. You are no longer just the maker of pretty toys, but truely a very talented maker of fine weapons. A weapon well deserving of its own name. congrat chuck bennett Edited July 4, 2008 by sandpile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake cleland Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Holy crap, man. that is gorgeous. i can't believe you can carve that cleanly in wenge. beautiful. Jake Cleland - Skye Knives www.knifemaker.co.uk "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." Albert Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEzell Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Outstanding work, sir. Beautiful proportions, it looks graceful yet deadly. George Ezell, bladesmith" How much useful knowledge is lost by the scattered forms in which it is ushered to the world! How many solitary students spend half their lives in making discoveries which had been perfected a century before their time, for want of a condensed exhibition of what is known."Buffonview some of my work RelicForge on facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Oh, my eyes! Damnation, Jake, I thought you couldn't totally floor me anymore, but you just did.... I'm still picking my jaw up off the ground, and trying to keep the drool off the keyboard... Just a hair under two pounds, and that long, balanced where it is, heck, I'd not need the glove, it'd be all I could do not to haul off and whack somebody deserving of the honor with that. It's absolutely gorgeous, and perfectly named. I'm SO glad you got to do the museum thing, it really shows and for that the world is a better place. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Jake, Beautiful sword. What is the width and thickness of the blade at the hilt and 5cm from the tip? Regards, Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter johnsson Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Jake! I am very happy to see this, but I would be even happier if I could hold it. It is so great to see how words translate into steel. Can´t wait to see how some other of those dreams will come true. Good work Jake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat Maresch Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Jake, I love your swords. It is a pleasure to see how you move from early medieval to high medieval. If you need a glove.... I could lend you mine for ceremony´s sake )) And if there´s a museum involved the better. Thanks for showing! And.... make some more, will´ya? Mat www.mareschmesser.de Knifemaker, Germany Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Thomas Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Sweet Jake, light and fast! I've always been amazed at the actual weight of antique swords. You've done an amazing job on that one! Guy Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Price Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Oh, Hell. Time to burn down the shop. Again. Truely masterful, outstanding, and all the other synonyms. I've been humbled yet again by true mastery of the craft. You do us proud. The Tidewater Forge Christopher Price, Bladesmith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Arthur Loose Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Nicely done. jloose.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Jake, you reinvent the wheel, then put your own awesome twist on it. I have to ask, is the guard and pommel cast as 2 seprate metals then put together or plated afterwards? Let not the swords of good and free men be reforged into plowshares, but may they rest in a place of honor; ready, well oiled and God willing unused. For if the price of peace becomes licking the boots of tyrants, then "To Arms!" I say, and may the fortunes of war smile upon patriots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat Maresch Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Uhm, I just keep coming back and looking again and again.... So I´ll just tell you again: This is friggin beautiful. The blade´s shape is gorgeous!!!! Mat ( who´ll be comin´ back and back and...) www.mareschmesser.de Knifemaker, Germany Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umbo Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 beautifull!! With this sword in your hand you develop an irrational urge to slap someone with a glove... Greg www.elfic.fr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Mayo Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Totaly awesome Jake! Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Lester Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 (edited) Words fail me!! Truely a sword for a clan chieftan; totally above a mere king. The forward loop guard of polished brass is the cherry on top of the sundae. Doug Lester Edited July 5, 2008 by Doug Lester HELP...I'm a twenty year old trapped in the body of an old man!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Ouellette Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 :o I am amazed. Thank you for being a shining light for us to look up to. That is a true beauty. Bob O "When I raise my flashing sword, and my hand takes hold on judgment, I will take vengeance upon mine enemies, and I will repay those who haze me. Oh, Lord, raise me to Thy right hand and count me among Thy saints." My Website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 (edited) Jake, can you take a picture of yourself holding the sword for size reference please? Edited July 5, 2008 by Sam Salvati Let not the swords of good and free men be reforged into plowshares, but may they rest in a place of honor; ready, well oiled and God willing unused. For if the price of peace becomes licking the boots of tyrants, then "To Arms!" I say, and may the fortunes of war smile upon patriots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Clark Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Very nice my friend ! I wish I could hold it too. Pictures just never do justice to them, though it is very attractive in the pictures. Swords like that make me want to cut things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian brush Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Jake, I'm glad I joined the forums, just so I can see what you're working on. Whenever I see something new I let a few of my friends who are, like me, poor college students who love good totemic artwork, know that you've made something fresh. Right now, they're all pretty envious, because you haven't updated your site in awhile, at least not with more pictures of swords for them to drool over and dream about. This is amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulrich Hennicke Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Realy beautifull Jake. Nice and verry elegant sword. Uli Hennicke ASGARD THE HOME OF KNIVES MESSERUNICUM info@messerunicum.de www.messerunicum.de Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brice Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 WOW! That is an outstanding piece of work. Thank you for showing us. I look forward to seeing more about it, if there is more to show. Best Regards Brice Show me a blacksmith making a toilet, and I will show you a man forging ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Powning Posted July 6, 2008 Author Share Posted July 6, 2008 (edited) thank you very much everyone. here are the blade dimentions requested - width at fort - 1 1/2" / 3.8cm width at 5" from tip - 7/8" / 2.2cm blade thickness at fort - 3/16" / 4mm blade thickness 5 cm from tip - 3/32" / 2mm here's a picture of me holding the sword for perspective. Edited July 6, 2008 by Jake Powning Jake Powning Swords Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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