Jake Powning Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Hi Guys, I thought I would climb out of the cave and show you what I've been working on This spring I made a trip to Britain and made a study trip to the British Museum with Peter Johnsson and Owen Bush. We documented three anthropomorphic hilted swords from the British La Tene period, so basically Celtic short swords. It was a really good learning experience to measure and trace old swords. when I got back home I started doing a reconstruction of one of the swords, based on my measurements, drawings and photographs. It has a high layer laminated blade of 1075/8670m and the hilt is cast silicon bronze. here is a link to a page I wrote about it with more stats and pictures. Anthro reconstruction page thanks for looking! Jake Powning Swords Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Erwin Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 That's awesome. Love the blade shape, and the hilt is very well done. Beau Erwin www.ErwinKnives.com Custom knives Bcarta Composites Stabilized Woods Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stephens Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 That is wonderful work Jake. Is the blade hollow ground? I can't really tell from the photo. The blade shape is also very nice. The lines are very subtle and elegant. Thanks for sharing. --Dave -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Powning Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 Thanks Edgar. thanks Dave, yes the Blade has a shallow hollow grind Jake Powning Swords Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Helmes Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 (edited) Thats awsome Jake I cant wait to see the whole thing finnished up cheers and keep up the great work!! jeff helmes Edited June 17, 2009 by J. Helmes http://www.jeffhelmes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEzell Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Awesome work, I've always loved those anthro swords... 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...
Art Lawrence Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Beautiful work. Do you know for what purpose a sword of this type was used for? Thanks, -Art "My sword and my shield are at your command" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petr Florianek Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Great! will this one have iron scabbard? I dont know if these anthro hilt had them... GULLINBURSTI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat Maresch Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Jack strikes again Wonderfully done, as always. Hope all is well with you! mat www.mareschmesser.de Knifemaker, Germany Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stéphane A. Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Yes an other brilliant strike ! It must have been such a good time at the british museum. With Peter and Owen's support, the experience was probably unique. It it a reconstruction for the museum or a personal project ? Glad to see you out of the treasure cave, it'as always worth it ) Salutations Stéphane My link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck C Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 sweet Chuck c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake cleland Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 very cool - i was wondering when you'd make this. the reconstructed blade makes much more sense visually, and im sure in the hand as well. it looks like a powerful wee piece, and yet the profile and grind are still very elegant. beautiful work. 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...
Marcel54 Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Very beautiful, cool and elegant piece. Marcel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 I wondered what you'd been up to, locked away in your lair in the dim interior wilds of New Brunswick. VERY nice. I gotta agree with Petr too, is this the one the sheet iron scabbard is for? If so, how's that coming? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Powning Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 thanks guys! Hi Art, it has been theorized by A.P.Fitzpatrick that these swords where used for some kind of Druidic ritual that had to do with the fazes of the moon, because several of the continental examples have astral symbols engraved on them. Personally after having handled these British examples, I think they are for hand to hand combat. they have the thickness and distal taper as well as blade width for a serious fighting tool. the hilts are easy to hang on to and I would not want to bother someone with any kind of martial skill that was holding one. Once you reconstruct the original blade size they are fairly formidable little swords. also they are similar in size to many other insular swords like the kirkburn sword and the lisnacrogher short sword. Hi Petr and Alan, I was planning on making an iron and bronze scabbard for this but I'm not sure if I will have time on this one, we shall see, I have the materials. I'd like to have more information about how they where constructed, otherwise I'm essentially going to be guessing based on looking at pictures and what I have seen behind glass. At the moment I need to start working on the next sword. These swords did have metal scabbards though, there is a beautiful Piggot Group IIA variant from the river Witham which had a bronze scabbard, but it was lost or stolen so there are only drawings of it. it has a little man sitting where the head would normally be and is a bit on the short side (15 in./380 mm) . But all of the ones we examined did not have scabbards with them although one was reported to have been found with an iron scabbard. Jake Powning Swords Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 (edited) Jake, that is wild! If you did not send it off already, can you please get a picture of it in hand? Edited June 17, 2009 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...
Ben Potter Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Nice work, I can hear the celtic war trumpets. Beautiful. Ben Potter Bladesmith It's not that I would trade my lot Or any other man's, Nor that I will be ashamed Of my work torn hands- For I have chosen the path I tread Knowing it would be steep, And I will take the joys thereof And the consequences reap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stephens Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 At the moment I need to start working on the next sword. Okay, that's a teaser. Spill it Powning! What's the next sword going to be?? Grins, Dave -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter johnsson Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Jake! The blade is beautiful, but the hilt really shines. A very sensitive and powerful interpretation. Great work on the head. I am very glad seeing this The test blade I made will probably be just that: a test blade. I shall keep going with another attempt. That day in the british museum; it was like returning home with the pockets filled with found gold. A happy thing seeing what you made with your part of the treasure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim92 Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 That is one heck of a sword! Thank you for posting! Tim Knife Prayer by Morris Herring "Heavenly Father, Thank you for my Knife Family. Help me, that they would see Jesus in me. Forge me into a caring person that would be a good witness. Sharpen me, to cut all sin from my life. Guard me, from saying the wrong thing, that I might not offend or hurt someone's feelings and lose my witness to them. Father, let me be able to Handle all trials and tribulations that come my way. Finally, Father, let me help Sheathe lost souls into your Fold. Father, let me use my craft to be a witness and to point the way that the unsaved might follow our Glorious Jesus. Amen." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Powning Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 Thanks guys. thank you Peter. yes I felt like I found the end of the rainbow that day too. I 'm really looking forward to seeing what you come up with! I know I said I wouldn't like two hours ago, but I'm actually working on the scabbard right now, I don't know how well it will work but I couldn't leave it alone, it needs a scabbard. I have iron, and fleeces from the local tanner... it will be fun. Hi Dave, the next sword will be something pattern welded and mythic, probably insular Germanic, or Viking, I'll make the blade first and see how it turns out before I'll be too sure of the hilt and scabbard design. Here's a picture Sam, don't be frightened... Jake Powning Swords Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter johnsson Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Deep in the little known reaches of the British Museum, walks a man on a quest. Ye faint of heart: beware! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent L Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Jake! you look sooo excited! Alba Ghu Bra Brent LaCroix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDF Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Always wonderful swords! thanks for sharing your work. CIAO FROM ITALY Marco Di Francesco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Powning Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 Deep in the little known reaches of the British Museum, walks a man on a quest. Ye faint of heart: beware! hahaha! 'just try to take it from me' Jake Powning Swords Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now