Seax scabbard

[Geoff Hardy 16]

I finally finished a scabbard for my seax I posted awhile back.

Lots of firsts , wood carving , sheath/scabbard, copper sheet overlay, bear fur lining.

I was really inspired by Petr's Vendel period sax but drew from both viking and anglo saxon

sources for carvings .

I really wanted to do the copper sheet in steel or iron but steel proved to difficult and iron to hard to find .

Copper seemed like the best route as the inays on the fittings were copper it works but to me is a little jaring.

Hope you like it and of course all comments both positive and negative are welcome

Thanks

I had to throw a picture of my little dude in there he is not even 2 yet and his eyes light up

when he holds any of my pieces , gotta love it!

 

Geoff

Edited June 23, 2013 by Geoff Hardy

[SBranson 2]

Very cool package Geoff. We should plan a little meet up. I'd like to see that.

[Geoff Hardy 16]

Thanks Stuart! Yah that sounds like a great idea . I will pm you.

[Geoff Hardy 16]

I was kind of hoping for some critiques , honestly I won't be offended !!!

[Geoff Hardy 16]

Wow is it really that bad that only one person comments on it ( and I know where Stuart lives so he had to be nice LOL).

 

Seriously guys all feedback is good feedback.

[Blaine Moore 0]

I like the carved rings, and I think the carving looks sort of weathered, which works well with the copper.

 

What wood did you use for the scabbard? And are the rings bone?

[Geoff Hardy 16]

Thank you!!!!! I was starting to really doubt myself, I started to steer the look a bit when the copper inlay started to patina.

Oak and antler for everthing! The rings looked better before the leather dye but I had to be consistent , it makes you really appreciate

guys like Petr who's pieces are always so well finished.

Anything you don't like??

 

Thanks for the feed back!!!

[Blaine Moore 0]

Hmmm, there's nothing I particularly dislike, but nothing really jumps out about it either. I hate to say it, but it's almost a little bland. The scabbard, not the handle, I mean. I think it would've looked better if the wood went farther down, mimicking the triangular contour of the copper with either a separate carving or a continuation of the one there. But that's just my opinion and I have no idea if that would've worked with the wood you had/how difficult it would've been to do. Also, from a composition standpoint, the handle has the antler rings and the inlays, but the scabbard is just wood until you hit the copper. I think that subtracts from it slightly, maybe because it's a dark wood so there's not much contrast from the shadow.

[Geoff Hardy 16]

my original plan was steel instead of copper and then more copper inlay but I had a hard time finding any and then it would be too thin to inlay. All in all it was fun practice !

thanks

 

Jeff

[Jim Kelso 55]

I was kind of hoping for some critiques , honestly I won't be offended !!!

Geoff, it all depends on what you're shooting for. If you're wanting a more finished look such as Petr's I would suggest spending some time refining technique on practice bits rather than a full-blown package. The trick is to come up with a work flow to achieve the results you want. It's hard on a big project to sort it out as you go. Much easier to work out a flow on smaller pieces that you can toss, and then move with confidence to a real project.

 

Jim

[Geoff Hardy 16]

Geoff, it all depends on what you're shooting for. If you're wanting a more finished look such as Petr's I would suggest spending some time refining technique on practice bits rather than a full-blown package. The trick is to come up with a work flow to achieve the results you want. It's hard on a big project to sort it out as you go. Much easier to work out a flow on smaller pieces that you can toss, and then move with confidence to a real project.

 

Jim

Thanks Jim!

I since making this I have been doing lots of carvings mostly on antler, I really get what you are saying!

The thing about it though is I find that they always look better post dye , coffee is great but I can not seem to find

anything that I like that enhances the piece instead of detracting.

I read that Petr uses beech tar , I have tried leather dye (suitable but I hate using it) .

When you do a piece and you get it to about 80-90 percent complete with all the elements in place, How much refining do you

do before you are satisfied ?

I think a problem I am having is I am stoping to soon and not spending that last bit of effort (even though it sucks)

to take the piece from from good to great.

[Alan Longmire 2,822]

Thanks Jim!

I think a problem I am having is I am stoping to soon and not spending that last bit of effort (even though it sucks)

to take the piece from from good to great.

 

That, my good man, is the problem many of us have struggled with for years!

[R. Yates 1]

That is a sick looking Blade and scabbard you have done an awesome job brother .

 

Sam

[Geoff Hardy 16]

That is a sick looking Blade and scabbard you have done an awesome job brother .

 

Sam

Sam that means alot coming from you I really admire your carvings thanks!

[R. Yates 1]

Thank you Brother Geoff my dremel is my best friend <Grins> you have done very well on this project many do not take the time or patience to do this type of work .

 

Sam

[Jim Kelso 55]

"When you do a piece and you get it to about 80-90 percent complete with all the elements in place, How much refining do you
do before you are satisfied ?"

 

This is the million dollar question which only you can answer. It depends on what you will be satisfied with. When it comes to polishing and finishing carving, very rarely is anything ever perfectly "finished". It seems to me that instead of me finishing a carving, the carving finishes me. They have a hell of a lot more endurance than I do!

[R. Yates 1]

Aman Jim I often have to ask some one when it should be done . However I try to put as much detail as I can before asking

 

Sam

[Geoff Hardy 16]

thanks Jim,Sam and Alan

 

It is nice (or depressing ) to hear that I am not the only one that struggles with this ! What I am finding is that the piece gets really good, then you add more and it gets worse and then you make some adjustments and it is close to what you wanted !

I was told back in film school that if you can get 80% percent of what you wanted into your project that is a success.I think that rings true but I am still trying to bring my vision as I see it into reality.

 

Thanks for the critiques it is so appreciated!!!

[R. Yates 1]

you can do a light sanding on the carving of the sheath to make the design stand out , much like making it look like an antique where a little of the finish is removed as to the finish being wore off .

 

Sam