Isaac Myers Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 This is my first post here--I've been playing around with blacksmithing and casting for the past 7 or 8 years, and actually spent some time over the past few weeks to finish this project out. Even though I've made loads of knives in the past, this is my first big big project that I've managed to finish. I had some wrought left over from SOFA, and thought it might make an interesting blade. Blade is god-knows-what-wrought iron and 1080, fittings/handle are cast bronze, wrought and black walnut. Forgive the sheath and handle carvings, both first tries. The sheath fittings are copper sheet, fume oxidized, but when I sealed them, they lost all the really nice blue--should've run a test piece. Here's the blade first off--about 3 inches shorter than I wanted. Fittings and all that jazz, pre-carving Sheath, inspired by the survivng find from Coppergate--not entirely finished in the photos here. I realized, after finishing, that I need to invest in some leatherwork tools--I did all the shown bit with a rounded nail. And here's the finished seax--but again, I did a bit more sheathe detailing, after I took these pictures. I set out to be historically accurate, but ended up being more historically inspired. I l made more mistakes than I'd like to, but learned all the more. Oh well. My next project is a pattern welded seax, about 45 cm blade, but it's in the draw filing process now--I'll post that project as I go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Craft Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Very nice, very nice indeed!! C Craft Customs ~~~ With every custom knife I build I try to accomplish three things. I want that knife to look so good you just have to pick it up, feel so good in your hand you can't wait to try it, and once you use it, you never want to put it down ! If I capture those three factors in each knife I build, I am assured the knife will become a piece that is used and treasured by its owner! ~~~ C Craft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Ullrich Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Really cool, looks like the real thing. How did you go about aging the fittings on the sheath? I have always thought that one man of tolerable abilities may work great changes, and accomplish great affairs among mankind, if he first forms a good plan.... - Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Nice work on the sheath and the welding! The point is clipped a bit abruptly for the style, but you knew that. Carry on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondřej Borský Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Pretty neat for a rounded nail Keep it up... oh, and that wrought has some nice character! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Myers Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Thanks everyone! Really cool, looks like the real thing. How did you go about aging the fittings on the sheath? I recrystallized copper sulfate, and mixed with large grain salt, then brushed the copper with brine, and applied the salts. I put it in a fume chamber with more-or-less pure ammonia, and let it sit for about 45 mins. It came out a really nice, vibrant blue--classic aged copper look, with plenty of character, if that's what you want. Problem is, the wax I used to seal the leather was really dark, and just completely lost the original look. Eventually, I may strip the wax off, and try again--and seal with a clearcoat. A little side note, I've been playing around a bit with fume aging, and as far as I can tell, and acid will work--H2SO4, HCl, CH3COOH, ect--and using copper salts to start with make the blue more vibrant--had copper sulfate on hand, copper acetate worked as well, and my copper chloride should be crystallized by next week or so. Also, the finer the grain salts, the less it patinas, and more it paints, depending on what you're looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEzell Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Good job man, and thanks for the patina information. 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...
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