WIP A Seax at Last

[Alex Middleton 260]

Outstanding!

[Clifford Brewer 295]

Damn dude !!!!..................

[MikeDT 88]

Awesome!

[Joshua States 1,007]

It's a damn shame Rob. I used to really like you, but now you have crossed a line. You have made me feel really inadequate..……..

Dang dude, that looks fantastic. I mean, I mean, wow. Great job mate.

I still like you. It's probably that last name.

[Will Wilcox 206]

Dude! That looks shweeet! Nailed it on that carving, man. 

[Rob Toneguzzo 249]

 

 

 

I found carving kind of hypnotic. I know I sat there for hours but really have no recollection of time spent 

 

have to make a collar then glue the handle and once done I will do the final finish on the handle.

 

Then It will be onto the sheath once I get some leather and bits delivered.

 

Thanks all for the encouragement comments and help. It really fuels motivation.

 

2 hours ago, Joshua States said:

It's a damn shame Rob. I used to really like you, but now you have crossed a line. You have made me feel really inadequate..……..

Dang dude, that looks fantastic. I mean, I mean, wow. Great job mate.

I still like you. It's probably that last name.

I am glad you still like me as I will be bothering you when I start the sheath as I have never tooled leather and am not sure what tools I will need to try and make.

[Joshua States 1,007]

56 minutes ago, Rob Toneguzzo said:

I am glad you still like me as I will be bothering you when I start the sheath as I have never tooled leather and am not sure what tools I will need to try and make.

 

I will post some pics tomorrow of some basic tools with descriptions of what they are used for.

First off you will need a blunt stylus to mark the leather and a small sharp knife to make light cuts.

[Rob Toneguzzo 249]

1 hour ago, Joshua States said:

 

I will post some pics tomorrow of some basic tools with descriptions of what they are used for.

First off you will need a blunt stylus to mark the leather and a small sharp knife to make light cuts.

Awesome, thanks heaps 

[kidterico 26]

Awesome piece of work. KT

[Zeb Camper 630]

You can make do by pressing your design in with a blunt object as well. For this one I used a butterknife (for the design, pizza cutter (for the border), and the back end of a drillbit to press the circular part inside of the tightest radius at the ends of the knotwork. I also used a flathead screwdriver for some tricky parts. This way requires hours of careful pressing and sculpting. Make sure everything you use is well blunted. 

 

But if you want to buy tools I recommend Joshua's method. 

 

Please dont use a woodburner. I think it looks bad. Best o' luck! 

[Joshua States 1,007]

Here you go Rob. I put up a thread in Sheaths and Leatherwork.

[Rob Toneguzzo 249]

9 hours ago, Zeb Camper said:

You can make do by pressing your design in with a blunt object as well. For this one I used a butterknife (for the design, pizza cutter (for the border), and the back end of a drillbit to press the circular part inside of the tightest radius at the ends of the knotwork. I also used a flathead screwdriver for some tricky parts. This way requires hours of careful pressing and sculpting. Make sure everything you use is well blunted. 

 

But if you want to buy tools I recommend Joshua's method. 

 

Please dont use a woodburner. I think it looks bad. Best o' luck! 

 That’s a fantastic sheath Zeb, looks unreal. Thanks for the info too. Did you do the carving before or after making the sheath?

 

3 hours ago, Joshua States said:

Here you go Rob. I put up a thread in Sheaths and Leatherwork.

 

Very very much appreciated you taking the time to make that post. I think I will end up buying some tools and making some and practicing on scrap...That said I am looking forward to giving it a go.

[Zeb Camper 630]

You tool before assembly.

Its tricky. You want to form the break in the spine before you tool. For this you mark where the break will sit and get the leather wet with hot water and take a stick and press into a recess (between your ring and middle finger braced on your knee or a sink drain). You then fold it and message that into a break by holding the edge leather straight in a way that it cant fold up while pulling at the break to stretch the leather at the break and shrink it on the blade side. You also need to message the sheath around the handle.

 

I tooled this one while folded as I did not tool the other side. That's a bad idea if you will be using the more aggressive punching and if you want to tool the other side. I would form it to your blade, mark off your borders, unfold it and tool within your borders, and then fold it over again and carefully reform it to the blade. It will stretch out and relax as you tool. 

I would then let it dry and glue the seams. Wood glue works. 

You doing metal fittings? Look at Emilliano's pinned thread in show&tell "moonlight seax" (I think). 

Good luck!

Edited November 7 by Zeb Camper

[Rob Toneguzzo 249]

On 11/7/2019 at 9:47 PM, Zeb Camper said:

You tool before assembly.

Its tricky. You want to form the break in the spine before you tool. For this you mark where the break will sit and get the leather wet with hot water and take a stick and press into a recess (between your ring and middle finger braced on your knee or a sink drain). You then fold it and message that into a break by holding the edge leather straight in a way that it cant fold up while pulling at the break to stretch the leather at the break and shrink it on the blade side. You also need to message the sheath around the handle.

 

I tooled this one while folded as I did not tool the other side. That's a bad idea if you will be using the more aggressive punching and if you want to tool the other side. I would form it to your blade, mark off your borders, unfold it and tool within your borders, and then fold it over again and carefully reform it to the blade. It will stretch out and relax as you tool. 

I would then let it dry and glue the seams. Wood glue works. 

You doing metal fittings? Look at Emilliano's pinned thread in show&tell "moonlight seax" (I think). 

Good luck!

Thanks Zeb, lucky I have a bit of scrap leather to practice on as I am sure I will need it.I will be doing metal fittings too so that will keep me busy. 
 

Hope to get the handle fitted today 

[Joshua States 1,007]

8 hours ago, Rob Toneguzzo said:

lucky I have a bit of scrap leather to practice on as I am sure I will need it.I will be doing metal fittings too so that will keep me busy. 
 

Check out page 2.

 

[Rob Toneguzzo 249]

1 hour ago, Joshua States said:

Check out page 2.

 

 Wow Josh, 

I see I posted a response to your thread way back in Jan 2018 but I must have got lost in time ( I go Walk About from the forum sometimes but I always return) and never saw the finished result....until now.... Great job..really great job man. There is a real lot of info I will find very helpful (especially now) as I also walk the same path.

 

Anyhow I made a collar out of nickel and glued it all up and am now waiting for it all to set.

 

 Nothing to do now but crack a beer. 

 

[Joshua States 1,007]

Rockin" Rob.

Your walkabouts are a good thing. You always come back with cool photos.

[Rob Toneguzzo 249]

Well I have finished the Seax part of this build.

 

Thank you to all who have supported me along the way with advice, feedback and encouragement and also to all those who have walked this path before and paved the way for those such as me by taking the time to share their own threads, WIP's, tutorials and research.

 

Now onward to the sheath.

 

I will have to order the needed materials online so I will have some time to play around with some tool making whilst I wait.

 

42cm overall length

22cm Blade

20cm Hilt

Blade 6mm at the hilt and 7mm at the broken back.

 

Edited November 10 by Rob Toneguzzo

[Joshua States 1,007]

That Seax came out fantastic Rob.

I think you and I are the only people who still use the word "whilst".

[Alan Longmire 1,796]

Looking forward to the sheath!  

[Conner Michaux 158]

Awesome! I would add more but I’m to busy scrolling back up to look at the pictures. 

Edited November 10 by Conner Michaux

[Doug Lester 181]

Great job on the carving on the handle which matches the great job on the blade and bolster.

 

Doug

[Brian Dougherty 670]

Dude!  I"m playing catch-up here, but that carving!  I wasn't expecting that, and now I too feel really inadequate

 

[Will Wilcox 206]

Dude, seriously.... that thing is awesome! A work of art. I'm sure the Firebeards are proud. 

 

Killed it, man! Looking forward to seeing the sheath. 

[Doug Adams 8]

Looks great Rob!