A silk purse from a sow's ear....

Wild Rose

Wild Rose

Joined
Aug 23, 2002
Messages
1,398
So to speak that is....This is how this one began...
A woman was brought to the psychiatric clinic for evaluation of anxiety symptoms related to what her husband described as an unusual ability to diagnose (and sometimes heal) ill or injured animals. In the midst of the evaluation she stood up, lifted her shirt to reveal this knife (in a tattered leather pistol holster) concealed in the waistband of her pants. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. This is for you." I explained doctors can't accept gifts from patients. "It's not a gift--you're supposed to have it. It's a 250 year old Moroccan Shepard's knife." She uas unable to give any further information about it. Her husband was unable to provide any detail either and said, "You might as well take it Doc. She's not going to leave here unless you do." So I did. I can't believe her story--but...
Click to expand...
The owner (and good friend), Buddy Thomason, enjoyed the knife enough to order an appropriate sheath based on the above story - I suggested we also redo the handle to something more in keeping with the knife's "origins"....
The alpha....
thomason-shepherd-orig.jpg

The omega...
thomason-shepherd-001.jpg


Click on any thumbnail to see more....


Anyway it was both a challenge - we had to learn a new method of beadwork, and thanks to Linda for doing a great job - and the whole thing was just plain fun - we finally got a break from cowboy gear to do some knife work and sheaths - and we've got 3 more sheaths on the bench to get finished.....

Some specs:
The background to the photo is a real Moroccan shepherd's cloak - also pictured are a camel stick and Berber jewelry.
The sheath is made entirely from camel hide from an old worn out Moroccan foot stool - the pattern was pressed into the leather using a heated plate on which the pattern was engraved. Hawk bells, trade beads, copper beads, a Berber earring, and glass beads adorn it in the style of the Tuareg - the infamous "Blue Men" of the Sahara. It is designed to be worn bandoleer style, on an angle across the chest.The knife's carved handle is camel bone with copper wire wraps.
 
One word.... Stunning :eek: That handle fits that knife like a glove and the purse.... I'm speechless. Keep it up. :D
 
Howdy all -
Well the owner loves it too so....

Dave - been up to our eyeballs in work so just don't have the time to spend here or elsewhere much.

As I said this one was fun yet a challenge. Along with my passion for the American Frontier I've always had a fascination with bladed weapons and leather work of North Africa and the Middle East and the Moors in particular. The Moors in particlar because they had so much influence on the leather crafts of the Spanish, which later had such an impact on American Cowboy gear. (the Moors controlled most of Spain from 711-1492 AD and had a HUGE influence on the arts and crafts of that country)
 
That is just mind boggling.

And my old mother always said that you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
 
According to UPS my customer, Buddy T, received this along with the John Perry Bowie Sheath (Integrating Knife and Sheath...) - waiting with bated breath fo his response - he's said nice things after seeing the pics, but getting it in hand is a whole nother story
 
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