- Joined
- Oct 29, 2006
- Messages
- 2,912
Just finished this last night. Probably my most challenging project to date in some respect. Grinding a dagger grind is tough but when it's 2 feet long it gets extra fun. 
Again done in the "relic" style, much like the Sgian Dubh I did a while back.
Again, it's a project that I have probably wanted to do since I was about 8 years old making Conan swords out of wood.
The blade is DHIII's W2 and measures 24 1/2" from tip to guard. The OAL is 32 1/4". Balance point falls just under 3" ahead of the guard.
The "habaki" and spacers are heat coloured copper with the "habaki" being hammer finished both for aesthetics and to harden the copper.
The material guard and pommel developed out of necessity. I didn't have enough wrough iron for both pieces and I had some old wagon wheel but again it wasn't quite enough and needed to be cut and forge welded to get enough thickness. So.. I put in a little 15N20 for some contrast and bulk. As you can see, I only forge welded them, again by hand so it's very coarse layering. They are heavily etched (5 hours) so it ate into the weld lines and lightly cold blued. The tang is peined.
Maybe my favourite part of this is the handle material. It's 5,000 year old bog oak.
The age still boggles my mind. That I get to use it on a project seems like some strange privilege.
Not sure of the weight as I do not have a proper scale to measure it.
The scabbard will follow but maybe not for a week or so. I haven't decided how I want to construct it and do not have enough leather for an integrated belt or anything.
Thanks for looking.
And here's a few of the shaping of the guard... Took about 3+ hours. Lots 'o' hammering..
Again done in the "relic" style, much like the Sgian Dubh I did a while back.Again, it's a project that I have probably wanted to do since I was about 8 years old making Conan swords out of wood.
The blade is DHIII's W2 and measures 24 1/2" from tip to guard. The OAL is 32 1/4". Balance point falls just under 3" ahead of the guard.
The "habaki" and spacers are heat coloured copper with the "habaki" being hammer finished both for aesthetics and to harden the copper.
The material guard and pommel developed out of necessity. I didn't have enough wrough iron for both pieces and I had some old wagon wheel but again it wasn't quite enough and needed to be cut and forge welded to get enough thickness. So.. I put in a little 15N20 for some contrast and bulk. As you can see, I only forge welded them, again by hand so it's very coarse layering. They are heavily etched (5 hours) so it ate into the weld lines and lightly cold blued. The tang is peined.
Maybe my favourite part of this is the handle material. It's 5,000 year old bog oak.
The age still boggles my mind. That I get to use it on a project seems like some strange privilege.Not sure of the weight as I do not have a proper scale to measure it.
The scabbard will follow but maybe not for a week or so. I haven't decided how I want to construct it and do not have enough leather for an integrated belt or anything.
Thanks for looking.
And here's a few of the shaping of the guard... Took about 3+ hours. Lots 'o' hammering..
