Next project--westernized katana-like-object based on Tam's Heron Mark Sword from WOT

crimsonfalcon07 said:
Hmm, so looks like I'll be going for black leather, based on the book. The books describe the leather grip on several occasions as "nobby." I looked up nobby in the dictionary, and it means fashionable or stylish. I somehow get the feeling that wasn't what RJ was going for. What do you think? Should I be looking for first-rate stylin' leather? Or do you think it's supposed to evoke some sort of pebbly texture?
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I'm not sure what he means by nobby either, but once you glue the leather on, you can tightly wrap it with wire, or string; when you take it off you have a leather wrap that looks pretty nobby to me. Just a thought. Oh, and don't forget the risers, they make a leather wrap, in my opinion.

Another thought. What about pigskin? Think of the texture of a football. Anyway, good luck, my friend, but I know it will turn out great.
 
I didn't forget the risers :) Check the pics, those should be visible, even if the heron-mark isn't. First time doing a leather wrap. It's REALLY hard to get it to the right size though. That was far and away the toughest part for me. Any tips?
 
CF that looks cool as hell. Being one that doesn't like double edged blades I always thought a single edged Gladius would be neat. This is a very cool merging of styles. Lovely piece.
 
crimsonfalcon07 said:
I didn't forget the risers :) Check the pics, those should be visible, even if the heron-mark isn't. First time doing a leather wrap. It's REALLY hard to get it to the right size though. That was far and away the toughest part for me. Any tips?
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i found using a slower setting glue allowed me time to smooth out the leather and get it the way I wanted. I had a hard time getting the leather to "settle" around the risers, and found using a wrap allowed me to get the leather settled smoothly around the risers. BTW, when I posted my "advice", you weren't nearly as far along. I think you're doing great.

Oh. And for the sizing/shaping /cutting issue, I used paper and fitted it to the handle, then, when I got it right, used the paper pattern to cut the leather.,
 
That makes a lot of sense. Good tip. I should probably do the paper after putting the risers on though, right? I almost felt like a faster setting glue might have been better for me. It just didn't want to stay where I was putting it.
 
I had never heard of Wheel of Time until you put this sword up, and I looked it up on Wikipedia earlier. The book sounds really complex with too much going on, but I think the guy had some great ideas for his universe - like the yin/yang dualism, the gendered magic, and having all the men go insane - I realize some of it draws on eastern philosophy and other religions, but it sounded really smart to me.

I do have a question though - which character is it that has this sword (from what I read the main character's name is Randall), and what's the deal with the Heron mark?
 
The main character is Rand Al'Thor. He gets the sword from his sheepherder father in the first book, which makes him wonder, because it's not the sort of thing a sheepherder is supposed to have (alluding to his father Tam having done some interesting things when younger). He later finds out that the heron is the mark of a master swordsman. More, we find out that this particular sword is one of the rare ones which is magically wrought, and nigh indestructible. It's perhaps not the best story, and has plenty of flaws, but I've been reading it since freshman year of high school, many years ago, and so I pretty much just had to take on this project. I'll probably have to make an ashandarei as well (the weapon wielded by another of the character later on). Without a forge, I don't think I can make Perrin's axe or hammer, however.
 
Looks great, and much heartier than the official version by windlass cutlery. And since not all heron marked swords are the same, it is a cool take on what tam's heron sword would look like. Any plans for a sheath? It seems like in the earlier books everyone glancing at Rand with the sword saw the heron on first sight, I can't remember but there may have been a heron marked on the sheath in addition to the handle?
 
Man, I just don't understand why you haven't worked up a forge. Even a charcoal forge does wonders. You could do a blade like this so much faster. Well, my two cents anyway...
 
Yes, the sheath is theoretically unadorned black leather with a heron. I've got another identical heron pin for the sheath as well. I'll probably just make something fairly basic. I don't have the metal or the know-how to do chapes, and I don't recall seeing one mentioned in the books, so I don't have to worry about that. The only thing I've been considering is possibly doing a leather-wrapped wood-core sheath. That might be pretty cool, and then I could do some risers at the top of it to blend it aesthetically with the hilt.
 
As for no forge, that will happen eventually. As of right now, I'm going to be moving fairly soon, and I'm working from a tiny garage. I'd burn the house down with a forge, and don't have the space for one regardless.
 
crimsonfalcon07 said:
As for no forge, that will happen eventually. As of right now, I'm going to be moving fairly soon, and I'm working from a tiny garage. I'd burn the house down with a forge, and don't have the space for one regardless.
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Ahh, well then! I remenber the days of working in a tiny spece all too well. Hope your new place provides more opportunity to grow. There's nothing like pounding red hot steel, and you will be amazed how much faster it is.
 
so far so good, but as for easy. forget about it lol.

so u are going to relief the guard of the xtra metal now to reveal the braids. i'd like to know how u plan to do it. i thought of a dremel type tool to do it, but i don't have a clue if they make them well enough to deal with ur guards hardness. thx dude
 
Have you ever considered lost wax casting? Perhaps for a future project you might try it.
 
No forge :( I'm a stock removal guy right now. This was my very first slotted guard, first engraving, first leather-wrap, etc. Lost wax would be interesting. Maybe I can talk to savagesword for some tips. He's in my area.
 
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