Migration ring-sword...

ScottRoush

ScottRoush

Joined
Jan 10, 2010
Messages
1,818
Hi folks... It's been a long time since I've posted to this sub-forum but I wanted to show this piece of work. I finished a version of this sword last year but there was the unfortunate issue of extreme shrinkage of the moose antler components during the flight to the customer. I believe this was due to the method I used to flatten the moose antler..which included boiling and then pressing flat. Materials like antler are prone to movement anyway.. and I think this was too drastic of a procedure and perhaps too little time to 'stabilize'. So the sword was returned and I fixed this issue along with a few other details that I suppose I was never really happy with. All in all.. I'm very happy that this happened as I feel the new version of this sword is cleaner, more pleasing to the eye... and more historical in the construction of the ring keeper component.

As a reminder... This was not intended to be a historical reproduction.. but my interpretation.The blade is a 7 bar composite and it has 15n20, 1084, pure nickel and an edge of piled 1095. The hilt is steel, moose antler, Seymchan meteorite and has nickel pins with bronze peen blocks. The iron pommel has a wolf theme on one side and raven on the other by customer request. The ring is also Seymchan meteorite. As a surprise for the customer I inlaid shakudo (gold/copper alloy) into the wolves eyes. The overall length is 34 3/4 inches and the weight is 2 pounds 4 oz. Point of Balance is 5 inches from the cross.

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There were originally two Seymcham meteor spacers in the grip. The new version had one.. and I also had some left-over pattern welded billet from the first attempt at making this blade. So I made a seax to go along with the sword using these materials..as well as the same kind of diver-salvaged black oak.

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Thanks for looking and I welcome all feedback.
 
Absolutely love that sword.

Glad you posted the freshened up version!
 
Thanks guys... glad to see some familiar names. Makes me feel nostalgic from when I was posting on the custom forum. I've kind of hunkered down over the last year in terms of forum participation. But will probably start doing that again now I'm getting closer to the kind of work I want to do...
 
Hey Scott,

I know you go for the historical accuracy as much as possible, but that WIDE rear guard is a bit over the top for me, and the flow has an issue.

Craftsmanship looks superior!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Thanks Steven... I'm traveling and hate typing on these things. But yes.. It's historical in terms of relative proportions. I don't consider these flowing or beautiful. Beauty came later when design started using geometrical proportions based on philosophical foundations. To me these are majestic in a barbaric sense. My version lacks the tacky gaudiness that would typically be there. Mostly because my skills are not ready for Germanian bling.
 
Kohai999 said:
Hey Scott,
I know you go for the historical accuracy as much as possible, but that WIDE rear guard is a bit over the top for me, and the flow has an issue.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean here, Steven. But as for myself, I've found that the more years I study the older styles, the more I've come to appreciate them. If I saw a modern made Migration Era piece with a smaller pommel to enhance the "flow" to our modern eyes, it would just look wrong to me.

The real deals:
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A minor detail but something that has always been appealing to your work is the use of old wood. Are these both old oak?

Cheers

Glen C.
 
horseclover said:
A minor detail but something that has always been appealing to your work is the use of old wood. Are these both old oak?

Cheers

Glen C.
Click to expand...


Glen... Yes... That is old growth black oak salvaged by divers from Lake Superior. But the wood from the knife comes from a different log than the sword.
 
Love the work. I'd be proud to carry that sword.

Period wise, were you working from a model sword that has a tip similar to yours? That looks a bit more acute and less spatulate than many of the older blades I've seen from that era. Could just be my memory or a matter of sample, though.

And I'll take that large pommel. Helps to bring the balance back a bit.
 
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