chasing the snake

[Dave Budd]

Whilst at the Belgium knife show last year I sat looking at some replica Saxon blades and thinking that I should really have a go at some of this multibar stuff, particularly like the serpent and the wolfs tooth parts of the patterns.

So last week I lit the welding forge and had a go at a few firstsfor me

First multi bar blades (I've done wrought with a steel edge butted on before, but never more than that), first serpent, first wolfs tooth.

Today I had some time to kill between blades that I was meant to be working on (they were tempering), so I got the blades ground up.

Here they are so far. Still some meat to come off after HT, but they were forged a bit too close to finished dimensions so I don't know if my 7 layer (odd thicknesses, left over from some laminated blades) stars will show properly Other than a little cheesing in the edge steel (now ground away) due to the wrought contiuously splitting during thinning, everything went absolutely fine

The larger blade is a shade under 11"

Let's hope they survive the heat treat when I get to it later in the week!

 

[Chris the Cat]

Fantastic Dave!
Have you enjoyed it mate?
Will you be dressing them or moving them on as blades do you think?
Hope you are well.
chris.

 

[British Red]

Oh now a large serpent seax is a very tempting thing

I'm coming over all Uhtred

 

[Dreadhead]

that top seax is a beast!

 

[Dave Budd]

cheers.

the larger blade is a bit under 11", so I guess the broken back seax is about 9 1/2"?

Haven't decided whether to finish them or sell as blades yet. I might sell as blades and finish the next one, once I've got the hang of it

 

[British Red]

Will the next broken back be larger Dave.....with a nice bog oak handle.....and a pony? (Sorry, came over all "letter to Santa" for a minute )

 

[Chiseller]

*drools in corner*

 

[toilet digger]

thems is beauties.

 

[Dave Budd]

cheers.

the larger blade is a bit under 11", so I guess the broken back seax is about 9 1/2"?

Haven't decided whether to finish them or sell as blades yet. I might sell as blades and finish the next one, once I've got the hang of it

a pony?! not a red bike then?

but yes, it will be bigger and will be much more impressive. Though it will likely wait until the next procrastination in my order book. I've just cleared a year in my waiting list and these were to have a break from making stuff that other people want me to make. Once they are heat treated they will go on the pile of "stuff to finish later" and I will get back on to reducing my waiting list!

 

[hedgerowpete]

thats some seriously fantastic skill you have there, two amzing blades

 

[lannyman8]

Dave thats awesome, i with my forge had more grunt for welding....

 

[Dave Budd]

I can weld with my demo kit and that only runs on a single bellows. I'm sure you can get yours up to temperature if you try

 

[Tengu]

<faints>

Ill convert you all to laminates yet.

 

[John Fenna]

Seaxy!
Sorry - coat fetched....

 

[plastic-ninja]

Those are cracking.
A tad hefty for me.
Truly impressive stuff though : first attempt :You_Rock_
Simon

 

[British Red]

a pony?! not a red bike then?

but yes, it will be bigger and will be much more impressive. Though it will likely wait until the next procrastination in my order book. I've just cleared a year in my waiting list and these were to have a break from making stuff that other people want me to make. Once they are heat treated they will go on the pile of "stuff to finish later" and I will get back on to reducing my waiting list!

Mmm I guess we all need a crust. That one is truly lovely. As time goes by, I like the old designs and methods more than the newer stuff. Not for any practical reason...just ...because it talks to me.

Have you read Cornwell's "Saxon Stories"? If not I would suggest at least the first one - there is a great description of Saxon forging using multibar methods....and of the use of the seax in the shield wall over the longsword (much in the style of the Roman Gladius).

Your seax brought those passages very much to mind......Indeed the sword was called "serpents breath" because of the pattern caused by the welded rods.

Very evocative stuff and your blades really bring them to life!

Red

 

[jojo]

I'm coming over all Uhtred

Have you been reading Cornwell's books then?

Lovely blades. Wish I wasn't skint... I'd love to make a knife with one of those, yep, with bog oak, and a nice viking style sheath, with nice brass bits...doh...



ohh..you have read them! should read the whole thread before opening my mouth Pity we'll have to wait years now for the next one...:viking:

 

[lannyman8]

I can weld with my demo kit and that only runs on a single bellows. I'm sure you can get yours up to temperature if you try

im going to get a car heater blower, and run it from a 12 vold battery as i have no power where i forge. i also have no cover, not even a tarp so its hard this time of year to do anything at all...

all that and my area has been trashed, my kit taken uncovered and my massive wood pile of rounds has been taken by some a-hole, no more survival training for them then.....

 

[Dave Budd]

Sorry to here about the a-holes messing with your kit

I always demonstrate with no power and run most of my courses without it either! My show forging kit (anvil, bellows, tools, forge parts) fits in a wheel barrow and weighs about 30kg, so I still have space and capacity for a decet 10kg sack of charcoal on top. Make yourself some bellows. OK they are harder physical work but they don't require power, heavy batteries and I've not made any yet that I can't get welding temperatures (bag, pot, and kite shapes included).

 

[Gailainne]

......I always demonstrate with no power and run most of my courses without it either! My show forging kit (anvil, bellows, tools, forge parts) fits in a wheel barrow and weighs about 30kg.......

You also, as anyone who's been to a Moot will attest, get some great stories along with a superb finished piece of steel, (unless Johns around then all bets are off)

Stephen