A composite ring-hilt in progress...
Here is a commissioned project for a member of this forum. But not quite finished. I'm getting excited about this and couldn't wait to show something.

This sword was intended to represent ring-hilted swords of Anglo-Saxon manufacture. It was not inspired by any specific pieces other than art work found within the Sutton Hoo horde.

The blade is composed of 5 bars and includes 15n20, 1084, wrought iron, W1 and 1095. The edge bars are piled 1095 shim stock.

The guards are pure iron with moose spacers and the wood is Lake Superior diver-salvaged black oak. The two larger spacers in the grip are Seycham meteorite. The ring (which has not been fashioned yet) will also be meteorite. The pommel nut is pure iron and bears simple engravings depicting ravens (with hidden human/god face) on one side and wolves (with hidden human/god face).

Here is a detail of one of the meteorite spacers:

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Here is a detail of the pattern welding. Not sure yet how I will finish it. This picture was straight from the etch tank. The lines in the edge bar only show up on the shaded side of the sword in this picture.. but they actually do look pretty much the same!

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And a whole sword shot...

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More details with the final pictures!
Hi Scott
Just noticed this sword congratulations to you and the new owner what an work of art and my very favourite type of sword.
Thanks for posting this
Spectacular!
Well, that's a thing of beauty isn't it?

Lovely work Scott.
33 inches OAL
28 inch blade
2 pounds 4 oz
POB 7" from the guard
5 bar composite blade: 15n20, 1084, wrought iron, W1, 1095 edge
Iron, black oak (diver salvaged), moose, Seycham meteorite

I will be re-doing the ring pin arrangement by the way....

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Thanks for looking folks... This was quite an endeavor for me. I'm very thankful for the skills I've picked up from taking this on and can't wait to get into another project like this...
That wood is just beautiful... I'm on Superior as well, I need to get one of my diver friends to do some searching for me. I especially like the contrast of the wood and the iron with the antler (bone?): the off-white colour of the stops it from being too extreme a contrast, but it definitely gives off (to me, at least) a sense of duality.
Collin D wrote:
That wood is just beautiful... I'm on Superior as well, I need to get one of my diver friends to do some searching for me. I especially like the contrast of the wood and the iron with the antler (bone?): the off-white colour of the stops it from being too extreme a contrast, but it definitely gives off (to me, at least) a sense of duality.


Thanks Collin... I can put you in contact with my friend who has quite a bit of this. As well as other species.. all diver salvaged from the lake. I've thought to look for such things myself in the kettle bogs that frequent the area that both of us live in. But it has to be in the right circumstances otherwise it just becomes punky rather than mineralized.

On another note.... In retrospect I feel like I have dropped the ball on the final detail of this sword. The ring pin itself. I think stress and anxiety built up in the end and I didn't do that part the way it deserves to be done. I will be re-fashioning a new pin from iron and will anchor it in a more proper way that fits with the rest of the piece.. and history.
That is very very nice!
It's a profoundly beautiful sword, no doubt: congratulations Scott and to the new owner. Its brooding intensity speaks to me.
Thanks for the comments folks!

And...Here is an updated picture of the hilt of this sword with it's new ring pin. Much, much better and more historically done. Also.. you can see a detail that I forgot to mention previously.. a shakudo (gold/copper) dot inlay in the eye of the face in the pommel.

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A lovely weapon Scott. Great work!

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