It was with great excitement that I received my new double clamshell cutlass and single clamshell dagger from Vince and Grace Evans at the Atlanta Blade Show in June. This set is based on a set pictured in Boarders Away with Steel by William Gilkerson. This type of cutlass and dagger combination would have seen it's heyday circa 1680-1720, the height of the Golden Age of Piracy.



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THE CUTLASS SPECIFICATIONS:

The entire cutlass and dagger are damascus, made from a combination of 5160 and L6 steel. The only parts not damascus are the grip ( which is made of horn), the wire wrap made of silver , and the ferrules made of silver.

Total weight: 2 pounds and 2 ounces
Total length: 35 inches
Blade length: 29 1/2 inches
Single fuller running from the hilt 28 1/2inches
Blade width: 1 2/8 inches at the hilt opening to 1 3/8 inches near the tip
Spine width: 2/8 inches
Grip length: 4 3/4/ inches
Each clam shell length: 3 inches


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THE DAGGER SPECIFICATIONS:

Total length: 16 6/8 inches
Blade length: 11 6/8 inches
Single median ridge blade
Damascus blade and fittings made from a combination of 5160 and L6 steel
Grip length: 5 inches
Grip is made of horn with silver twisted wire and silver ferrule
Single Clam Shell length: 2 2/8 inches

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That's simply a stunning pair you have there Ron.

Just what Captain Ron the Pirate needs!

Outstanding pic's, Ron .... they really show off Vince's fine work in such wonderful detail !

Nice job, and congrats again on adding these two beauties to your arsenal !

Cheers, Mac

pretty amazing stuff! Would have loved to watch how that clam was made!

Patrick,
Thanks for your message. No self respecting pirate should be without quality tools of the trade! :lol:

Ben,
Hope all is well with you. Here are some pictures of the clamshell being forged.

Best regards,
Ron

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TRULY AMAZING WORK!

First of WOW, they're beautiful! a great addition to any collection. I'm curious though, does damasqueing(sp)/pattern welding add anything to the functionality of a sword or is it mainly for aesthetic reasons?

Stunning!

Patrick, how long did it take Vince to fashion these truely magnificent pieces?

I ment to say

Ron, how long did it take Vince.....

Sorry, although I'll bet Patrick would be happy to have received these insted!

Ron,

Your pictures are perfect! I had forgotten that you were the owner of that hanger. You have a very fine collection.

Patrick, thanks for replying about the damascus. I agree with you, it really is Vince's forte.

Michael, Vince and I talked about this project over a one year period. I think it took him about three weeks of serious forging to do the actual work. I am guessing here. I know it took much longer for Vince to think about how he wanted to approach this design. I trust Vince implicitly, and you can see the results!

Stephen, thanks for your message. I am using the Sony F717 that I got for my Scotland trip last year, and I really love this camera. Keep your eyes peeled for some new pictures coming soon! :lol:


Best regards to all,
Ron

That's an amazing set ... Congrats on some heirloom quality work for the collection.

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