Click on the image to go to the gallery page with the full specs. and more pictures.
[ Linked Image ]

And here is a link to a video of the process:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwVwfkcv968

This knife was a commission.

Let me know what you think.

Looks nicely done. I don't think I've seen a ferrule like that though, the ones I've seen pictures of have more shape to them, or don't have them at all.

You might want to fix the unfortunate typo on the image :lol:

I fixed the typo in the image.

Thanks for pointing that out.

The hilt fittings are cast in-place, which saves a lot of time over the lost wax method and also mounts the blade very tightly.

And with a 1763°F melting point, why does it not obliterate the wood?

M.

Casting the fittings is one of the hardest parts of this type of knife.

First to wait till the full moon, carefully write your runes in a circle around the casting area, take mistletoe, motherwhort and oak leaves, toss them in to the fire and with a gold ladle...

Actually, it is all in the metallurgy.
The fact is that If you use 99.9 fine silver it would burn the handle (not to mention destroy the temper on the blade. But if you alloy the silver with tin it lowers the melting point enough that you can use it in this manner. That said, you must be very careful when you cast it as if you get it too hot it (the silver alloy) will cause the wood to smoke too much and cause voids in the fittings. It is hot enough to burn the wood and would except that the liquid metal doesn't allow oxygen to come in contact with it.
In fact you can (and though out history many cultures have) cast different metals in wood molds, As late as the end of last century (1960's) people were still using wooden bullet molds in some parts of the US (see Foxfire 5, UNC Charlotte, if I am not mistaken).
The "mold" is made of heavy cardboard ( NOT corrugated) and masking tape. There is an art to getting the mold just right, to thin and the metal cools too quickly and doesn't flow creating voids (necessitating a VERY difficult repair), too thick and the metal cools too slowly and burns the wood creating smoke voids and a loose fit(and the need to do it all over).

One again beautiful work. Clean!