Tod and I have been in conversation about doing an "ultimate" seax together for a while now . so I have settled on a lang seax.
Over the next few weeks / months I will post a step by step of the Making of a complex multi bar seax.......I'll then hand it over to Tod to do his magic on the handling and sheath work.....
the blade is going to based on dimensions from a piece in the museum of london, however........
I will be adding my own twist to the pattern welding so I am not basing the Piece on any "real " blade in its entirety .
there are two or 3 patterns I have been working on emulating and I'll use on of those .
I will show historical inspiration where it is relevant and say when my muse has taken me away from that when it does!!!
I am bust but will update when I have the chance .....
watch this space!!

Can't wait to see the developement of this masterpiece!

As Owen said this has been something we have been mulling over for a while and looking at his recent blades it will be a pleasure to work on.

However, I do so wish I could edit his first post to change the word "ultimate" for "really quite nice" as I can't help feeling the word does set the bar very high!

Anyway, looking forward to my part in the process a few weeks/months on from now.

Tod

I'm really looking forward to seeing how this develops. This is going to be a VERY special blade.

Cool! Looking forward to it.

Seems like I will not be alone in watching this with exquisite anticipation...............you are both such a tease ; )

pins and needles. . . . .

so here you go .
I'll be basing my piece on this blade from the museum of london .

[ Linked Image ]
I'll try and shoot for the same dimensions , this will place the blade in the realms of possibility!!
this piece has 3 slim fullers in it and I will reserve the rite to fullering my piece or not .depending on how even I can get the patterning and how that would fit .
I have a pattern welding from another piece I will try . one I have done twice before but not yet gotten exactly to my complete satisfaction.

To what era is this seax dated?

I am afraid I do not know .
I measured a few pieces that time and the curator was in a business meeting.
I can find out but it may take a while.........

That is going to be a very nice looking sax. I have an OT question though. The Type XII looking sword two above the one you are working with, do you have any information on it? I just looked through my copy of Records and did not see it in there.

Scott,
I do not have any information on that sword.
Records only has a tiny tiny quantity os swords in it and this is a sword from the vaults in the museum of london.

Dustin
I'll dig out the paperwork for you .

Jeremy,
almost all the museum of london finds were from river finds or from building sites around london, many were not documented as they were found and the vast majority were from private collections made up by offering monie out to site formen for anything they find. so there is a lack of providence unlike with grave goods.
like I said I'll ask.

Thank you for the reply Owen. It is unfortunate that so many treasures of our passion languish in storerooms or vaults at museums rarely to be seen by the masses let alone those who truly would appreciate them. At least we have the picture you have posted of it.

Scott,
the museum of london have been very very helpful as far as looking at pieces is concerned , it is after all part of their job .
I would hasten to add that it is part of our job as makers to interact with museums in a profesional and understanding manner showing consideration and good manners.
curators are often very busy and fitting in "sword " people can be a pain for them.

it is worth remembering that every one of us who enters a museum back vault is acting as an ambassador for the whole craft .

I will be back there at somepoint soon and will dig that sword out.

Really looking forward to this one Owen. Very nice lines on that seax.

Looks quite an early one to me, has shades of some of the continental finds perhaps ?