Just wanted to introduce myself. I've been on the mailing list for a while, but didn't realize there was a forum here! Looks like a neat place and I'm looking forward to participating. I'm a part-time knifemaker and armourer located in central Texas. My favorites are Viking and Saxon arms and armour, specifically seaxes. Of course, lately I've become addicted to doing japanese style tantos!

Sounds great, Don! Got any examples [pics+stats] of your work to share? We love our eye-candy. ;)

Here's my seax page:
http://www.100megsfree3.com/kragaxe/as/saex/Saex.html

I have one I just finished last week for someone with a patternwelded blade and caribou/wrought iron handle that I'll upload some pics for tonight. It's my understanding it'll be sent to Christian Fletcher for a scabbard/sheath once the owner has it.

Here's a couple of my japanese ones:
(click for larger photo)
[ Linked Image ]
W1 tool steel, claycoated water quenched

[ Linked Image ]
1084, claycoated, water quenched

And a more fantasy/modern styled medieval-ish dagger:
warren's dagger
closeup of gaurd
5160 blade, rosewood handle with 440 SS and brass fittings

Upcoming projects....
I have some 2000+ layer billets I want to make some Japanese blades from and I'm currently building an early Anglo-Saxon iron smelting furnace to play around with this summer. I have a couple hundred pounds of pure iron oxide powder to start with :D . I collect axe heads and early knive blades and I'll be making some replicas based on these starting this summer...maybe I have a nice haft-axe (~1300?)in excellent shape, several carpenter's axes (~1550-1600) and about 40 small seaxes and similar knives in "as-dug" condition...ie, pretty gnarly! Dates are estimated based on what they were found with. I work at a university where we have a neat archaeology group which has been really helpful in helping me conserve some of these. I'm trying to pull some strings to get some of the axes AMS carbon dated ( or at least date the charcoal used to make the steel ;) ). Of course, we just had another baby, so shop time has been severely restricted!

edited...here's the latest seax: A pattern welded. caribou handled one with complete "how-to" for the whole thing

Mark's seax

Welcome to here!

Don,
Welcome. I really enjoyed reading your photo=essay about forging Mark's Seax: an education in pattern-welding. My father's family are from Bryan. Maybe I can commission a Saxon blade from a "homeboy" ;)