[Kirk Lee Spencer]

Hi All...

I am one of those persons who starts a new project before I finish the first. I am also the kind of person who changes his mind alot. So at this time I have about four sword projects in the works (with many others that I have not even begun). I usually work on a particular project (to help me relax) until I begin to want to go in another direction with it. When this happens I stop immediately and work on another project until I have spent at least a month without changing my mind about which direction I want to go with the earlier project... If my plans have remained stable for a month, then I might think about go back to the previous project.

It's a wonder I finish anything!

Well I thought I would take some pictures today of these "in the works" swords to share with you.

The first is a very fine casting of a Late Bronze Age Mindelheim sword by Neil Burridge:

http://www.bronze-age-craft.com/swords_for_sale.htm

I found some nice figured black mesquite wood that I am going to try and make look like ivory. Real ivory is too expensive and although I have found synthetic ivory that looks nice I just can't bring myself to use it for some reason.

I have done some very subtle shaping of the blade tip and grip and have modified the shoulders a bit.

ks

[Kirk Lee Spencer]

The next is a Paul Chen William Marshal sword with a pattern welded blade I bought for a few hundred dollars awhile back. It has a profile shape not too far off from some of the Late Roman Spatha blades (however I have never seen one with a single central fuller). There are some bog swords with similar profile and multiple fullers. So I am planning on grinding two smaller fullers on either side of the fuller to make three and then redoing the etching to show off the pattern. I have a bog sword hilt of bronze that was rough cast for me by Manning Imperial:

http://www.manningimperial.com/

I'm still trying to figure out how to rework the hilt to make it lighter.

ks

[Kirk Lee Spencer]

I found this nice bar of diamond patterned damascus for a steal. I looks somewhat like the diamond pattern iron inlay in some Dark Age blades. And since I have always wanted a German War knife... I cut out a pattern for one out of cardboard mainly to make sure it fit my hand correctly.

I plan on cutting the War Knife out and grinding it to shape. The tricky part will be forging the thickened curve of the underside of the grip. Not sure what I will use for the grip plates yet or even what the grip will look like exactly especially at the end, but I have some ideas. Since so few (if any) War Knives have grips that leaves quite a bit of room to design.

ks

[Kirk Lee Spencer]

And last...

My trusty old Albion Del Tin St. Maurice of Turin...

While it might not look like much has been done, there has been extensive work reshaping the blade and fuller. I have also cut off about half the mass of the pommel and about a half inch on the end of the guard. It has been reshaped overall and I am currently trying to cut the channels for some brass inlay in the fuller.

ks

[Greyson Brown]

Interesting projects, Kirk. Things don't always look great in progress, but I am certain they will be really nice once they are done.

I particularly like the new William Marshal hilt and the work on the Del Tin Saint Maurice. I think the inlay on the Saint Maurice is going to look really good.

-Grey