Hello! This is my first post, in this section, so I would like to Introduce myself. My name is (obviously) Petr Florianek and I live in Czech republic. I am part time maker specializing in Early Medieval/Dark ages stuff. I work with blades I made myself and also with blades of other maker, including Patrick Barta.
I do carving in wood, antler and bone, engraving, etching, leather work. I also started to forgeweld my own blades. I love to make cooperations with likeminded makers around the globe. I sometimes take commissions but mostly make what i want to do.

This first piece I want to present here is narrow sax. Its based on many examples found in France and Netherlands. Its based on finds from 6th century.

I forgewelded blade from wrought iron and something like O1 steel and forged the blade to shape. I filed and sanded blade and cut grooves and engraved snakes with chisel gravers. Fitings are wrought and are peened on the tang. Handle is ash covered with leather, glued with bone glue over 4 raisers for better grip.

Oal is 47 cm
Blade lenght is 33 cm


Let me know what you think and if you have questions
Petr

PS: I want to say thanks to Peter Johnsson and Jeroen Zuiderwiik for great help with resears on this one

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Hi Petr and welcome

Thats a good looking seax you got there. I especially like the engraved snakes, are they taken from a historical example or are they your own design, either way nice work :D

Hi Petr

And allow me to welcome you to this forum as well. I've been following your projects on Don Fogg's forum and I'm very happy you have joined us. Please allow me to post a very small sample of work you have done that I've archived:

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Petr: Welcome to the site and that is beautiful work. :D

Looking good Petr! Keep them coming!

well done sir :cool: welcome to the fourm!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome Peter!

Those look great. I especially like that you are using traditional blade construction.

I'd like to especially add that this is one of the very rare sax reproductions that actually matches historical examples, including the engraving as is typical for narrow saxes. This is probably the most historically accurate narrow sax reproduction that is currently out there. And extra kudos for using wrought iron with a steel edge and not etching the wrought :)

Haha! Kudos for NOT making something :-)
The true is that as i welded the bilet much shorter tan actual blade and draw it by hand (i have more trust in my right hand than in welding on frozen anvil so i wanted to keep welding less then 20 cm). After drawing and filling and HT i gave the blade really quick etch to see where the weld line exactly runs. I was afraid that it could interfere with some scraping or engraving (not a case, it is far bellow. After that, sanded the etched layer out.

Very nice work Petr! I'm looking forward to seeing more. :D

I just checked Mr. Florianek’s web and I could not stop the drooling.

The amount of top bladesmiths and armourers that Czekia (and to a minor degree Poland) produces has always amazed me. We have nobody around here. How bad is envy!

I was cutler or hiltsmith before, i started forging because of long waiting lists at bladesmiths

well, hopefully no! :-) Thanks again, but i feel that i am on the beginning of my journey

Vítejte na myArmoury Petr. Good to have you here.

(I hope that is right, language isn't my forte )

Hello Petr,

I am very impressed by your workmanship. I haven't tried metalwork but I have done a little bone carving and you are far, far better than I am! Do you have some advice or suggestions you could share with us about how to work with bone?

Thanks very much,
Dean

Ben: good on you! almost without mistakes
Dean: ask me what you want to know, i will try to answer!