Bowie (or very late period seax) -- myArmoury.com

Richard Furrer · Industry Professional

Hello All,
I just finished this one

7" blade 11" over all with a palm-leaf pattern damascus. The same pattern is found on the heat colored guard and sheath clip as well as the maple sheath due to some creative woodworking. Mokume spacers and a brown bark fossil walrus ivory handle rounds out the piece.

I have a sword billet with the same palm-leaf pattern in the hot shop now and hope to get to it by Fall.

Ric

David Martin · Posted: Fri 10 Feb, 2006 5:21 am Post subject:

Wow! Congratulations on having made a beautiful knife!

Wolfgang Armbruster · Posted: Fri 10 Feb, 2006 6:07 am Post subject:

I really like this design! The kukhri-style hole is a nice idea, and blade looks amazing anyway.
A lot of modern designs are just going overboard with their designs (= the smiths add too much ideas and stuff to the design), but this one has it.

Eric Myers · Posted: Fri 10 Feb, 2006 7:19 am Post subject:

WOW, that is beautiful! The design, the materials, and the palm leaf pattern work very well together.

I've never seen that palm leaf pattern before, but it may be my new favorite!

Richard Furrer · Industry Professional

Thank you folk for your comments. I think the sword blade from this pattern will look nice.

Eric, I learned how to make the palm-leaf from Don Fogg, Don learned it from Larry Sandlin, Larry from the old Indonesian blades where I believe it originated.
I have a few of these old Javanese blades and they are very well patterned.

For more reseach into these Indonesian patterns (pamor) I would suggest the books by Tammens titled "De Kris" and also the book "The world of the Javanese Keris" by G. Solyom. There is a wealth of information in patterning techniques largely untapped in Indonesian metalworking history.

Ric