A couple shots of the blade seat/ main guard area, and a few of Vince inlaying the silver wire into the channels he carved.
Just an incredible piece of work, truly one of the finest examples of modern day sword making!

Mac

Alex asked me this question on SFI's Scot Forum, I figured I'd add it to this thread here as well ! - Mac

Quote:

Originally posted by Alexander McCracken Mac, On the shot of Vince adding the silver inlay wire. Did he simply tap it into the grooves and leave it at that, or was the hilt heated in order to seat the wire better into those channels? It's always fascinating watching The Man work. Another question. Did Vince recreate the methods he uses from scratch, or has he found texts that he has been able to use to guide him? I ask because I've found letters in various online cataloges from and to Walter Allan, and I've always thought I should order copies, but haven't because I am focused on my research into Lord MacDonald's Highland Regiment. Alex

Hi Captain Alex

Vince did alot of experimenting with the inlaying technique to find what worked best. He studied many period originals and was able to get a close look at some that had lost their wire inlay which gave him clues to how things were done !

Basically what he did was to cut those channels at a slight angle, lay in the wire, and hammer close the little lip of the channel which than holds the wire in place. The silver is soft and mushrooms into the groove so it is a tight fit. The excess is than polished off and cleaned up. (I dont recall him saying he used any heat, ?, but I'll double check with him on that!) After all this is done he starts to engrave the decorative lines around the inlay, which really highlights the silver and gives everything that 3-D effect, than he does all the other embellishments.

Here are a few in-progress shots he sent me that shows what things looked like in the early stages, ending with the finished masterpiece.

The first photo is of the basket at the 35 hour mark. This piece would take a total of 188.5 hours to complete, start to finish ! (compare that with the 80 hours it took to build the beautiful wave baskethilt he did for the show, which is no easy deal itself)

Slàinte, Mac













Edit:
Hi Captain Alex

I forgot to comment on the Walter Allan letters !

The only correspondence I'm aware of by Walter Allan, are the letters he sent to Canongate Goldsmith Colin Mitchell,1741-50.(several are reprinted in Dr. Caldwell's book "Scottish Weapons & Fortifications 1100-1800". They do not mention any techniques in regards to sword building, other than a desire for things to be a certain way, just stuff about various projects they were involved with together (silver hilt repairs & building, orders for silver lockets, chapes, buckles, materials, etc.) and money issues, etc.
(an interesting account concerning a missing sword stolen from Walter's shop)

It's facinating reading ....

PM me your address again, sir ( as my pc crashed and lost everything, including your e-mail) and I will try and get these scanned in and make a disk for you !

Sgt. Mac

<sigh>
Looking at the finished product made by the hands of a master, 'tis all a poor soul such as ourselves can do but to dream of such beauty fit to our own hand. We'll all envy the lucky man whom this piece falls to; and in our minds wish a pox upon his blighted, yet charmed life. I can only imagine how a blade such as this must look and feel up-close and personal.
Thanks for showing it to us, Mac.

.....but ya' know....sometimes I just hate you! :p ;) :D

I came across this recently, and I felt it belonged in this thread with the other inlaid beauties: Basket-hilted Backsword by John Allen ca.1750, Royal Armouries