Hi All,

I particularly enjoyed making the last rugger, so I have made another on the same theme and I hope you like it, comments and suggestions welcome.

A large knife based on German and Bohemian examples from around 1500. The blade is 45cm/18" long and overall the knife is 59cm/23". The combination of the strong return/hook to the rear of the grip and the angel at the fore of the grip makes for a very secure hold, but also does lead the appearance and coupled with the size, to be very similar to 'Khyber' knives.

The nagel is lined with brass and filed into rope work, the bolsters are filed steel and the grips are box wood, with a simple bronze and brass mosaic pin as decoration. This use of brass is quite subtle, but a look I like.

The scabbard is double layer veg tan leather with incised and stamped decoration, front and rear.

This along with other pieces will be available on my in stock pages. http://www.todsstuff.co.uk/in-stock/tods-in-stock.htm

Tod

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[ Linked Image ]
I have 1 question:
What does the ring function?

The ring is the nagel and is for hand defence.

Tod

Nice! I like it even more than the first one! What is the weight of it and how thick is it at the base, if you don't mind?

This is just great! Stuff like this is sooooo tempting, it makes me want some late period stuff again. Must stay strong...focus...focus...

Thank you.

Luka, the blade on this one is 5mm thick at the bolsters and the overall weight is 570g/ 1 lbs


Tod

Hi Tod,

Do you have drawings or photos of originals with a false edge similar to the one you included?

HI Kai,

Email me and I will send you a picture. I am not sure if the ones I have I can distribute publicly.

tod@todsstuff.co.uk

Tod

Tod,
that is one of my favorite styles of knife. You did a great job. I always like to see your work, and this is no exception. The brass inside a ring-shaped nagel is totally new to me (even though, obviously, it is also old). Great stuff.
kc

These knives you've done lately are completely spectacular. What resources do you use to decide on a date and status when you're designing one of these? Are there any galleries available?

David Hohl wrote

Quote:

These knives you've done lately are completely spectacular. What resources do you use to decide on a date and status when you're designing one of these? Are there any galleries available?

Thank you.

Sometimes I make exact copies of pieces and then I of course have the dates and locations that go with at the piece; social status is harder unless it is associated with a person or a portrait, but you can usually get a feel for what strata a piece comes from.

Usually I like to work by taking pieces as inspiration and making composite pieces from elements of others, this gives me the freedom I like, but sets my work within boundaries. So I will look at a picture of a piece or even a few that are contemporary with each other and geographically similar and go and make something that would fit in that family. This means that I cannot exactly date my pieces, but still you can look at the materials and styles and details and set social strata inference from that.

As regards resources, this site is a big one, my large library and having been at it for 15 years or so also helps. I also have a good memory for details and facts which is also helpful.

Tod

wow its been a good few years now.

but is there a historical source for that specific ring shaped nagel? it looks amazing but im not finding any originals so far with that shape
is it from a source, and if so, what is the source.

or is it just a artistic license situation due to the wishes of the client?

Hi William,

The original was based on a piece from the Fricker auction catalogue and was fairly faithful to the images. This second one around I clearly changed the nagel. I honestly can't remember what or why or where, but I most likely did it because I had seem something similar on another period knife of the same family and time period and decided to put it here.

That is my usual way of making 'plausible pieces'; that could easily have existed but are now lost. What I very rarely do is 'just make something up', so although I can't remember the source for the nagel, I would be confident it existed.

Sorry to be no more help than this - too long back!

Tod