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J. Bedell




Location: Maryland, USA
Joined: 06 Jan 2006
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PostPosted: Sun 28 May, 2006 2:28 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Now what are you going to be doing with that clamshell guard and the CS blade?...Is that another project or are you going to sell them and let someone else try their hand at piecing together a sword?

-James

The pen may be mighter, but the sword is much more fun.
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Steve Grisetti




Location: Orlando metro area, Florida, USA
Joined: 01 Mar 2004
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PostPosted: Sun 28 May, 2006 2:44 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Beautiful work, Kirk, as always!! I love the improvements that you made to the basket, in particular.
"...dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skilful, and deadly."
- Sir Toby Belch
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T.F. McCraken




Location: Ingleside, Illinois
Joined: 13 Apr 2006

Posts: 128

PostPosted: Sun 28 May, 2006 3:39 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thank you for the step-by-step, Kirk. Inspiring to say the least and exactly what I was looking into last week. Odd, that.

It looks great and extra kudos for the basket liner. It's a great tutorial on just that process alone.

Murphy WTF?!

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Douglas G.





Joined: 30 Mar 2004

Posts: 156

PostPosted: Sun 28 May, 2006 11:29 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Dear Kirk!
Another WOW job. Last November when I asked Russ Ellis to make a couple of scabbards we
got to talking about your Achilles sword in particular, and your craft adroitness in general, while
discussing blade projects. We determined it would help to wear a plastic wrist band inscribed
"W W K D?" whilst crafting. (What would Kirk Do?) LOL

You Rule
Doug Gentner
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Kirk Lee Spencer




Location: Texas
Joined: 24 Oct 2003

Spotlight topics: 6
Posts: 820

PostPosted: Mon 29 May, 2006 8:59 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thanks everyone for the very kind comments... It is such an encouragement to me.

Spathologists have to be the nicest people in the world!!!
Big Grin

I'll try to answer the questions raised the the next few post.

ks

Two swords
Lit in Eden’s flame
One of iron and one of ink
To place within a bloody hand
One of God or one of man
Our souls to one of
Two eternities
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Kirk Lee Spencer




Location: Texas
Joined: 24 Oct 2003

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Posts: 820

PostPosted: Mon 29 May, 2006 9:19 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Henrik Bjoern Boegh wrote:
Hi Kirk,

I've been waiting to see the results of this home-improvement project and I am VERY IMPRESSED!
You truely are skilled! It looks lovely! All the details! Congratulations!
Now, you should send this to Nathan and see it published as a myArmoury article!

Have you and plans of making or improve a scabbard for it?

Cheers,
Henrik



Hi Henrik...

I still have the flimsy MRL scabbard that came with the cutlass. I have thought about trying to make the flimsy MRL into a hard scabbard. The attempt would go something like this: Oil the blade and wrap it a thin plastic, then sew a felt sleeve around it. Then put a wood spacer on each side of the tip of the blade and carefully slide it into the scabbard. The spacers would help keep the blade away from the sides of the scabbard. Then fill between the inner scabbard wall and the felt sleeve with Gorilla Glue to about an inch from the top. Gorilla Glue expands as it cures and then hardens in to a light yet durable material not too different from wood. The gorilla Glue would stick to the back of the felt and once cured the blade could be pulled free. I might put a very thin layer of wood glue on the outside of the felt sleeve to keep the Gorilla Glue from soaking through and making the felt hard and scratchy. Anyway, if everything went as planned it would be a quick and easy way to make a hard scabbard from the flimsy ones. I'll let you know how it works.

ks

Two swords
Lit in Eden’s flame
One of iron and one of ink
To place within a bloody hand
One of God or one of man
Our souls to one of
Two eternities
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Henrik Bjoern Boegh




Location: Agder, Norway
Joined: 03 Mar 2004

Posts: 386

PostPosted: Mon 29 May, 2006 9:26 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hi Kirk,

That sounds interesting. So the original scabbard is a flimsy all-leather scabbard? Now, I've seen pictures of this scabbard and if you'll fit it to this claydhemh crom you really should make a frog-hook for it.
I look forward to hearing how the scabbard turns out! And good luck (though I doubt you'll need any of that Big Grin )

Cheers,
Henrik

Constant and true.
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Kirk Lee Spencer




Location: Texas
Joined: 24 Oct 2003

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PostPosted: Mon 29 May, 2006 9:54 am    Post subject: Re: Inspiration!!         Reply with quote

GG Osborne wrote:
Kirk..... Thanks for the great article and documentatioin for the project. It was very impressive. In fact, you've inspired me to take on a project that I have wanted to do for a while, that is to make a basket-hilted, saber-bladed "back sword" ala the famous portrait of Alastair Mor Grant, the Champion of Grant, or the Peniculk sketches. Now that you have illustrated how to alter the basket, I obviously need a blade. Since I don't have a machine shop, I need to find a blade that is easily adaptable to the need. I noted where Donnie Shearer, the Mad Piper, made a Napoleonic period piece out of a - presumably - Cold Steel Blucher or British 1796 calvary saber. However, the blade is not right for the pre-1745 period, IMHO. Does anyone have a suggestion? Again, thanks Kirk for the inspiration!! Fine job.



Hey GG...

You have very good taste... That's a great design.

I have future plans for a ribbon hilt with such a wide curved blade. I've post a couple of pics with a similar look.

Not sure about locating such a blade in the production market. I have been impressed with the blade work at OlliN

Matthew and Mark both post on this forum and they seem open to working with customers on blade design.

take care

ks



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Alastair Mor Grant, the Champion of Grant

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Image compiled from European Swords & Daggers in the Tower of London. A.R. Dufty, 1974

Two swords
Lit in Eden’s flame
One of iron and one of ink
To place within a bloody hand
One of God or one of man
Our souls to one of
Two eternities
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Kirk Lee Spencer




Location: Texas
Joined: 24 Oct 2003

Spotlight topics: 6
Posts: 820

PostPosted: Mon 29 May, 2006 10:21 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

J. Bedell wrote:
Now what are you going to be doing with that clamshell guard and the CS blade?...Is that another project or are you going to sell them and let someone else try their hand at piecing together a sword?

-James


Hi James...

I really didn't have plans for the clam shell guard and knuckle bow. They are really well done and could be made to fit another blade quite easily. I thought about cutting the CS blade down to make a dirk. However if anyone were interested in any of these spare parts for their own projects just PM me.

ks

Two swords
Lit in Eden’s flame
One of iron and one of ink
To place within a bloody hand
One of God or one of man
Our souls to one of
Two eternities
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Matt Phillips




Location: England
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Reading list: 8 books

Posts: 38

PostPosted: Tue 30 May, 2006 12:14 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

That's great work, Kirk. Something to surely be proud of.
Matt

"Mine honour is my life; both grow in one; take honour from me and my life is done." William Shakespear
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Tom Carr




Location: Dallas TX
Joined: 23 Aug 2003

Posts: 148

PostPosted: Tue 30 May, 2006 12:24 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

OMG! Eek! Thats Beautiful Kirk! Of course you have added all the fine details as usual! That really looks Super!
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Tom Carr




Location: Dallas TX
Joined: 23 Aug 2003

Posts: 148

PostPosted: Tue 30 May, 2006 12:58 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Kirk Lee Spencer wrote:


I really didn't have plans for the clam shell guard and knuckle bow. They are really well done and could be made to fit another blade quite easily. I thought about cutting the CS blade down to make a dirk. However if anyone were interested in any of these spare parts for their own projects just PM me.

ks


PM sent!
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Thomas McDonald
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Location: New Hampshire
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PostPosted: Tue 30 May, 2006 4:44 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Excellent work all around on that one, Kirk !
It would be scary to see what you could do with a full bladesmith shop at your disposal.

I must applaud your forward guard fix, the nice engraving, and the liner is just outstanding looking !

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience in doing this project, much appreciated !

Slàinte, Mac

'Gott Bewahr Die Oprechte Schotten'
XX ANDRIA XX FARARA XX
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Drake Abram





Joined: 31 Mar 2006

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PostPosted: Tue 30 May, 2006 7:38 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

That looks great!

Big Grin
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Tue 30 May, 2006 11:28 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thomas McDonald wrote:
Excellent work all around on that one, Kirk !
It would be scary to see what you could do with a full bladesmith shop at your disposal.

I must applaud your forward guard fix, the nice engraving, and the liner is just outstanding looking !

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience in doing this project, much appreciated !

Slàinte, Mac


Thanks for pointing out the forward guards, Mac. That's a detail I skimmed over and didn't really take notice of in the photos. That one detail, alone, has changed the entire appearance of the basket for me. Very nice!

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David Wilson




Location: In a van down by the river
Joined: 23 Aug 2003

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PostPosted: Tue 30 May, 2006 1:19 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Impressive... very impressive!!!!



I own the previously mentioned Donnie Shearer Claidheamh Crom. I think mine was the first Donnie made. It's a nice piece, certainly. But as also mentioned the blade is a 1796 pattern (From Military Heritage, I believe), with a Regimental basket dating roughly 1750-1780 or so, and I've not seen a similar original.
Oh well, it's a nice piece anyway. I could even see some Scots Cavalry Officer special-ordering a similar one, back in the day....

David K. Wilson, Jr.
Laird of Glencoe

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Henrik Bjoern Boegh




Location: Agder, Norway
Joined: 03 Mar 2004

Posts: 386

PostPosted: Tue 30 May, 2006 2:54 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

David,

Do you have any pictures of your turcael? I've only seen the photo which Donnie has on his website, and that isn't the very best of pics.

Cheers,
Henrik

Constant and true.
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Allen Johnson





Joined: 26 Aug 2003
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Posts: 198

PostPosted: Wed 31 May, 2006 9:00 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Brilliant work!
As a Grant myself, I have lusted after such a blade for a while now. in fact, I have as a slow, ongoing project to build a kit just like the Alasdair Grant picture. (All I have is the jaket so far Sad ) But I certainly love the look of that! Good job!
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Wed 31 May, 2006 4:56 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

This topic has been promoted into a Spotlight Topic.

Kirk's description and documentation of his process was so excellent that I thought this deserved prominent notice.

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David Wilson




Location: In a van down by the river
Joined: 23 Aug 2003

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PostPosted: Thu 01 Jun, 2006 2:40 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Henrik Bjoern Boegh wrote:
David,

Do you have any pictures of your turcael? I've only seen the photo which Donnie has on his website, and that isn't the very best of pics.

Cheers,
Henrik


Well, mine aren't much better, I'm afraid....



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David K. Wilson, Jr.
Laird of Glencoe

Now available on Amazon: Franklin Posner's "Suburban Vampire: A Tale of the Human Condition -- With Vampires" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N7Y591
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