Custom Sword Build

[Elemmakil]

Out of curiousity, were you intending to say something in reply?

[Peter Remling]

Actually no- I must have hit quote and then gone elsewhere. I'll have to delete that later.

[Greg]

Any updates on the sword's progress, Manveruon? I emailed Ernie this morning to start putting together a commission for some sword furniture myself. Granted, the pics on his website, yours, and pete's are more than enough to convince me I'm in the right place, I'm still amped to see how this turns out!

[Manveruon]

Yeah, absolutely! I'm sorry I haven't been keeping it very well updated here. I've been posting all the photos Ernie has sent me on my Facebook page. Since it's late right now, and I'm being proportionally lazy, I'll just post a link to my Facebook gallery, which should hopefully be viewable to everyone here:

https://www.facebook.com/michael.sherid ... 423&type=1

[Ringulf]

Great albums my Brother! you are so good at your characterizations, just amazing! most folks don't realize what talent and hard work goes into being a realistic character, you have every tiny detail covered and know the poses and expressions so well, it is hard to know whether or not I am actually looking at Johny Depp or not!

[Manveruon]

Thanks Ringulf! As of this Halloween I will have been doing the character for ten years, if you can believe it, so it's definitely a labor of love.

And now for more sword pics! below are three more shots Ernie sent me on Saturday of the almost completed hilt. The ferrules (the brass rings at the top and bottom of the grip - I had to look that one up myself when Ernie used the word in an email to me) still need to be detailed - I'm not sure what he has in mind, but I'm ridiculously excited to see what he comes up with - the handle needs to be wrapped, and then the whole shebang needs to be assembled and peened. Hopefully he'll be able to do some antiquing to the parts as well. I really like the addition of the peen-block. I feel it really brings the whole hilt design together.

The process is definitely taking longer than I had anticipated based on his original estimates (so far about a month longer and counting), but I'm in no particular hurry, and what he is creating is a work of art, so you won't hear any major complaints.

[Peter Remling]

That is gorgeous !

[Manveruon]

I'm SOOOOO excited! I keep having to tell myself to be patient, because I just can't wait to have this beauty in my hand! And then comes the task of fashioning a scabbard for it, which should be an interesting adventure all of its own.

[Greg]

Scabbards are/will be an adventure. If I get the ball rolling on my own custom soon, we may wind up working through the adventures of that together. I assume you took one look at the custom scabbard market and said "Iiiiiiiii'm gonna make my own..."

As for that^^^, right THERE^^^...it's absolutely gorgeous. I keep waxing philosophical about this, but now I think I'm gonna hafta do better than that. I need to find some old friend of my wife's in Colorado so I can have a really good, solid excuse to go visit...JUST so I can see this thing, at minimum.

[Manveruon]

Haha, yeah, that's pretty much exactly what I did. Overall though, as long as I can get someone to rough out a core for me, I think I can do the rest of the work on a scabbard with relative ease (though it will likely be extremely time-consuming, never having done it before).

And hey, I won't tell you no, haha! It would be the beginnings of a nice little Colorado moot at the very least!

[josh88]

I had actually been following the progress on your sword from updates on their facebook and had to chuckle a little when I came over here and found the other side of this and the owner of said sword. Since then I've just started drooling over it more and the other custom work they've got on their site. Looking at their guards and pommels I think, oooh I like that one, I'd want that! Then I look at the next set and think that of at least three more. I may try to find a bare blade and get some custom parts made, that's looking pretty reasonable.

[Manveruon]

Josh - Small world! I've done that sort of thing a couple of times myself on various web forums. Ernie's work is incredible, is it not? I haven't yet held one in my hands, mind you, but I will very very soon. I'm already thinking of other designs I'd like him to do for me someday when I have the money (haha).

As for this particular project, here's another update! It's so close now I can TASTE it! The ferrules are finished, the risers are glued, and now the only thing left is for him to leather-wrap the grip and age the parts a bit.

I'M SO EXCITED!!!

[Greg]

Those ferrules turned out lovely. I like the riser placement, too. She's going to be a beauty. Have a name yet?

[Addreonynn]

It is beautiful! I am soooooo jealous!

[Manveruon]

Thanks guys!

I have to admit, I'm not 100% thrilled with the choice of what are essentially paisley shapes on the ferrules - but I never did specify exactly what I wanted on them, and overall they have an aesthetically pleasing effect, so I won't pick too many nits. Looking at my original drawing it does look like he tried to interpret my somewhat vague designs as closely as he could. One way or the other though, I'm still super, super excited.

As for a name, I must confess, I haven't really begun to think of one. I figure I'll have to hold it in my hand before one comes to me. We'll see.