Cold Steel Seax project (continued)

[Ringulf]

Thanks folks I am making a few more and have a really cool idea for one for me!
But the scurry for this event has put some other projects marking time! No worries though I am on it!!:mrgreen:

[caedmon]

Figured I'd finally try my hand at it. Base was a $14 Cold Steal 22" Latin Machete. I wanted to play with some of the PJ movie concepts of elven swords. The conceit is that it would be the work of a rustic Dunedain smith making a brush cutting tool inspired by Elladan and Elrohir's gear.

Anyway, it was my first time riveting scales, and also making my own rivets. Small step but momentous for me.

seax.jpg (31.02 KiB) Viewed 11427 times

[Fox]

Very nice work, Jack! Very clean looking!

[Mirimaran]

As good as a place to ask, I have a small blade that I am mounting to a nice handle and I thought to make a seax type scabbard for it. Since it is a new project for me, I'd like to take a stamp at stamping the leather, so what is a recommend leather weight for this? Also I want to do the brass accents that make the seax scabbards so unique, any idea as to the gauge to get for this? Here is a great blog by a guy who is kind enough to share some of his construction methods http://edvinsjoberg.blogspot.com/

And, of course, any pics from you folks who might have made their own scabbards is greatly appreciated!

Ken

[Ringulf]

Yes the gentleman who is doing these has really done a fine job and certainly inspired me.
I have been wanting to try this for a while. In fact Eric M. had discussed it and shown us some pics as well as mentioned that one could even get sufficient brass right from Micheal's or Hobby Lobby.
I forget the thickness of the brass, but as far as leather goes it would feel good out of 4-6 oz unless you want to go with a bigger blade, in which case the stregnth vs legnth of the 8oz would be better. Any more than that and you can do as much damage hitting them with the sheath! (and ther is nothing wrong with that heh heh!)

I would enjoy doing a build along with you to spur each other on, do you have any particular designs in mind yet? throw up a picture of the blades you are looking at and we can toss it about!

[E.MacKermak]

You really don't need anything more than 8oz. Thicker is a little easier to tool, but too thick and you have issues shaping it. The brass I have used, I get from Hobby Lobby and is usually about .015 to .032 inches. It is usually sold with the model railroad stuff. Looking forward to seeing new work.

[Mirimaran]

I would enjoy doing a build along with you to spur each other on, do you have any particular designs in mind yet? throw up a picture of the blades you are looking at and we can toss it about!

Sure, sounds like fun! I hope to get some materials together this weekend and will try to post pics!

Ken

[Mirimaran]

A few months later...lol Houndstooth!

I actually got this to almost completion about a month ago but my wife and I have been sick so I am finally feeling up to posting. I guess I would call this Anglo-saxon inspired, as it doesn't fit the examples I have seen, but was still fun to work on. I did do a spine for the scabbard, but for the size of the knife I didn't care for it and cut it down somewhat. The biggest challenge for me, as a novice, was that the natural handle I used (maple, I think) has a bit of a curve to it and was hard for me to shape, plus I had saved the knot growth in the middle of the wood so it had to fit as well. I carved it down somewhat but left wood for my wife to carve later (she is an artist and much better than I am) She did a woodblock of the dog and I pressed that into the wet leather. As you might be able to see, I did mess up a little but cleaned it up as best as I could. For us, money and materials are in short supply right now so I try to use everything. The hardware came from Tractor Supply, copper pipe anchors and copper rivets. I used lemon juice to give some patina and to darken them. The leather was darkened with neetsfoot oil and antiquing solution. The center ring was actually from a steel key from the craft store, cut down and antiqued. The oval shape helps to keep the knife hanging at the same angle. The coin at the end is just temporary, as I would like to replace it with a pull ring or a replica coin. The knife is very secure in the scabbard but is removed with little effort. At the base where the knife meets the handle I secured two copper pieces with brass nails and a bit of glue. I wrapped the upper part of the handle with steel wire and secured with two nails and glue to prevent splintering. The blade is held with Barge cement and Titebond III. I have to clean the blade up a bit. The blade is one of those old arrow heads I got a few years back, the same as I made the primitive knife with. It is rough and to me would be a reuse of perhaps a broken spearhead. All in all, a fun project, and a learning experience. I hope to try this again with a larger knife soon! Comments and advice are welcome!

[Ringulf]

Very cool!
I love the boar's head coin on the back! Why temporary?
Is the boar significant to you at all?
The leather sheath is very nice and looks very secure.
Ken, this is a great primative blade and looks like a stalwart companion! I love this type of work, it is so very rangerish!

Sorry to hear you folks have not been well glad you are back!

[Mirimaran]

Very cool!
I love the boar's head coin on the back! Why temporary?
Is the boar significant to you at all?
The leather sheath is very nice and looks very secure.
Ken, this is a great primative blade and looks like a stalwart companion! I love this type of work, it is so very rangerish!

Sorry to hear you folks have not been well glad you are back!

Thanks for the kind words, friend Ringulf!

The boar's head is actually part of the family Coat of Arms (if I could claim such) but it is pewter and was originally on a keychain. I thought that perhaps a Viking or Anglo-saxon coin would be a bit cheeky plus the boar is a bit loose lol thanks, we are feeling better, it took 3 weeks!

Ken

[Daerir]

I finally started working on me seax
I got two pieces of walnut from my woodshop class, cut them to size and carved out a groove for a hidden tang. Now all I need is a few brass dowels to put it together and carve the handle shape. I can post some in-progress pics if you guys want?

[Ringulf]

Yes Sir!
We would love to see it on its way to completion!
Walnut sounds very nice, I look forward to seeing it!

[Greg]

Ken, it turned out lovely. Very well done. The key was a small stroke of genius...looks great. Could save some of us a lot of trouble if we need a ring that appears to be hand-forged...just hit up the local antique store for a skeleton key, and voila.

[Mirimaran]

Thanks Greg! Yep, I saw those at the craft store for like 2 dollars and snapped them up lol sometimes inspiration hits in the strangest places!

Ken

[Daerir]

I'm sure we all know what it looked like before. All I did was sand all the black off and point the tip, BUT ANYWAY. I rounded the tip off and made that brass cross guard, although its probably just more for looks than defense.