Skip the Frustration
For the sake of brevity we'll skip the next two years of frustration. Let's just say it's better to be around to answer questions and do your own quality control than hope a labeled design will be executed correctly. Special thanks need to go out to Serge who came along about this time and really got this project back on track as well instilling some needed business ethics. Thanks Brother!
Let's not dwell but warp forward to the finished product.
The outside first.
Huge fan of ivory carving always have been
The three headed elephant god Erawan is the patron of the Thai airborne troops (based in Lop Buri -my wife's home town) with whom I've worked for years and is also the badge for their Jump Wings (the first foreign wings I ever received) thus that design choice.
The Monkey God Hanuman was the protector in the Ramayana and Lop Buri is known for it's monkeys. As many of you know I'm a soldier that image fit perfectly.
The last image I wanted to incorporate was one that said Thailand, a country I dearly love. I did some research on Thai design features but the one image that I kept coming back to was one that you see everywhere in Thailand - the sweeping intricate roof eaves of every temple terminating in the bird with the recurved beak.
Twisted wrapped silver wire for grip, plated silver wire on the scabbard complete ensemble (should've been a fashion announcer)
It's a rather large two handed presentation sword, however I did have an extended tang with bolt built in cause I wanted it to be a usable weapon balance is a little point heavy - it's a chopper!
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