2018 ethnographic weapon

thomas hauschild · 29th July 2018, 11:31 AM

Hello

Admin feel free to delete if this will be an unwanted thread.

In my first thread I told you, that I‘m also a knifemaker and I wanted to be inspired by antique pieces for my own work. So I like to show you a piece made this year in spring. It is not a typical style , but there are some design elements that I wanted to use. The blade is a little bit inspired by mandau with filework and fullers from a cojang. You can grip it in front of the guard for smaller cutting operations. The guard is inspired by sikkin pieces. The long grip for two hands by kachin-dao. The own made mokume-gane by japanese usages, the open scabbard again by kachin dao. All from pieces in my collection. People who knows me as a knifemaker will find some typical own elements too.

80 cm in total. Din 1.2604 swordsteel, grip from extinct stellers seacow bone, guard from copper/iron mokume and antique wrought iron(by the way, I have some hundreds kilo of iron from 1600 to 1850. if anybody will need a piece for replacements, feel free to contact me ). Scabbard modern bamboo wood and water buffalo-horn with mokume and copper pins ( all pinned without a drop of glue )

Well this was a lot of more than standard work for me. I would like to say, that with every hour, my respect for the master bladesmith of the past has grown higher and higher. Remembering just the work of forging the fullers and grinding them........incredible work that the masters has done in the past. Maximum respect.

Best regards Thomas

kronckew · 29th July 2018, 01:48 PM

Nice work, like the bolster/pommel & blade, kind of an eastern langeseax. I think I'd have squared off the end of the scabbard and left it open, and would carry the blade spine down, like a seax, to keep the edge from rubbing, sidewalls should just be tall enough to let you insert the blade w/o it flopping side to side between the bridges and the scabbard back perpendicular to the blade flat. Taiwan swords use an open scabbard with wire staples and/or zigzags across the open flat, which is also a cool way and could be used in addition to the bridges.

Battara · 29th July 2018, 06:38 PM

I love this!

I love your use of mokume copper as well and the way you etched it to give that worn feel on the scabbard. Also I like the scalloping of the end of the blade. The hammered and patina'd copper nails/rivets are a nice touch.

thomas hauschild · 29th July 2018, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

I love this!

I love your use of mokume copper as well and the way you etched it to give that worn feel on the scabbard. Also I like the scalloping of the end of the blade. The hammered and patina'd copper nails/rivets are a nice touch.

Thank you very much.

At the end there is not a nail. Its the tang going thru the grip full lenght. The tang is not hardened at the end to rivet it with a ball-hammer the old way.

Thank you all

Best Thomas

midelburgo · 29th July 2018, 08:33 PM

What is the (supposed) intended use of this blade?

The form shall come after the function... Without knowing that is not possible to regard its success.

thomas hauschild · 29th July 2018, 09:37 PM

What is the supposed use a that piece? A good question. Well my experience with a piece of this size is....one. ( making one of the „forged in fire“ test with a half pig would be interesting lol)

You can found a big number of different pieces that we call today ethnographical. Do we have the knowledge of the purpose of every different design ? On a modern knifeshow you will find so many different designs of the theme blade + grip as you will find on ethnographic pieces during the centuries before.

My personal intention was to learn, try out different techniques and answer myself to the question „can I do it ?“ that was all. I‘m fascinated of the old techniques, the imagination of how they made the pieces and just want to do some of this with my own hands. And at the end there was a contest namend „machete“ at the knifeshow in solingen this year. But that was only the occasion to start. I wanted to do a piece like this since years. The next piece of that size will be different. Never thought how much work this was and I have used some modern equipment like a belt grinder.

Thank you

Thomas

29th July 2018, 11:31 AM	#1
thomas hauschild Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: Germany Posts: 139	2018 ethnographic weapon Hello Admin feel free to delete if this will be an unwanted thread. In my first thread I told you, that I‘m also a knifemaker and I wanted to be inspired by antique pieces for my own work. So I like to show you a piece made this year in spring. It is not a typical style , but there are some design elements that I wanted to use. The blade is a little bit inspired by mandau with filework and fullers from a cojang. You can grip it in front of the guard for smaller cutting operations. The guard is inspired by sikkin pieces. The long grip for two hands by kachin-dao. The own made mokume-gane by japanese usages, the open scabbard again by kachin dao. All from pieces in my collection. People who knows me as a knifemaker will find some typical own elements too. 80 cm in total. Din 1.2604 swordsteel, grip from extinct stellers seacow bone, guard from copper/iron mokume and antique wrought iron(by the way, I have some hundreds kilo of iron from 1600 to 1850. if anybody will need a piece for replacements, feel free to contact me ). Scabbard modern bamboo wood and water buffalo-horn with mokume and copper pins ( all pinned without a drop of glue ) Well this was a lot of more than standard work for me. I would like to say, that with every hour, my respect for the master bladesmith of the past has grown higher and higher. Remembering just the work of forging the fullers and grinding them........incredible work that the masters has done in the past. Maximum respect. Best regards Thomas Attached Images

29th July 2018, 01:48 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,150	Nice work, like the bolster/pommel & blade, kind of an eastern langeseax. I think I'd have squared off the end of the scabbard and left it open, and would carry the blade spine down, like a seax, to keep the edge from rubbing, sidewalls should just be tall enough to let you insert the blade w/o it flopping side to side between the bridges and the scabbard back perpendicular to the blade flat. Taiwan swords use an open scabbard with wire staples and/or zigzags across the open flat, which is also a cool way and could be used in addition to the bridges.

29th July 2018, 06:38 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,139	I love this! I love your use of mokume copper as well and the way you etched it to give that worn feel on the scabbard. Also I like the scalloping of the end of the blade. The hammered and patina'd copper nails/rivets are a nice touch.

29th July 2018, 08:33 PM	#5
midelburgo Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 248	What is the (supposed) intended use of this blade? The form shall come after the function... Without knowing that is not possible to regard its success.

29th July 2018, 09:37 PM	#6
thomas hauschild Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: Germany Posts: 139	What is the supposed use a that piece? A good question. Well my experience with a piece of this size is....one. ( making one of the „forged in fire“ test with a half pig would be interesting lol) You can found a big number of different pieces that we call today ethnographical. Do we have the knowledge of the purpose of every different design ? On a modern knifeshow you will find so many different designs of the theme blade + grip as you will find on ethnographic pieces during the centuries before. My personal intention was to learn, try out different techniques and answer myself to the question „can I do it ?“ that was all. I‘m fascinated of the old techniques, the imagination of how they made the pieces and just want to do some of this with my own hands. And at the end there was a contest namend „machete“ at the knifeshow in solingen this year. But that was only the occasion to start. I wanted to do a piece like this since years. The next piece of that size will be different. Never thought how much work this was and I have used some modern equipment like a belt grinder. Thank you Thomas