Ben Potter, Bladesmith

Scandi-Ground Bird and Trout File knife

2011-11-18T15:13:00.000-08:00

Going a bit of a different direction with this piece.

It i available first come first served on my Available Page

Privateer Armoury: Cutlass set

2011-10-06T14:49:00.001-07:00

Here is a set of Cutlasses that are based on # 361.s p182 Swords and Blades of the American Revolution. They have bone grips, forged blades with ground fullers and a 5yr aged finish.

The specs for the sharp sword:
weight: 1lb 12oz.
Length: 29 1/2"
Blade: 25" x 1/8"
PoB: 6"
Cop: 17"
SN: at guard

Dwarven Head Seax

2011-09-06T13:01:00.001-07:00

Just finished this commission.
Click on the picture to go to the gallery page.

Feather Falchion

2011-08-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

Been busy working on commissions lately. Here is one that is a upgraded Forecastle line sword (higher grade finish, blued etching, polished and blued fittings and highly figured quilted maple grip):

Type XIIIb

2011-07-23T15:46:00.000-07:00

Here is the Specs:
LOA: 36"
Blade: 29 3/4"
Grip: 4 3/4"
Cross: 7"

Weight: 1lb, 11oz.

Pob: 5 1/2"
PP: 21"
CoP: 19"
SN: -1 1/4"

First Medieval Sword

2011-07-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

I finally made it out of the Vendal and Viking ages and in to the Middle ages.
This sword is a Collaboration with the smiths at the MAD Dwarf workshop.
It is an Oakeshott type XIIIb blade in Damascus steel, forged by the Men over at MAD, and a Brazilnut hilt in wrought iron, copper, hardwood, and black steel crafted by me.

I will be taking more pictures after I do the final polishing.

Unlike most collaboration pieces this piece is available for purchase on a first come first served basis.
Enjoy

Gray Wind Seax

2011-06-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

Gray wind is a Frankish Sax blade paired with a Saxon sword hilt. The customer designed the blade and gave me a set of dimensions to work with. The 15" blade is single edged with a diamond cross section. The grip is 7" and is of four piece construction.

I am planning on being away from the shop for a while as we work on our boat, So I might be a little slow responding to emails.

A Couple of Commissions

2011-04-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

We have been really busy lately with getting the boat (Goingafloat blog) and I haven't had time to post much here.
But I have been working hard in the shop and have a couple of pieces to show. Both are commissions.
The first is a Sax set. The long one is a blunt "combat" blade and the short one is a sharp.

The grips are figured maple with a bone spacer.

The other piece was a new scabbard for Forecastle line messer/by knife set that I did a while ago:

Cutlass and Knife set

2011-04-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

Here is what I have been working on the last couple of months:

New Line of Swords From Privateer Armoury

2011-02-22T22:02:00.000-08:00

I am Happy to announce the launch of the Quarterdeck line of swords featureing hand forged blades and guards.
Here is the first piece of the new line:

Privateer Armoury, Swords

2011-02-07T11:05:00.000-08:00

Just finished these:

The cutlass was a commission but the others are available on the Privateer Armoury website (on a first come first served basis)

Privateer Armoury, Cinquedea

2011-01-24T14:24:00.000-08:00

This is my first medieval style sword and Lord willing will not be my last.

This one is a commission.

Uruz and Ansuz Seax, Finished

2011-01-13T16:22:00.000-08:00

I finished the Seax yesterday.

Click on the picture to go to the gallery page sith more pictures and the specs.

Heat Treat and Sharpening

2011-01-06T09:43:00.000-08:00

Finished HTing the blade yesterday morning:

I ground the edge and drilled the tang for the rivets:

New Broaken back Seax

2011-01-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

Here is the blade after rough forging:

Privateer Armoury, Third Run

2010-12-29T13:34:00.000-08:00

Here are the latest swords from PA.
I changed the geometry of the blades (from customer feed back) and now they are a lot stiffer.

The two on the left are commissions and the others are for sale.

Two New Swords from Privateer Armoury

2010-11-29T18:56:00.000-08:00

Here are the latest swords:

you can get the specs, on the Privateer Armoury Available Page.

Privateer Armoury: Cutlass Test

2010-11-14T09:46:00.000-08:00

Here is a sample of the cutting ability of these swords. The picture is of the cutting stands it was after the second cut. I did not touch anything.

You can see how the sword cut clean through the carton with out displacing the pieces from their place.

Privateer Armoury, Messer

2010-11-13T18:39:00.000-08:00

15N20 BLade, oak grips, brass rivets, steel guard.

Contact me if you are interested in this or a similar piece.

Privateer Armoury

2010-11-10T14:13:00.000-08:00

I am launching a new line of affordable swords. Fully functional no nonsense swords built for the average blade about town. Featuring 15n20 blades, steel guards, and a variety of grips these sword will fit the bill and your budget.

Boat sale

2010-11-03T01:12:00.000-07:00

So here is the situation I find myself in.

I have been looking for a boat to live on part time and restore with my family and someone has offered one to me for free!
BUT
It is over 300 sea miles away and needs some outfitting for the trip and a slip once I get it here both of which take some cash.
SO
I am willing to consider reasonable offers on the pieces on my AVAILABLE PAGE. I can't give the pieces away as that defeats the purpose but I will consider selling them for less than the posted prices. This is a great chance to get a really good deal and help me out at the same time. I have a small window to get this boat so the offer will end on 11-6-2010
Send me an email with your offer and at the end of the time I will let you know how it goes.

Thanks,
Ben

Nijmegen Sax Finished

2010-10-02T16:51:00.000-07:00

I finally got the pictures taken (it was raining of and on all week).
Here is a link to the gallery page:

2010-09-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

Finished the seax this afternoon (save for a little oiling and the like):

2010-09-28T19:03:00.001-07:00

Grip day:

I also oiled the grip pieces (after the picture was taken).
Tomorrow should see this piece finished (Lord willing).

2010-09-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

Inlet the grip and bone spacer and shaped and polished the spacer:

2010-09-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

Shaped and polished hte hilt fittings today:

2010-09-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

I did the inletting on the lower guard and the upper guard/pommel:

2010-09-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

Here is what I have been working on the last couple of days:

I still have some cleaning up to do in the blade and then on to the hilt.

Marquenching

2010-09-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

I got a question about marquenching and what it means. Basically Marquenching is taking a blade that is heated to above the critical point (somewhere around 1500f depending on the steel where it is converted from pearlite in to austite) and quickly cooling it (in either a low temp salt pot or in hot oil) to below the "nose" (a term comming from heat treating time/temerature charts) or to below approximately 900f in less than about 2 seconds. then holding it at around 400-500f until the entire blade is the same temperature. when the blade is removed from the hot oil it is very plastic and can be bent almost as easily as if it was 1500f. This allows the smith to straighten out any minor warps that occurred in the quench. As the blade cools the crystal structure of the steel changes from austite into martensite (the hardend steel) as the crystaline structure changes it creates a very faint high pitched ringing sound known as "singing". If the blade "sings" it means that the marquench was successful.
Here is a short video of the prosess:

2010-09-16T00:20:00.000-07:00

Here is today's and yesterday's progress on the sax. I re-ground the blade, giving it more taper and a slight distal taper as well (it felt to "dead" in the hand before). I HTed it using a marquench and triple hot/cold cycles. Today I polished it out to 800gt.

Tomorrow, Lord willing, I will be finishing the polishing.

Nijmegen sax

2010-09-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

I have been commissioned to make a (rough) reproduction of the Nijmegen sax c. 500-600AD.
Here is the original:

And here is my working sketch:

I have the blade forged and rough ground and will (Lord willing) be polishing and HTing on Monday.

Nebojsa's Seax, finished

2010-09-08T16:40:00.000-07:00

Finished the Seax. Here is a link (click the image)to the gallery page.

2010-09-04T17:26:00.000-07:00

Finished the seax this after noon and will be taking (much better) pictures next week.

Computer trouble

2010-09-03T16:48:00.000-07:00

My computer has been having trouble and this morning it tried to commit suicide by drowning itself (a wayward glass of water landed on it). I will see if I can get it running again, but if not then it may be a while be fore I can post.

Thanks for your patience.

2010-09-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

Here is where I am on the sheath.
I have it formed, the sheep skin lining glued in and the throat stitched.

2010-08-31T22:37:00.000-07:00

I finished the seax this evening. Today I polished the blade and etched in the runes.

(My camera has apparently decided that it needs to distort this piece, in real life the blade looks a bit longer and wider and the grip is slightly narrower)

2010-08-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

Finished the carving on the grip and gave it the first coat of oil.

2010-08-27T18:38:00.000-07:00

Finished the rough carving.

2010-08-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

Shaped the grip and cast on the bolster. Done with the easy part now for some carving.

Nebojsa's Seax

2010-08-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

Nebojsa (Ne-boy-sha):fearless Seax (sax):knife
Fearless' Knife
Forged, ground, HT, and polish(long day in 100f+)

Captains Box Knife

2010-08-25T15:57:00.000-07:00

Finished!

Now on to the small Saxon seax!

2010-08-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a peek of a piece that (Lord willing) I will be crafting soon.

Gotland style Sax

2010-05-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting in so long things have been really crazy around here lately and I have had to be working away from the shop for what seems like forever.

But...

I finally made it back and am crafting a gotland style sax.
I won't have time to do much photo documantation on this one But it will be fore sale and I'll posst when it is finished.

Taking a break

2010-04-12T15:11:00.000-07:00

I am doing some R&D for a small start-up company so I will not be working on swords and knives for a while. I'll post updates when I make it back to the "forge"

Fenrir's Tooth, Norse Sax

2010-04-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

The picture says it all.

2010-03-31T23:20:00.000-07:00

Darkened the leather and started riveting the silver fittings on.

2010-03-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

Finished the silver work today, all that is left is to make the belt loops, darken the leather and assemble the sheath(and final polishing and oiling).
Here is a picture of the "West Norse hoard":

2010-03-27T23:59:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry for not posting pictures of the finished sax here is a quick picture, I'll take better ones when I finish the sheath:

It has been a rough week, with work (things taking WAY longer than I though they would and less time in the shop than I normally have), working nights at the family business(ever try to work all day till you are tired and then "go to work") and other unplanned time sinks.

2010-03-27T00:15:00.000-07:00

Another slow day on the silver front, working on the rings.

2010-03-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

Had a terrible time on the throat piece but finally got it to where it should be. Here are the mountings so far:

I still have the belt loop fittings, rings, and the edge clips to do.

2010-03-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting over the weekend,
Here is Friday's progress (well the photogenic part anyway), this is the fitting that goes next to the mouth of the sheath.

2010-03-18T23:09:00.000-07:00

Working on the silver sheath mounts (and accidentally deleted the pictures from memory card).

2010-03-17T22:17:00.000-07:00

Here is the leather for the sheath after forming and trimming (the projections on the top will be trimmed down to match the silver ring holders):

2010-03-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

Finished the grip this morning, re-polished part of the blade that I wasn't happy with(but now am), and formed the leather for the sheath. Now to start building a new website that I need to have finished by April, while the leather dries.

2010-03-16T00:30:00.000-07:00

Finished the carving, darkened, and started oiling the grip:
It is hard to capture the effect that this darkening process produces, the wood takes on a translucent quality and the light plays in it different ways depending on the angle, changing it from very dark to lighter shades and highlighting the carving.
I need to give the grip a few more coats of linseed oil, and it will be finished.

On to the sheath.

2010-03-13T17:31:00.000-08:00

More carving today, over/under definition, rounding, and started on the accent lines.
The beast on the right has all the lines carved, on the left beast you can see the pencil lines that will be cut in late.

2010-03-13T01:02:00.000-08:00

Spent the day carving out the background on the grip.

2010-03-11T23:37:00.000-08:00

Shaped, polished, and engraved the bolster today (and drew the carving design on the grip this evening after I took the picture).

2010-03-10T22:21:00.000-08:00

Mounted the blade in the grip and casted on the silver alloy bolster.

2010-03-09T22:07:00.000-08:00

Shaped the grip this evening and carved fenirir on the butt, the design is from a Manx cross and I added a bit more detail.

2010-03-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

Cut out, inlet, and profiled the grip this morning.

2010-03-08T15:08:00.000-08:00

Here is a test piece I did of the carving for the grip and of the Norse wood darkening method on the oak.

Tax day

2010-03-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

No work got done today because I had do my taxes.

I could rant about how I hate taxes and how they are not fair, BUT I really love living here and as Corrie says, "think of it as the price of sunshine, palm tree, and peace." Well said.

Might make it to the shop later tonight for some materials testing for the grip of this sax.

2010-03-04T23:52:00.000-08:00

Polished the blade today, on to the hilt tomorrow.

Sorry for the bad picture, I didn't have time to take a better one, the blade is actually straight on the back not bulged.

2010-03-03T14:09:00.001-08:00

Heat treated the blade last night and gave it the final tempering cycle this morning.

2010-03-01T21:51:00.000-08:00

Here is the day's progress:

I rough ground, and polished the blade so it is ready for HT tomorrow.

Mviolins.com website

2010-03-01T21:45:00.000-08:00

I haven't been getting as much shop time as usual because I am building a website for my inlaws Violin making business. It isn't quite finished but you can take a look here:

mviolins.com

My father in-law makes incredible violins with a great sound and developed a proces that allows him to sell professional quality instruments at a VERY affordable price ($2000-2500). I get to work with him sometimes which has helped my wood working quite a bit (think nicer grip and scabbards).

2010-02-26T02:20:00.000-08:00

Here is the invocation I put on the shop floor for this piece:

It translates,"silent as night, fierce of bite, only for the cause of right."

And here is the rough forged blade ready for grinding:

Fenrir's Tooth

2010-02-26T02:15:00.000-08:00

Started on a new piece today. This one is a Norse style sax.

Here is a rough sketch:

and a sketch of the carving pattern for the grip:

Bad Steel

2010-02-25T08:20:00.000-08:00

I lost the last two days' work (billet for pattern welding, composite sax blade, mono steel sax) because the batch of steel I received was contaminated, either the initial pour at the foundry was too hot or there was lead/sulfur in it. I suspect sulfur because of the welding problems.

All that to say I will be using a different steel on this next project.

Privateer Cutlass

2010-02-20T02:32:00.001-08:00

Click on the image to go to the gallery page.

Now back to the Viking age, for a Norse Sax.

2010-02-18T21:12:00.000-08:00

Finished.

Here is a sneek peek at the finished sword, Lord willing I will take better quality pictures tomorrow:

2010-02-17T23:48:00.000-08:00

Here is the grip after carving most of the day:

2010-02-16T21:59:00.001-08:00

Carving...

2010-02-15T23:25:00.000-08:00

Polished the Pommel today:

Cut, inlet, and started shaping the teak grip. I chose to use a piece of teak from a speargun that has been used in salt water and has the coloring from the salt.

2010-02-13T23:36:00.000-08:00

Finished refining the pommel, and brought it up to 120gt.
Praying to have this piece finished next week.

The cutlass is not a commission, so it will be available for sale when it is finished.

2010-02-13T12:57:00.001-08:00

Working on the pommel, refining the shape and polishing it.

2010-02-12T01:15:00.000-08:00

Started work on the pommel and got it up through rough shaping:

"New" Grinder

2010-02-12T01:07:00.000-08:00

I spent part of the day repairing my new (to me) grinder. It had major tracking problems. I had to take it apart and reassemble it 4-5 times and make a new part and modify some of the old ones.
I REALLY wish I had fixed it sooner as it saved me almost a day's worth of work in the 1/2 hour I used it this evening. What a difference from the 4"x36" grinder.

Here it is:

It is a 1hp "Square Wheel" 2"x72" belt grinder and the latest of my "electric apprentices".

2010-02-10T21:43:00.000-08:00

Finished the guard today, "only" the pommel and grip left.

Here is the shell guard with all the brass rivets in and polished:

2010-02-09T23:28:00.000-08:00

Spent the day putting some of the brass rivets in the shell a VERY time consuming and "fiddly" business.

2010-02-09T00:47:00.003-08:00

Finally finished polishing the guard:

2010-02-07T04:53:00.000-08:00

Didn't make ot to the shop today.
I ended up cleaning up storm damage and HTML programing.
Lord willing I'll be back in the shop on Monday.

Shabbat shalom.

2010-02-05T23:23:00.000-08:00

Worked on polishing the guard again today as well as rebuilding my website, I will be changing web hosts in early spring and want to roll out a new site.

2010-02-03T23:00:00.000-08:00

Found my card reader so here is a picture from a couple of days ago of the thumb-ring welded to the knuckle-bow:

And here is today's progress, with the guard complete and ready for polishing:

2010-02-02T23:19:00.000-08:00

Welded on the shell-guard.
Still no card-reader.

2010-02-02T09:15:00.000-08:00

Welded on the thumb ring yesterday.
And lost my memory card reader so I can't post pictures till I find it.

2010-01-28T21:17:00.000-08:00

Finished polishing the guard components:

I may be out of the shop for a while, my wife has jury duty and I will be going in to town with her. Please pray that she doesn't get on a jury.

2010-01-27T23:43:00.000-08:00

Finished the shell guard and started polishing the knuckle-bow.
Here is the top of the finished guard:

2010-01-26T22:50:00.000-08:00

Engraving on the top and bottom today. The bottom is finished and I just need to raise the main lines on the top.

2010-01-26T10:27:00.000-08:00

Here is yesterdays progress:

2010-01-24T00:02:00.000-08:00

Finally made it back to the shop today. I cut in and rounded the border and drilled the holes for the rivets. I redrew the lines for the engraving pattern:

2010-01-22T00:29:00.000-08:00

Did some sketching yesterday for a new commission. Sorted through 20 years of my junk that I had to move today. Lord willing I'll make it back to the shop tomorrow and work on the cutlass.

2010-01-19T00:21:00.000-08:00

Polished the shell guard today(and night) and started on the engraving:

Scrapers for making fullers

2010-01-19T00:17:00.000-08:00

I had a request to show pictures of the tools I use to put the fullers in blades.
Here are the two scrapers I use:

And here is a close-up of the hollow-grind on the cutting edge of the one I used on this sword:

2010-01-15T22:29:00.000-08:00

Corrie and I are feeling much better today.
Made it back to the shop and rough shaped the shell guard.

2010-01-15T00:27:00.000-08:00

First day I have missed because of being sick this decade.
swine flu is no fun at all.
Now time for rest.

2010-01-13T20:23:00.001-08:00

Had a long night last night and didn't get much done today.
I did finish shaping the knuckle bow and forge the shell guard this afternoon.
Here is the shell guard after forging:

2010-01-12T23:50:00.000-08:00

More shaping on the knuckle-bow today.

If you could pray for Corrie (my wife) I'd appreciate it, she is really sick tonight.

2010-01-12T00:03:00.000-08:00

Good day today, worked 12hrs and took a lovely walk with Corrie.
I worked on the D-guard, inletting for the tang and shaping the knuckle bow and the scroll.