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.

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

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

Here is yesterdays progress:

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:

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.

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

Scrapers for making fullers

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:

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

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

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:

More shaping on the knuckle-bow today.

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

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.

This piece has lots of hand work. I spent today shaping and polishing the thumb ring.

The outside of the thumb ring is faceted and then blended into the rounded interior to give a crisp look while not compromising comfort and function. Details like this are time consuming but pay off in the overall quality of a piece.

Finished forging the guard and the thumb ring, waiting for a steel shipment to forge the shell guard.
Here is the days progress:

Privateer Cutlass

Here is the next project I'm working on, a early 1700's cutlass.


I forged the blade about two months ago but had a couple of commissions that I needed to get done first. Here is the blade during the testing process:

Die Fledermaus

Click on the image to go to the gallery page with more pictures and the specs.

Die Fledermaus Falchion finished

I finished Die Fledermaus today, and will be taking pictures and measuring the specs. on Monday. Here a a peek at how it came out:

Another day's (actually two) progress, all stitched and carved:


The camera distorted the scabbard a bit.

Happy New Year

May the Lord bless you and yours this year.
May your forge burn bright,
And your hearth be warm and full of friends.

Happy new year from Ben and Corrie.