"Amethystine" fine dagger

• Size: Length overall: 13.4" (34 cm), Blade Length: 8.5" (21.6 cm), Thickness: .188" (.48 cm)
• Weight: Knife: 1 lb, 1 oz., Sheath: 7 oz.
• Blade: 440C high chromium martensitic stainless tool steel, hollow ground, mirror finished, hand-engraved
• Fittings: 304 stainless steel guard and pommel, sterling silver ferrules and wire wrap
• Handle: Sodalite Gemstone, 304 stainless steel spacers
• Sheath: Blue Stingray Skin inlaid in hand-carved leather shoulder, nickel plated steel snaps
• Knife: This Amethystine dagger is one of the most beautiful and striking daggers I've ever made. Commissioned by a special client for his wife, and based on my "Amethystine" athame pattern, this particular dagger is a refined, classy presentation of bright silvery sterling silver and stainless steel with cool blue gemstone. I shaped the dagger blade with a tight, 3" diameter hollow grind, to preserve plenty of spine flat, and yet yield thin, accurate relief behind the extremely sharp cutting edge. The tight radius grind left a good portion of spine flat in this leaf-bladed dagger, onto which I hand-engraved intertwining leaves in a simple, clean design at the client's request. The dagger grinds are terminated at two forward guard spikes on the blade, with just a touch of vine filework on the ricasso. The blade is cleanly soldered to a milled, sculpted, and polished guard of solid 304 high nickel, high chromium austenitic stainless steel, which matches the clear, oval and solid mirror finished pommel threaded on to the hidden tang. The handle is made of black matrix Sodalite gemstone, brightly polished, interrupted with spacers of 304 stainless steel. The gemstone handle is grooved to accept five independent wraps of sterling silver twisted wire, terminated with sterling silver gallery wire and sterling silver plate ferrules. Many pieces go into a handle like this, including hidden pins, anchors, retainers, and tang segments. Total pieces in the entire knife? Exactly 40. The knife feels solid in the hand, with perfect forefinger balance just behind the guard.
• Sheath: A special sheath was needed, and my client expressed an interest in Blue Stingray skin, so I designed a sheath that would echo the leaf shapes in the 17 individually cut and shaped inlays, which are set deep into the 9 - 10 oz. black dyed leather shoulder. The leather was meticulously carved to accept the multiple inlays, which embrace the front and back of the striking sheath. I created a trio of windows in the sheath face to accent the leaf patterns on the blade, and also in the double-snapped angled cross-strap retainer, to showcase the beautiful handle. Total individual pieces to make the sheath? Try 38!
• This has to be one of my favorite pieces, destined to be cherished for generations to come, and I'm proud and thankful that my client commissioned it and with great patience, waited for its creation!

Thanks, J. V.!