Swords
The History of the Sword is the History of Humanity
The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
-- Hebrews 4:12
If you're interested in the price of an authentic, well made, real custom sword, please read the section "What do your knives cost?" on my frequently asked questions page.
I make real swords. I'm not interested in making knock offs, movie swords, or copies. These are not just pretty pieces of steel hearkening back to the centuries when blades ruled the earth, but masterpieces of technical beauty, with the right balance, fit, and finish with modern technology that honors man's past. Some of my work (including the Ultimate Warrior, below) is being used by active duty military. I understand the difference between the center of gravity and the center of percussion, a pas d' ane from a quillion, cleaving angle and sweep, graduated temper and differential temper. These fine blades, hilts, and accoutrements are made with the finest modern high-tech alloys, heat treated, hardened and tempered in my custom inert gas rapid ramp controlled environment furnaces, made to the same toughness and wear resistance as my military combat knives carried by our best soldiers in the finest military in the world. I use only the finest materials and modern processes, with old world craftsmanship in gem, ivories, leathers and hardwoods.
The "White Arm" is more than the oldest, most universal and most varied of weapons, it is the only one that has lived through all time.
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Dragonslayer-The Taste of Steel Sword sculpture by Jay Fisher. This piece was made to honor Dr. Steven Rosenberg, MD., PhD., head of oncology at the National Institutes of Health. It was commissioned by Tom Clancy, world renowned author and philanthropist. It represents slaying of the black dragon of cancer, to honor Dr. Rosenberg's work in pediatric oncology. Hundreds of hours were invested in this piece. The sword and dragon sculpture are my own work, the casting of the lost wax sculpture in bronze was performed at Mesa Bronze Foundry in Kerrville Texas. The dragon weighs 400 lbs, and has a 58" wingspan. I carved the claws and feet large to represent the filaments of a cancer cell, reaching into other cells. The eyes are made of aventurine and blue tiger eye quartz. The sword represents the medical caduceus, and has a 56" blade of hardened and tempered 440c high chromium stainless tool steel, double hollow ground and mirror finished. The guard is hand-carved 304 stainless steel, 25% chromium and 8% nickel, mirror finished and hot formed into spiral snakes that wrap around the handle core. The snakes tongues are split and wrap around the sword's cutting edge. The snakes eyes are solid Australian opals, representing the manifestation of life. The core is banded red jasper and hematite, chosen to represent tissue. The pommel is stainless steel with silver bezels embracing a solid polished gem of blue obsidian, into which is engraved the medical caduceus. |
Click on the thumbnails below for enlargements.
If you're interested in the price of an authentic, well made, real custom sword, please read the section "What do your knives cost?" on my frequently asked questions page.
"The Warrior's Quill:" Fine Custom Rapier and Parrying Dagger.
True to historic form and function, this rapier incorporates modern technology with ancient design and style. The 45" long blade is 440c high chromium stainless steel, hardened with a graduated temper. The blade is springy and flexible at the tip (Rc55) and the temper graduates to high hardness and great strength at the ricasso (Rc60). The parrying dagger was traditionally carried in the other hand, and this one has a 14" blade. The blades both have a half-length cannelure which reduces weight and increases strength by forming an "I-beam" down the center of the blade. This limits lateral flexion. The blades have third-length piercework, which has several functions. One is to reduce weight without sacrificing strength, another is decorative, and the third is a bit more sinister. In days of old, the piercework was loaded with poisons, mainly rotten meat and feces, to infect the opponent, fatally. The hilt has an active Pas d' ane, which is actually a spring force distribution device that spreads shock and energy across the ricasso, the thickest, strongest part of the blade. Most historians consider these finger rings. They are wrong. The pas d' ane also has an arrangement of transfer springs to further distribute the shock energy. All the spring steel in the hilts is hand-engraved and hot blued with nitrate salts. The handles have stress-free mounts of labradorite gemstone, cut and polished for an absolutely stunning angle of display of reflected light in blues, greens and even warm reds. The play of light in labradorite is so unique that it has it's own mineralogical term: labradoressence. The pommels are fluted, carved, engraved and blued, and both have matching labradorite gemstone cabochons mounted and polished in them. The scabbards (sheaths) are made of the exotic hardwood Arririba (Canarywood) and finely finished. The sheath fittings have matching milling and hand-engraving, and are also nitrate-blued for a deep cobalt-blue color. Both blades mount on a family Coat of Arms frame, made of antiqued oak and appliquéd lacquered and anodized carved aluminum panels. The Coat of Arms was researched to be of correct historical depiction and display.
I don't know how many total hours are in this piece, but the rapier blade alone took 80 hours to grind!
Click on the thumbnails below for more pictures of this fine piece!
If you're interested in the price of an authentic, well made, real custom sword, please read the section "What do your knives cost?" on my frequently asked questions page.
The Ultimate Warrior
Here is picture of The Ultimate Warrior, a combat sword made to use in active duty modern military combat. It's made of .250" thick 440C Stainless Steel, satin brush finished, with custom engraving on the blade. The blade is hollow ground, yet thick, and particular attention and design details were incorporated into the tip, the swage, and the point. Many angles come together at once to allow a strong thrusting point, a usable center of percussion, and a proper center of balance. There are 7 inches of rabid, rip-teeth serrations. This is a real sword meant for real military use, and feels powerful, balanced, and unyielding in the hand. It has 304 Stainless Steel fittings, and is full tang for great strength, that is one solid piece of steel from tip to pommel. The pommel is "fish-tailed" to positively lock into the hands. The two-handed handle scales are dark green Alaskan nephrite jade and black jade, the toughest gem available (most resistant to breakage). The sheath (scabbard) is double layered kydex over an aluminum welt frame, which has six point suspension. Shown in the picture is the dress leather (hand-tooled) harness, and there is also a combat grade waterproof nylon harness.
If you're interested in the price of an authentic, well made, real custom sword, please read the section "What do your knives cost?" on my frequently asked questions page.
"Firewind" Wakisashi
I was inspired to make this sword after stabilizing a 16th century wakisashi for a client. This modern depiction of the wakisashi is made of hollow ground and mirror finished 440c high chromium stainless tool steel, fully fileworked and hand-engraved in a deep-relief "flame" pattern along the flats and spine. The sword has a fully engraved nickel silver habaki (ricasso frame) and pierced and engraved tsuba (guard). The handle framework is strong, hand engraved 304 stainless steel, and supports a floating (stress-free mount) overlay of prehistoric mastodon ivory inlaid with a flame pattern gemstone carving of polished Mookaite jasper gemstone. The pommel is also carved, fileworked and engraved and inlaid with a Mookaite jasper gemstone cabochon. The hard scabbard is exotic hard and polished Canarywood (Arririba), fitted with nickel silver framework hand-engraved and polished, wrapped with braided leather, and a red rayskin, hand-tooled inlayed and ringed strap. The sword feels light and fast in the hand, a formidable weapon, razor-keen.
Thumbnails: Please click to enlarge!
If you're interested in the price of an authentic, well made, real custom sword, please read the section "What do your knives cost?" on my frequently asked questions page.
Are there more swords in the works? You bet. I'll always have several that I'm working on, and I'm always interested in new orders. For details about prices, ordering, and knifemaking in general, please look at the FAQ page here. If you're interested in blades, check out the blades page here, and for some really stunning work, look at the Museum page here.
Want to see some of the steps of a sword in construction? Take a look here, at a sword I'm making for Mr. Rodgers. It's supposed to be a private page, but since you've proven your interest in sword work, I'll invite you in!
Please contact me for any inquiries!
Find out about how to order your custom knife, sword, or dagger here
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