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Scott Roush
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PostPosted: Tue 21 May, 2013 1:44 pm    Post subject: 'Craobh'... a two-hander         Reply with quote

I posted a video a while back but here it is in it's essentially finished form. Still have a bit of cosmetics on the pommel. It is based on the Irish two-handed ring swords but has more of a Danish blade. It is 3 pounds (1.4 kg) with a 4 inch balance point. The blade is 34 inches (86 cm) long and forged from 200 layers of 15n20/1095 in a random 'wood grain' pattern. The total length is 50 inches. There is a copper 'seppa' and then old wrought iron for the guard and pommel. The pommel was a fitting from a Lake Superior steamboat wreck. The grip is wire brushed wenge. All elements have a wood grainy theme hence the name in Irish gaelic.. Craobh or 'The Branch'. It is nice that the word also means victory.













This will be available for display and purchase at the Atlanta Blade show at the end of this month.

http://www.bigrockforge.com
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Bryan W.





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PostPosted: Tue 21 May, 2013 3:47 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

This isn't in my usual range of interest but man that pattern on the blade looks stunning. Good work Scott.

Did you consider sprucing up the handle more? Or would that take away from the rest of the piece?
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Myrick J. Hethington




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PostPosted: Tue 21 May, 2013 4:23 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

wow! Is it just me or does that look like a FAST sword to anybody else?? Surprised
"The name of the sword sayd the lady is Excalibur,that is as muche to say it cuts stele."
Sir Thomas Malory,Le Morte Darthur.1485
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Matthew P. Adams




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PostPosted: Tue 21 May, 2013 6:48 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

You have an eye for proportion that is rare in modern makers. Many times a guard looks short or a pommel to small. Everything in this sword looks "right". And that's before accounting for the way you can harmonize the grain structure of dissimilar materials. Stunning.
"We do not rise to the level of our expectations. We fall to the level of our training" Archilochus, Greek Soldier, Poet, c. 650 BC
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Scott Roush
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PostPosted: Tue 21 May, 2013 6:49 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Myrick.. it is fast! It has a little 'jump' when you first pick it up. I love swords like this.

Bryan I did consider and AM considering.. but anything I think of just keeps seeming superfluous because the geometry of the grip is so nice for indexing and feel. Wire wraps don't work unless I file in some grooves. Otherwise the wire would ride high across the ridge and over the hollows. (The grip is hollow ground in case that isn't obvious).

If I do anything else it might just be some file work at the halfway point in the grip.

http://www.bigrockforge.com
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Eric W. Norenberg





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PostPosted: Tue 21 May, 2013 10:21 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Little bit of a Swedish accent there too, in that wide curving guard. If the ends were curled a little more toward the hilt it would be more noticeable, but I like it as is. The curve on the guard is a bit asymmetrical, yes? Again you've hit that blend of refined and rustic that you do so well.

If the grip was longer I might also encourage some more detail there, but as it is I am not sure myself. Your work in progress shots showed a wire ring didn't they? How about a solid copper ring to match the seppa, at about the 2/5th's point down the grip from the cross? I think any wire accents might be one texture too many. I sure wish I had plane fare for Atlanta!

Nice font on the photo titling too! Ever consider what an Arts & Crafts, William Morris -inspired sword might look like?

Cheers!
Eric
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Mark Moore




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PostPosted: Tue 21 May, 2013 10:59 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Mastery of steel, with a harmonious infusion of grace and style. And....yeah....It looks fast. Beautiful piece. Beautiful..............McM
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Scott Roush
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PostPosted: Wed 22 May, 2013 3:05 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thank you for the response folks!

Matthew you and I must have posted at the same time as I didn't see your post. Thank you very much! And thank you Mark!

Eric... I played around with sort of a two part grip where their was a filed ring separating two different geometries.. but It just didn't seem right some how. And I kept thinking how nice Albion's 'Dane' looks with it's long simple grip. And interesting idea on incorporating 'arts and craft' into sword design. I haven't yet thought in those terms yet for design... utilizing any of the arts movements as inspiration. Something to think about.... hmmmmm...

edit: I just had a thought.. why not an Impressionism sword? Pastel colors throughout, mosaic damascus, you have to squint your eyes to 'see it'? :-)

http://www.bigrockforge.com
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Daniel Wallace




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PostPosted: Wed 22 May, 2013 9:44 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Surprised 3 lbs, and 50 inches, this thing must move like a lightning bolt.

one day Scott, i hope you can publish a little book with all your greatest creations, because your art is truly worthy of refocusing laypeople that steel is art just as much as it is craftsmanship.

stunning and i wish i could get my hands on it Razz
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Jean Thibodeau




PostPosted: Wed 22 May, 2013 10:04 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Really beautiful work and a wonderful blend of contrasting textures.

I know that this is in great part a " fantasy piece " ( And nothing wrong with that: Just mentioning it ) I wonder what period people would make of it ? It does look sort of magical and the metallurgy and consistency of the steel and heat treat probably better than 99% of period swords.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Scott Roush
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PostPosted: Wed 22 May, 2013 10:47 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Daniel.. I'd love to some day! With so many 'self publishing' avenues now I would at the very least like to do portfolio in book style.

Jean.. I don't mind the term fantasy. :-) I even called it that on Facebook when I first showed the video of the blade. And I immediately got comments about how folks were scared of what I was going to make! Like I've said before.. I'm a bit sad as to what the term 'fantasy' has come to represent to people in the sword world. I really believe that its the child inside of all of us that once 'fantasized' about this weapon that contributes to it's imperial status as adults. I wish I could remember the words of Stuart Branson (an amazing up and coming bladesmith in the knife world).. something to the effect that a sword is like a talisman snatched from a childhood dream. Anyway.. those are the sort of things that the term 'fantasy' means to me. But... Like I've also said before.. fantasy loses so much (to me) when it's not anchored to something in the real world. So when I have the opportunity to make a non-commissioned sword and I have no boundaries to what it will be.. then I start to fantasize about a sword from a particular culture or time period that I really want.. or wanted to exist... or more likely the kid that still resides in me wanted to exist.

As to time period... to me the ring is such a prominent aspect that in my mind I consider it an Irish ring sword... and if I'm not mistaken... late 1400s to early 1500s???

http://www.bigrockforge.com
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Jean Thibodeau




PostPosted: Wed 22 May, 2013 11:46 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Scott Roush wrote:

Jean.. I don't mind the term fantasy. :-) I even called it that on Facebook when I first showed the video of the blade. And I immediately got comments about how folks were scared of what I was going to make! Like I've said before.. I'm a bit sad as to what the term 'fantasy' has come to represent to people in the sword world. I really believe that its the child inside of all of us that once 'fantasized' about this weapon that contributes to it's imperial status as adults.


Oh, I called it " fantasy " because I remembered your'e calling it fantasy in the video of the blade.

To me fantasy isn't in itself a pejorative description and means only " not strictly historically based ".

There is also functional fantasy following good basic sword design based on historical examples but not limited to historical precedents: A lot of the bad rep associated with label fantasy swords are cheap over the top, over decorated/fussy wall hangers with rat tail tangs that would snap if one looks at the sword too hard. Wink Laughing Out Loud Cool

This is more of a " Fine Arts " sword with all the good handling and materials characteristics of a high end sword.

What this sword does as a fantasy piece is free your creativity to use textures in a visually impressive way.

And yes generally it looks like a mid 15th century longsword but would also fit perfectly into a " Lord of the Rings " type fantasy set in a 15th century similar alternate history World: And it does it very well. Cool

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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David Lewis Smith




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PostPosted: Wed 22 May, 2013 12:44 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

This is a really handsome blade and the pattern is Very dramatic.
David L Smith
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Daniel Wallace




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PostPosted: Thu 23 May, 2013 8:32 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Scott's work in general is what i would like to point to when i speak to the lay person about the art and science of blade smithing.

it's science in the way that your taking metals that do not bond in the natural world (at least for the most part you won't see welded alloys in nature) and blending them together.
the art is in the Asiatic that you have a thought out plan of how they will come together in a composition and the piece as a whole. not just the blade by itself - but the other fittings as well.
its an understanding of geometry that allows for a calculated edge to maximize cutting ability while also saving on the mass of the object. not to mention all the other contributing factors that geometry give to a blade.

weather you'd approach this work as metallurgy, art or, craftsmanship, its just a damn fine harmony of work.
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Robert Rytel




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PostPosted: Thu 23 May, 2013 12:26 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Scott Roush wrote:
Bryan I did consider and AM considering.. but anything I think of just keeps seeming superfluous because the geometry of the grip is so nice for indexing and feel. Wire wraps don't work unless I file in some grooves. Otherwise the wire would ride high across the ridge and over the hollows. (The grip is hollow ground in case that isn't obvious).

If I do anything else it might just be some file work at the halfway point in the grip.


Dude... Do not change a thing. Looks awesome just how it is.

If you want something different, make another one Big Grin
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Scott Roush
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PostPosted: Fri 24 May, 2013 4:22 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thanks again for the kind comments!

Jean.. sorry to rant so strongly on my soapbox. I was just annoyed about the negative comments I got on Facebook about 'fantasy'. But yes.. it sounds like you have a good healthy perspective on the term!

I appreciate your comments Daniel... What you are talking about is stuff that is very important to me. I have so much to learn from a detail perspective in this craft... but I always hope that the bottom line of the sword will be something that has scientific and engineering level performance and construction combined with elements that call back to antiquity... tied together with elegant lines and proportion.

Thanks David!

Robert.. yes I decided not to change anything. Although I have added some small copper nails to hold the twisted wire in place at the grip/pommel junction. It seems to be just the right touch.

I will try to get some detail pictures up soon as the copper peening block wasn't complete at the time of those pictures....

http://www.bigrockforge.com
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Jean Thibodeau




PostPosted: Fri 24 May, 2013 5:41 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Scott Roush wrote:
Thanks again for the kind comments!

Jean.. sorry to rant so strongly on my soapbox. I was just annoyed about the negative comments I got on Facebook about 'fantasy'. But yes.. it sounds like you have a good healthy perspective on the term!



No need to be sorry, I didn't take " The Rant " as addressed to my comments ( And I understood your frustration), and it gave the opportunity to support your views about " Good " fantasy designs that only need to be differentiated from accurate to period designs as being as valid, but different in design intent.

The only issues I see would be a fantasy sword " by accident " where someone was really intending to make or commission for a historical sword, or a fantasy sword being passed off erroneously as historical.

I think this sword is a fantastically successful " modern " sword based on period functionality and being " a real sword " not confined by the objective being to make a strictly historical sword: As beautiful as this sword is, it also is designed as if one's life depended on it being a weapon one would have confidence in a period fight.

Also, it's not a mishmash of clashing aesthetics of a badly designed fantasy sword that used visually incompatible elements: Just for example imagine a gladius styled handle/pommel with a rapier complex guard and a katana blade would be a horrific nightmare fantasy sword even if all the parts where individually well crafted and it handled correctly. Wink Laughing Out Loud

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Chad Arnow
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PostPosted: Fri 24 May, 2013 10:58 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

And this is what i love about this site: the diversity. Happy

Scott,
You have a clear artistic vision and love of surface texture(s) that makes your work so distinctive. There are some makers whose work is recognizable and identifiable from a mile away; yours is among those. This doesn't mean they're all the same, not at all; rather, they have a unity of craft and vision to them that is wholly yours.

My own tastes run far more to the historical, so I don't know if I'd add something like this to my collection, but I love how much you delve into and own the look and feel your stuff has. It's art, man, art. Happy

Happy

ChadA

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Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz




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PostPosted: Fri 24 May, 2013 6:18 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I gotta agree with Mr. Arnow, there ...

JT as well ...

Mr. Roush, like Mr. A wrote, your work is distinctive. Very cool. Said something
similar once before, about axes I think ...and I for one among the many TRULY
enjoy the effort you take to show it being done by photographing the process and
results ... ( I will say I'm not that thrilled with the hilt, but that's just me ... )

For what its worth, I've given some thought to the idea of what may categorize
any sword as a " fantasy sword " ... There are likely some very strange looking
sword-like objects based on equally strange stories, or someone's vision, or
whathaveyou. And they may function quite well, just as a " sword " is meant to ...
Anyway, I kinda ramble ...

But in my mind, just me as far as I know, I kinda think EVERY sword EVER
made started as a " fantasy sword " ... If you follow me.

Keep up the wonderful work, sir.
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Chad Arnow
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PostPosted: Fri 24 May, 2013 6:57 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz wrote:
I gotta agree with Mr. Arnow, there ...


Quit calling me mister. Makes me feel old. Happy

Happy

ChadA

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