I want to know when Vince is coming out with some more spears. I was blown away by the one on his table in Atlanta this year. A spearhead might even be in my price range :D

Just gorgeous. I'd imagine however, that, as nice as the photographs are, one has to actually handle the sword, and inspect the fine details to really appreciate the man's skill....sigh perhaps one day I'll have the opportunity. A beautiful sword.

Very Nice work! I never liked These kind of swords but this is an exception. I love this grip and horn grips in general...But those poor animals! The pattern welding is very interesting. I particularly like the pommel detail. Does anyone know what construction method Vince uses?

If you're refering to how the hilt components are secured to the blade............................

If Vince has used the historic method, and I'm sure he has, the end of the tang has been peened over the upper guard. You'll notice a plate between the pommel cap and the upper guard: I'd guess that Vince peened the tang over that. The pommel cap was then pinned in place over the top of the peened tang.

I was talking for sum 3 hours last night with Vince and of course the subject of this piece came up !

One of the things that I assumed was rather a simple deal turned out to be something a little more involved !

He explained that historically the rings on these style hilts were typically hollow, not solid , and that his recreation also incorporates this feature ! (so Mac's gears start turning .... how ?)
He actually made his hollow ring by dishing out 2 pieces of silver, of washer shape, and brazed it together !
* A technique he'd learned from his blacksmith dad, Bill !
(yeah, here I am thinking it was a simple chunk of metal drilled & ground ......good grief Charlie Brown ! ;-)

Also too .....
He told me that the guard and pommel on his hilt are also dished to accept the horn inserts which set in to them !
So it's not like he just slapped a piece of cheese in the sandwich ;-)

Yup, alot more than meets the eye here ! Quite the sword indeed, Mac

Hey Mac...

Thanks for relating the info... Very interesting!

Those guys must have really liked their swords blade heavy to go out of their way to lighten a hilt that needed to be heavier to balance the blade. Or maybe they were just pinching pennies and trying to save a little silver that would never be seen on the inside. Here is a picture that shows hollow guards on a Migration sword.

ks

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from “Das Zweischneidige Schwert Der Germanischen Volkerwanderungszeit” by Elis Behmer Stockholm 1939.

WOW Kirk !
That top guard really tickle my brain. :eek: :D :cool:

I got to see another piece that Vince has made for Blade Show West, and heard about a couple of others !
(sorry guys, no hints for now .... I'm cruel, I know ;-)
But if you live anywhere in the vacinity it would be worth your while to get to the show and see these babies first hand ..... and if your lucky enough and have the extra $bucks$, ya might just walk away with something really special !

See ... Mac's not using his inside pipeline to greedily cut you guys out of new VE pieces !
Yup, selfless & noble, that's 'ol Mac alright ! ;-)

Aye, brother Steve of the VE pattern weld tribe .... "selfless & noble" for sure, but you must not forget "handsome & dapper" ;-)

I'll bet you know the one I'm coverting :-) Mac

Get a room you two ! :lol: