Abrecan

Storm in anglosaxon, is the name of the 6th century spear head i forged for my good customer. He came with the idea of old pagan saxon spears with interesting profiles. While these profiles itself are very striking visualy and very interestin deviation from the norm, I immediatly started to think how this will look done in wrought iron, where you can literaly see how the hammer formed red hot metal. The strings of materials follow the lead of the smiths hand and tell the story of its birth.
The spearhead is of the type used in early saxon England, it has fullered blade, split open socket, which is bound with a bronze binding ring, bearing ornamentation in Salin I animal style. In this case, beastman is crawling around the socket circumference .
The spear head is also a part of bladesmithing narrative project I collaborate on with great poet Myles Mulkey. He had realy hit the right feeling with this one.
 It speaks about times when the safe world was ending at the willage fence, where the fire lit meadhall was symbolising ancestry, pride, continuity and safety. And if you happened to face the unknown horrors of outer world, to watch for danger and protect your folk, you would love to have an ashen shaft to grasp and a cloud grey spearhead bound with the ring, as you are bound to your lord

In a high hall     there was happy feasting.

Waiting outside,     a watchman stood guard.

He knew not     what night-lurkers stalked him,

wretched raiders     borne on roaring seas,

or greedy beasts     with gaping maws,

but he felt no fear,     fiery of heart,

for in his hand     he held Abrecan.

That doom of men     was decked with a ring,

the price of his promise,     pledged to his lord.

He regarded that gift     greater than silver,

and burned or buried,     he would bear it with him.