Head opener

Or Haufuthupnari  in Old Norse is my newest creation. A single edged sword with H type pommel ornamented in Borre style. I dont want to write here about how and from which materials i created the sword, i would more like to write about the spirit of the piece.
Sword is  powerful statement. Its of course a weapon, tool of grim trade but its also a symbol, a beginning of a story or a hero of one. With this one, i wanted to make a true companion, something trustworthy, what is not embelished or ornamented because you want to show of, but as a representation of the relationship of the warrior and his sword. Is it something he was given by his lord as reward? Did he win it in a fight? did it passed from father to son? This is where i aimed, not the stark military sword for interchangeable soldier, not a high class weapon of Jarl made to order after the latest fashion. Somewhere in between, where you fight but still come home and plough your land and brew your beer.

The name represents not only the obvious physiological meaning but also a learning experience for me.

Myles came up gain with great story  in this poem

Spring Ring

During winter, i had hard time to write my blog, but i feel it will change with spring coming. The nature is still pretty much chained in icy bonds,

but you can feel warmer days are around the corner. I currently work on big project that i will post about later, but i managed to spare sme free time to carve this little ring.

Its a Dwarven mourning ring, made to commemorate fallen friends and heroes in fierce battles with orcs and dragons. Unlike most of Dwarven made stuff, its made out of organic material - in this case a troll tooth. I think it represents the fact that the forge and furnace are off and without the living flame.
Have the most beautiful spring time and await a new post soon

Fiddle in Trewhiddle

As i wrote before, i really love to work within the boundaries of old art styles, mainly those of our germanic ancestors, i must  alsoadmit that i find a strange pleasure to explore those styles which are a bit less popular then notorious Jelling and Urnes style. There was already a post about the Salin I and II styles, this time i would like to write a little more about my work in Trewhiddle style.
The style is named by a hoard of silver objects found in Cornwall and its a native style of Britain of 9th century. The main body of works in this style is engraved silver with lines filed with niello. I believe that after the previous styles, displaying bold lines in glittering gold, it had to have a intricate and delicate impact on the wiever. The efect is in fact almost tender.

The technique the artist used in antiqity to lay out the design is somewhat you dont see often on todays inspired works. Todays artist and craftsmen just copy a motive and use it on a surface where they think it might fit. Its indeed possible in most styles, but its not easy in any of them. Trewhiddle as many other styles used panneling of the surface of the object, in my opinion to avoid the problem with tying the design over the endless surfaces of cylindrical objects or large spaces of round brooches. In those pannels wee animals were squeezed, legs and wings foldes around fragile bodies.


Here is an example of the seax pommel in the style i made some weeks ago

and this one is small handseax with treqwhiddleish beasts

 these two pictures show my work in trehiddle style in organic materials, the form of the beasts is not the same but they surely are a same family of beasts.

exploring these old styles gives you a wonderfull insight to a mental world and working habits of ancient craftsmen.
Thanks for your patience and if you have urge please comment or ask.

Handmade world

Hello! Long time no post, but not because i had not anything to say! On the contrary, i have several ideas in my mind, so probably there will be a more frequent posting. This post will be unusual a bit, because it features not only my work, but also work of other amazing art and craft folk.

In past few years i develepod desire to fill my daily life with handmade object, instead of machine made ones. It came from the deep love of items made by actual people. To be able to observe the print of their personalities in the object. Its the way how i can communicate with other creative beings, even when i am alone. I want to introduce you to my daily companions and their makers.

First picture shows a pocket knife i made for myself from end of the seax billet and pieces of scrap, but in the front you can see my most recent addittion - corkscrew by my friend and amazing maker Jeff Helmes. The handle is also a case where you can screw the screw in :-)

Here is my cutlery i use whenever i can. A soup bowl and coffee mug made by Mr. Sršeň here in Czech republic. What i love about those, is the fact that these splashes of black are in fact pieces of iron melted into the surface. Also there is a salt shaker i made some weeks ago and  foldable tablespoon mady by my friend Hloh. The teaspoon is made partialy by me and by Hloh again. Its a socket construction

These days its good to stay warm, so i have these fingerless gloves and wollen cap, made by my lovely wife in naalbiding technique. The blues scarf is present from Mrs. Longmire, a wife of my great Tennessee smith friend.

You can realize the quality of handmade object in every step, quite literaly in these boots made by my friend from six years old Benjamin Hrubeš. The toggle is mady from horse hoof, which i found lovely appropriate. Shoes are pictured together with a belt he also made for me, featuring the antler carved bucke i made for the project.

 Last but not least, here is a sketchbook, handbound and painted by my amazing artist friend Hela Rosova. I hope that spirit of her work will help me drawing the ideas for new work.

These were just some of my daily companions, everyday using of objects made by hands of individual person, with the love and understanding of the craft has unspoken warmth, which can be hardly provided by stuff stamped in one of Sarumans machines.

Hand make your world!
Hloh - http://knivesbyhloh.blogspot.cz/
Jeff Helmes - http://www.jeffhelmes.com/
Hela Rosova - http://hellanim.deviantart.com/
Benjamin Hrubeš - http://www.diebooted.com/
Mr. Sršeň - http://www.fler.cz/martin-srsen

Forth Eorlingas! I

The idea came to me while polishing a handle of a knife for another project, as this operation usualy consumes a tiny bit of brain capacity, i am allowing my imagination to go free.
I was tempted for a long time to make another Tolkien inspired piece, most likely Rohan. I also like to make spears, and finaly i am tempted to make a dragonslaying weapon. It melted to an idea to create the grave goods of Rohan hero Fram, son of Frumgar, who slayed the great dragon Scatha.
Here is the first picture od what grave furniture might look like

 i want to make few more fibulas, a blowing horn and maybe a cremation urn. These goods are supposed to be kept in Meduseld treasury.
This will be a long term project which might even fail during the journey, because i will try to scrap some time to work on this, unless some of you, gentle reades, wants to commission this and be a proud owner of genuine artwork, dedicated to a forgoten hero
I already started with a small item, a tunic fastening brass brooch. As you can see, i am about to invent (or as Tolkien would say re-invent) the style which will fit Rohan way of life. I will faithfuly base this on anglosaxon material culture, because i think it fits and i think mister Tolkien would approve.

the fibula is about 40 milimeters long

Arifjoðr - Eagle feather

Here is the other one from those two i wrote about. Much more complex piece and i believe one of my better works. It represents my idea of war knife of mighty warlord from 6th century Sweden. The owner would surely belong to a  local aristocracy, because the knife is pretty richly ornamented, and because it bears motives in Salin II animal style, which is believed to be a style of ruling class.

I also went for slightly aged look to emphasize germanic fascination with old and proven. The weapon, same as friend is best tested by the tooth of time and storm of the battle.

Its very interesting that while the blades are pretty plain in this time on seaxes, the sheaths are often more laborous then the weapon itself. so i tried to go for this look too.

In next few days the Eagle feather will travel to its new homestead, leaving me a bit sad for its leaving but rich for the experience earned in working on this and the shalow but valuable insight in the world of germanic aristocracy of Vendel period sweden

Of course, Myles did great job on poem on this one, so by reading it (do it aloud, its the way these are meant to be read) it will stay with me till the end of my time.

Shivering birches
shook in the wind
while raiders ran
to wreck their target.
They burned the gate
and gained their entry,
but waiting for them
was a wall of shields,
and in the middle stood
a mighty hersi.
He held his war-knife
high and aloft,
its grip alive
with livid monsters,
its eager edge
aiming forwards.
“I am an eagle
with this icy feather.
Through this battle
it will bear me swiftly
to catch you fish
and carry you off.
In coming here,
you have caused your doom.”
The fighting was fierce
but the foes were beaten,
and songs were sung
in celebration
under graven gables,
glad to be whole.

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.