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willofthewisp —
Ax, view3
Published: 2005-03-21 06:59:47 +0000 UTC; Views: 20143; Favourites: 611; Downloads: 282
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Description
These three pictures are of differnt views of a large inlaid ax, made of steel, and ashwood, and decorated with silver. The patterns on the head were made by carving out channels in the steel, and then cutting them to a dovetail crossection, so that they are wider at the bottom than at the top. I then drew out silver wire to a thickness that would just fit into the channels. Fitting each piece of wire into position, I drove the silver into the channels, so as to cause it to spread out into the dovetail, and become perminantly atached. After all the pattern was so worked I filed and sanded the surface and hafted the ax with a handel I carved from an ash log. The designs are inspired by the inlay work of northern Europe in the 10th and 11th centuries.Related content
Comments: 282
Elegant. It looks very tribal or mystical.
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congrats on your DD! 
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Thanks. Nice hammer you have there; Peddinghaus 300g. if I'm not mistaken.
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you mean in my ID? not a Peddinghaus, and it's 400g [link]
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aye, 'tis been a good tool for me
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mmm, Celtic. Beautiful job and design!
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Actually Norse, but thanks.
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Oops. Well, it's beautiful anyways! You're welcome.
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Thanks, I do a lot of Irish stuff too, but ofter pre-Celtic.
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Web site too.
[link]
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hmm, I should check your gallery out....
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Wow, that is incredable! I like the inlay designs, and I just like axes in general. This is fantastic.
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cool, the designs on it are celtic right?
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Last spring I worked out the flanged torc process, and I'm setting up to make more mock-ups of the bronze tools involved. A few years ago a friend of mine down in Co. Wicklow, near Rathdrum figured out how those ribbon torcs were made, and the amazing thing there is that they simply used deer antlers for the forming tools. I can't wait for my next chance to get to Kildare St. for more research.
Cheers.
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That sounds like interesting and awesome work you do I would like it very much for you to keep me updated on it if you would? I mean if you wouldnt mind. the ancient cultures fascinate me and I love to learn new things. you have fun with your research friend.
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Send me an email at my regular account, and I will send you some of the sketches, and snapshots of some experiments in progress. bill.metalsmith@gmail.com
Cheers.
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I sent you an email there I can't wait to hear more from you my friend, by the way is your name Bill?
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It is. Bill Dawson in fact, just like in the story about Will of the Wisp, the lazy blacksmith who cheated the devil. I find it amusing since my first job at university was as a blacksmith, and since then I have always worked in metal related trades. I got your email, and will send you a response in the next few days.
Cheers.
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I see, well those two ancient cultures have some similarities
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They do indeed, though I am currently most interested in the pre-Celtic cultures from the middle Bronze Age in Ireland. Amazing metalwork, and there is so much yet to be discovered about it.
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That is true, ancient Ireland, Scotland and Egypt are my passions. But I agree that the age you speak of is indeed a fascinating one!.
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I'm pretty fond of it too.
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Not any more. I am getting too old and battered to do it all the time, but I still keep a small smithy to make tools for myself, and I do a load of smaller metalwork.
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the mammen type axe... you're a skillful artisan
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Thanks. This one was the third attempt, and the one that really works.
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oh wow. i love the detail in the blade!
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Moves like anything too.
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