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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
it's so pretty it makes me feel good in my special places...lol
man i need to get an apprenticeship as a blacksmith! can't wait!
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Thanks. Be careful of your special places around the anvil.
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in what way the special places? or the blacksmithin?
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Congrats to the DD!
It is very beautiful, indeed, and suddenly I feel very proud to be from the northern Europe!
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Thanks so much again. Someday I may get to come to Sweden.
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No problems 
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Ahhh yes. Here the rainy season runs from October through April, and it rains nearly every day in June, but not very hard.
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you talent and patience are extraordinary!!
you deserved this DD!!
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That's what all the girls say.
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Beautiful craftsmanship. You even have the Volknut on the back of the axe. Is it made for full contact?
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Holy Axe!
Damn, great work! Awesome!
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Nice work. 
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Thanks; there are still a few of us left doing that sort of thing. How was the fire-crew work?
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Wow, what beautiful work! I would love to have something like this to hang on my wall. Thank you for sharing how it was created too!
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Thanks again. It is for sale, but not cheap.
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Love your work! It's stunning!
How do you find your spiritual animal?
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You may already have an affinity with your animal spirit and not yet know it. Others around you may already know, but of course they can't tell you. The traditional way of going about finding out is a bit harsh. When I was young I was told that I should go to one of the ancient power places, and not to several others, and do the ritual. It involved making a circle on the ground and not leaving it except to piss. I was to stay there fasting and if possible not sleeping, while praying for my animal spirit guide to make itself evident. No food, few cloths, just water, and a small fire if it was cold. I do not recommend this ritual unless you have someone who has already done it to help you prepare for a year or two before hand.
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Ah, and I know no one who has done such.
I am sure the animal spirit will find me eventually. I think a good place to stay for awhile even if it isn't a ritual is at my grandparents. They have a large piece of land with woods and there is a large pond where I always feel calm at when I visit it. Maybe I can look there for answers.
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It seems to me that the best answer is often to simply be with nature whatever the question was.
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Ah, comforting then.
I feel confused some days because I seem to have different moods, Some days I feel like a cat, and other days I feel kind of... birdish. If that makes any sense oWo;
And I always have strange instances with animals. Like being told that a certain animals hates people, but it will let me pet it. Well, I hope I find my animal, It'd make me feel a little more complete. and less lost.
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Really great work.
I remember when I learned about the Sutton Hu ship burial. Your work is a total reminder of that.
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This is beautiful and so finely crafted. It has such precision, I'd guess it to be machine made. But of course, it's too unique.
I am a metalsmithing BFA, and so I have some inkling of the process and the toil, though I only did a few stints of blacksmithing. I can only imagine how many hours it to you.
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It was all the inlay that took the time.
BFA from where?
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southern Illinois University Edwardsville. With Paulette Myers
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I've heard good things. I worked as the blacksmith for the art metal dpt. at the University of Oregon, making all sorts of tools, but got married and never finished school.
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that is the most gorgeous thing ive ever seen, you didnt happen to take photos as you made it.. along with written instructions as to how to do each step, did you? lol
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No in process photos, but I recommend the chapter on inlay in The Art of Engraving.
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hm, thanks 
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There are not too many good resources on the topic of inlay work, and many books are really quite misleading. But the basic scheme is that you cut grooves that dovetail so that they are wider in the bottom, and then make wire of soft metal such as pure silver that are just big enough to fill the grooves when they are punched down into the surrounding metal. It takes a bit of getting used to, but after that it is just a matter a lot of time cutting.
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I have the sword you made fav'd as well. You do great metalwork. I would like to see your future works.. maybe a broadsword or claymore of some sorts... or maybe a bastard sword. At any rate, I really like how you embedded the silver into the ax's surface. It adds an 'olden' feel to it. good piece, keep it up.
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Thanks; I'm very happy with the ax, though I don't have any swords in my gallery.
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yea, I realized that after I posted. x_x It was by another metal worker. srry for the confusion, but nonetheless, the ax is well done. I only looked at the head of the ax when I commented, but I looked at the haft afterwards. I like the design on it as well.
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In some ways I like the wood carving part the best, but that may be because I'm a metalworker, and the wood seems more challenging, or maybe it just didn't take as long.
Thanks though.
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yup, no problem. Metal working is an arduous task because you have to work in the heat and fold the metal over and over.. that is.. if you do it the traditional way.
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