Two more off the bench

[Doug Lester]

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Coffin handled dagger with brass guard and copper collar. OAL is 8.5" with a 4.25" blade, 1.25" wide and 1/8" thick at the ricasso. The handle is satin wood with a mosaic pin. It was a challenge. I started it when I was living in Virginia about three years ago but had trouble forging the outline. After I got set back up here in Illinois I was able to get everything straightened out with the help of a guillotine tool. I managed to break off two inches off the end trying to straighten it and had to regrind the point. Even the handle gave me fits. I first made a couple of efforts to make a bollock style handle but lost in on the carving and then for some reason I had problems mounting the blade straight to the handle. Finally made it on the fifth attempt.

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Went for a frontier look on this one. OAL of 10", 5.5" blade, 1.5" wide and 3/16" thick at the guard. The guard and peaning block were forged from wrought iron and browned. The handle is lignum vitae.

Doug Lester