The new sheath for Gládhustrók

 I figured one thing: A Viking bling sheath looks great. It´s even a comfortable carry around the camp or the fair. It keeps the blade securely in, it´s very sturdy and simply looks great. But there are distinct disadvantages. It´s a bit clumsy when dangling from your belt. If you have to move through the thicket, it gets stuck to branches and thorns, adds heft to movements to which you are not accustomed. In martial training it can compromise your movements. So it´s better to keep any weight close to your body, and any accelerated mass as little as possible. Since our ancestors were no complete idiots, I strongly suggest that those sheaths found in the burials were especially made for special representative occasions, such as one´s own burial, for instance;-). Vikings seem to have been quite the show-offs. But then they certainly could in the first place. But they were no tarts, either. Surviving in a world where you can´t simply buy fast food just over the street, where you had to work hard for your welfare means you need knowledge or you´d die. So it was well esteemed to be skilled, and someone who did not have enough skills was called "ósnotr madhr", "mind-challenged man" (I refer to the Eddic strophes in the Hávamál).

Men had to be skilled in martial arts, crafts and arts, knowledge and cunning. One was estimated far higher for cunning than mere fighting prowess, and it is a mistake to assume Vikings would storm a city if they could help it. Recently this prejudice was fed again in the media...:-/ (I refer to this TV production, whatsitcalled, you know, the one with the underwear model in a starring role and that Taekwondo gurrl with the steel boobies that can actually bend a round shield... or wait, was the shield maybe not made from wood, but hard foam?*ggg*...).

So one can safely assume, that, when working and hunting or even "raiding":-P, Viking men would not actually carry that much bling looking like a chrismas tree, but a more subdued attire.

I made a more simple sheath for actual working with this knife due to my experiences with a bling sheath, and I want to ask the question if Vikings actually wore them in battle or when working or if they used a more subdued and maybe more practical kit. I know that the custom in Norway even today is to have one finely made knife for special formal occasions and one for hard working in the woods. I will do some further research on the topic. Maybe I just messed up with my interpretation, and other people have different experiences, too.

Anyway, I made a simple sheath, with a "classical" belt loop. This fact posed another question: Since there is no archaeological evidence for a sturdy belt loop, I asked myself, why this was the case. The line of thinking around the advantages of a sturdy belt loop centers around the fact that this way a knife is easier to draw with one hand. It requires a sturdy base in a wide belt. All this adds up to a picture where a knife user sees an advantage in having
a) the possibility to draw the knife with one hand.
b) a firm and sturdy mounting on the belt
This leads to assuming that
a1) the user needs the other hand to work with
a2) the user needs the other hand to aid in different actions, maybe a defensive movement
b1) a fixature of the hips and lower back support or keeping the weight close to the body
b2) a sturdy base to draw fast.

The layout of a sturdy belt loop is especially popular with hunting knives, but also fighting knives, so much in fact that many modern sheaths are made from Kydex(TM). A flexible mounting, as with many Saami knives and most bushcraft knives, has the advantage to aid in some movements and when sitting down. That way the handle will not constantly poke into your ribs. It´s more comfortable.

My theory now goes towards a different reception of knives in general. For personal defence and attack people in the Viking age used an axe, a long seax, a spear and shield. Rare are the documents that actually hint of the use of a knife as a weapon. I can remember one saga, but have forgotten the title (I think it was in Grettir´s or Hrolf Kraki´s saga, but am not sure), where the protagonists are assaulted at a feast. It was customary to store the weapons at the clothing room, except for the table knives, which often were highly decorated. The assaulted guests in the saga had to defend themselves with their cutlery, and this was considered shameful.

Even if a sword is suspended from a belt chain, it can easily be drawn with one hand, and it even more so goes for polearms like axe or spear. A seax, however, is a different matter. It can be a bit of a bummer to get a seax carried at the back suspended from two flexible loops out fast and smoothly enough to draw and cut in one fluent motion, which is crucial for fighting.

So I think knives were seen as tools. They even had a  pseudo - ritualistic character, for they were by nature playing a pivotal role at the feast, which was considered as sacred. The receptions of an afterlife in the often ill-received Valhóll (Valhalla) being an eternal feast give testament to this. The handles of those knives found are often decorated with concentric circles (a most ancient ornament dating back to the Neolithic age), zoomorphic or anthropomorphic or simple knotwork ornaments, triangles and other geometric decoration, which one could easily interpret as having an apotropaeic function due to many consistent ethnographic comparisons. Even in the 20th century ethnological field research documented many customs in Finland involving a Puukko serving this function. This function, however, was not generated by the use as a weapon or the cutting ability, but by the material aspects of the artefact. It was iron itself, as the story in the Kalevala, the Finnish National epic poem indicates. Iron (Rauta) had a soul, and "väkirauta" was the "folk of iron" invocated in many forms of agricultural magic. In early Christian Germany, up to the 20th century, the knife fulfilled many aspects of a feasting ritual,  especially in giving thanks before the meal to God.

I personally think now, that it is safe to assume, that if the Vikings deemed the feast as such a kind of ritual service (compare giving thanks before the meal), that the richly decorated knives were carried at the feast to be used as a maybe not even structural, but essential tool. This is of course a commonplace, since the host did not provide for cutlery in that time, so you needed a knife to cut the meat and for eating in general. Quite certainly they were not seen as weapons, and it was seen as a last-ditch resolve, if not a shame to use a knife for defending oneself.

So back to the sheath. It´s a modern approach, then. To me it´s more practical (and not because I need it for fighting;-), whoever thinks a knife fight is romantic has never really thought about it and might want to get a good psychotherapist). I also have tried something new that Willi brought up and Nick inspired me to: I used to use water soaking for modelling and reinforcing, but have tried to do this with pure alcohol (Pure Ethanol, Spiritus). That way you don´t have to add layers of duct tape to the blade that gets thrown away afterwards, it dries far quicker and makes for a more controlled soak when modelling. Then I added three soaks of a mixture of spirit alcohol, beeswax and linseed oil before heat-waxing it to a firm and sturdy sheath that actually locks around the handle. I personaölly like it... 

On the bench;-)

 Some more steel lying on the bench, er the cloth, that is;-), a Birka kitchen and snack knife, with scrollwork, torsion work and enhraving / stamping, a little somewhat something someone ordered;-), a flat chisel for detail work on ram´s heads, dragon heads and the like, and a hollow chisel / half circle stamp for engraving. Tempered spring steel all, with the top slightly hardened on the stamps and chisels.

 The torsion work on the knife.

 Stamping went not so well on one side...

 I choose a moderate spine thickness of 3,5 mm on the knife.

And the in riverso perspective with a slightly better stamping. The knife was just for practicing after all;-).

New Birka style knife with handle...

I tried something new in this knife. The blade had been lying around for some time now. It is made from crucible steel I found in the woods, and I fitted a piece of stag antler into the handle, with no glue whatsoever. Blade´s 100x3 mm with a selective temper and a quench line. Was quite difficult to fit the piece into the handle, but I managed. And mistreating the knife, I can now say it can take quite a beating!

...like...*gg*

Another day in the smithy;-)

 On Tuseday I went to Volker´s place to have our argument;-) and to solve some problems, and got the opportunity to at last do some projects of my own... and I came across some new goodies by Viktor and Volker. The hearts and the snails and snakes are Volker´s work, the knives are by Viktor, out of mild steel, DOH! He just made them to tutor Volker how to do it, so no harm done, really, for I know what he´s capable of doing normally;-).

 I made a leaf-handled Birka knife and a BBQ fork with a ram´s head as a gift for my other boss;-). Also I tempered the seax knife up front. The knives are made from spring steel with a carbon content of about 0,75%. I find I use this steel more and more. I could do something more fancy, but always return to this kind of steel for various reasons. It takes a good and serviceable temper of about 58-61 degrees Rockwell, is very tough and easy to work with, which is good when you want to do some more complex decorations such as leaves, ram´s or dragon heads and the like.

 The knife is not ground at all. When it´s done, it will see less than 1 % stock removal. This minimizes adverse effects from heat buildup when grinding, leaves a protective layer of ferrum oxide on the blade and gives a no-frills appearance. Also I find that the steel is refined by doing more forging.The blade is tempered selectively, the handle is coated with oil and the oil burnt while annealing.

The fork has a ram´s head. I made it from mild steel, which is work-hardened in the tips. No grinding whatsoever, nor power tools involved other than the ventilation on the forge. The handle of the knife also has a countertorsion I even like for a change;-).

A handful of summer

 Earlier this month I set out to collect what nature had on offer and really enjoyed the sun. It was a random walk along the river and into the woods. I found redcaps, boletus, willow herb, stinging nettle...

 ... a seagull some 450 km inlands from the sea(-weird!)....

 marianberries,

 ...wild plum....

 ..bramble berries and blossom at the same time... blossom and leaves I took for tea.

 St. John´s wort for tea and body oil, more willow herb...

 ...and on and on the trail it took me to great scenery.

 I also took out my new Birka knife to give you a better photo than the lousy one from the smithy.

 The hámon came along nicely....

 This is wild carrot (daucus carota carota, in German: Wilde Möhre), indeed. Please be very careful when collecting this, for it bears close resemblance to posion hemlock. Also should you handle the leaves with care, for they can cause phytophotodermatitis (burns). The root of this plant can be harvested while still young. This one was too woody to eat.

 The red blotch in the middle of the flower hints you have the right one.

 The leaves.

 The seeds.

 And a little bug...;-)

 I came by this old wasp hive. It always amazes me how delicate and architecturally defined those fellows build their homes!

 I really took in the peace under the radiant trees, and I breathed in deeply.

 Honey-coloured agaric...

And then I found this wild pig shinbone.

It was another pleasant and radiant day under green leaves, and I came back with quite a loot and peace in my heart.

Hammer In in the Industriemuseum Ennepetal-Enter the Dothoppers;-)

 On the first Sunday of this month there was a hammer-In again in the Industriemuseum Ennepetal smithy. This time I did not much forging myself, and the reason was a most pleasant one. Willi was there, of course, and this was great in itself. Willi, it´s always a pleasure you are a difficult co - worker;-), and no irony intended. You make me a better smith and a better human.

Then Mark and Gesa with little Erik came by. Gesa has been a good friend for ages, and we shared a lot of laughs and tears and trail runs through the underbrush;-). Gesa is another great person, a mother with three children, and a victor over many blows of fate. Mark, her husband, once was my boss;-) as a master mason and always wanted to talk me into becoming a mason myself and to mess with the wrong kind of housewives, gah!*ggg* He is another beloved friend of mine. Unfortunately, they have moved to the utter North of Germany, and I have a flatland allergy;-). Little Erik was content to simply sit silently in the smithy and watch on. I went on with my forgework, for on the way to the smithy I had found an ancient piece of steel that wanted to become a knife. My plans were interrupted, for suddenly I looked up from my work and looked into the eyes of the most beloved person in my life.

Silently, smilingly, she stood there, accompagnied by the Dothoppers Erika and Hans-Jürgen - Drui. My gentle, intelligent, beautiful, skilled, tough, soft, hard, and always creative and productive Drui. I nearly fell arse over tit, I can tell you! So, I set aside my work and set to work on the Dothopper´s projects. Erika forged a bottle opener "for band use"*ggg*, and Hans - Jürgen made a scrollwork pendant. My Drui made a tiny fibula, so tiny in fact that you have to hold your breath not to inhale it*ggg* but insanities like that I am accustomed to when she is concerned*ggg*. My deep respect for a first try like that!

 It was a real joy to work together. This is something I value most in our relationship: That it does not end when the going gets tough. That we can have fun together, even when life´s a sucker encore un fois. It showed in the way we forged together, and it always gives me a lot of hope.

 Then it was a tour of the carpark, which was full of oldtimer automobiles. Erika especially enjoyed this ancient Volvo.

 Drui, in turn, was most fond of this tractor;-) how come?*ggg*

 Then we had a delicious cuppa coffee and a cake and a long chat. Then they had to go on the road again, for there was a journey to make for them... home to the South.

 And a journey for me to make, too, for it felt like a time travel to go back to the smithy. Willi had kept the fire burning and did his usual good job with kids.

But the steel was waiting also, patient, but roaring in the twilight, an ancient bar of crucible steel that had waited so long in the dark soil to become something; and so I continued with my work.

 A Birka style knife with a bushcraft pedigree. It is a style that seems very easy to make. But to make one that feels right is quite a different matter. To achieve balance and a comfortable handle design is very difficult. There is little room for correcting anything. It is all steel, and no compromise. It takes little energy to make one, but a lot of knowledge to get one right. Must I mention that I always have the impression that I do not quite succeed at it? The only Birka knives I have tested that really felt right were the ones by Thomas Hentsche or Mielenko Bednarcz. This one has a feel realively close to those, but there´s still a lot to learn for me. I was pleased by the outcome, but not content, if that makes any sense to you.

 Willi sold his mini axes like hotcakes that day. he also made a mouse and the pendant below.

 This knife is another example of one that "feels right". But it is not my style. Three-layer laminate, and Willi got it from a smith on a big Hammer-In.

It was kind of an unreal event. When we closed down the smithy, and I made for my  way home, I had a head full of thoughts, so I stopped in the woods to do some contemplation and stump - sitting.

And the green did what it always does.

New Birka kitchen knife by Kai

Kai mailed me to show me his new Birka kitchen knife he made from a railroad spring clip. Blade length 19 cm, overall 32 cm. The spine is 3,8 mm thick, 2 mm at the tip, and 30 mm wide. He made a  presentation stand from oak. That knife stood up to most severe tests. He let it drop on concrete from 3 m height, whacked it with a sledge hammer, carved mild steel rods with it and did a load of things to it to void any warranty. It came out begging for more! I especially like the wood stand. Great work!!!




I really have to strain myself to keep up, but I am proud to have laid some groundwork for him taking up bladesmithing. His works are improving so fast you can almost watch him get better from day to day!

My deep respect to you, Kai!