A Sneak Peek

It's time to start updating after a long period of neglecting my site.

I have several projects in the works on and I thought I would like to share some new patterns that I've been working on. Also, I wanted to share the perfect quench experience.

Before blades are hardened, they are brought to and "ideal temperature". After forging and shaping you cannot see the pattern of your steel through the oxidation and slag left on the blade. But, when the blade is brought to the ideal temp., the slag blows off the surface during the quench leaving the steel bare and the pattern exposed, looking almost like a gray marble.

It's pretty exciting when this happens for you the first time.



The scratches in the blade are from a rockwell #65 file and 120 grit grind marks, at the point of finishing when I usually quench. But still not to the point of buffing for a finished look.


These particular blades are a variation of stacked 1095, 5160, and 15N20. In the Jim Hrisoulis "Gordians Knot Pattern", twisted and counter twist billets are forged together and then twisted again.
This is a lot of forging, it takes a lot of steel. With a Billet of stacked steel measuring approx. 2"x3"x12", you end up with a lot less blade stock than you would think.


In The Master Bladesmith Book, this pattern was developed by Jim Hrisoulos and he has said in the book that "This is a pattern that would get attention at Knife Shows", ...We'll see.

I should have at least 1, and Maybe 5-6 of these patterned blades at the
(O.K.C.A.)Oregon Knife Collectors Association Show 2008 in Eugene, Oregon
Our table # is B12. Come see me.
The dates are :
Dates -- April 12 - 13, 2008
Times -- Saturday 8 am - 5 pm - Sunday 9 am - 3 pm
Admission - General admission $5.00/day

The Blades That I Use

Some of the most abused blades you could make are "Hoof Knives" and "Nipper Blades" also known as hoof nippers for Horseshoeing.
I test my blade hardness and Tempering and Design on these blades. The style of knives range from as many different styles as there are styles and techniques of Farriers. I make the style of hoof knives I like.

These blades have to be hard enough to hold a good edge, If it cuts smooth through thick leather with ease and absolute control, it works great on horse hooves.
If the blade snaps it can seriously injure you usually by cutting at various depths from forearm to thumb and or the horses flexor tendon.

There are 2 Farriers who have greatly impacted the Farrier Industry and who stand out among others-who are alive today-who bring a new meaning to the art of Farriery.

Bob Marshall from Langley BC, who runs the best hands on clinic for advanced Farriers around and Dave Duckett who has the best lectures I've heard, it's just as impressive to watch them smack iron.
I've given both of these men a hoof knife,
Dave's was a pattern welded blade of 15n20, 1095, 1080 and if I remember correctly a Mahogany or walnut handle.
Bob's was a Mahogany handle with a differential temper 15n20 blade. Both are marked with my insignia W.A.S. trademark that I use on both blades and horseshoes.
Hopefully they like them, If not they just collect dust like the tools that I have that just don't feel quite right.

Although I can, But don't shoe the same type horses. The horses that I shoe are Gaited as in 3 gaited, Hackney, Etc.
With a little imagination, their techniques can be easily applied in all aspects, with some modification, from hoof preparation to fitting shoes to forging efficiency to smacking iron with impeccable precision.



The shoe that most Farriers look at that makes them think of these Men is the "Roadster Shoe" also my practice shoe forever.
A special thanks to Valley Farrier/Valley Forge and Tool for their hard work and effort to make it possible for the Farrier Industry to learn from these professionals.

General Purpose Cable for knives

Ok, finally I'm caught up and now I'm able to some special pages that are informative and interesting for some and maybe not for others. This is a web album complete with some narration and videos also pictures of the making of a Cable billet and then a Cable knife.

*For those of you that have never set foot into a Blacksmith shop, It's dirty and messy perfect for creating masterpieces. If it were clean it would be a sign of not working hard enough or much worse a sick mind so I'm told.(Sweeti)

The making of a Cable Blade

The 2007 OKCA Blade show

The 2007 show in Eugene was nice, the table was set for the display and Jerry got to pick his blade, then he changed his mind to pick another.
I said: “Are you sure?
He said:”Yeah, It’s really tough to pick just one.”
I thought to myself, he must have really liked them and I wanted it to be tough for him to choose. Great feedback from the show, Future commissioned work for some antiques replacements, compliments from other makers, Makes for a successful show for me.

It is now early 2007

I have finally put together a small inventory of my concept knives, with the help of one of my supporters who fronted me all the leather tooling and scabbard making supplies in trade for one of the show knives. My Sweeti helped me do all the scabbards, “hand tooled by an authentic Norwegian”

Also, I added the “Sparrow Cutlass”-I must have rewound the props managers clip on “Dead Mans Chest” about 50 times to get a look at the authentic 1650’s Cutlass Jack Sparrow used, he said it felt better than all modern day props, made for the move –“Balanced and Quick” I thought Ahh, I know why- It’s a characteristic of a well forged blade. I had to do one for the show. So it was going to be 320 layers of folded steel in this quick little Saber. A X&O pattern, Fullered, distal taper, forged hand guard made of steel, hollow steel pommel, wire wrapped leather handle-I may change to just leather like the original (Maybe), …Beautiful and Quick a success for me.

Refining the American~Norseman Blades

Now this time after the show was an important time for me concerning Bladesmithing, in developing my own personal style, truly original with the extensive hand forging and Blacksmithing. With this concept brought into blades that are smaller than Swords-but with some of the same construction, It gives a unique look and feel as well as strength. I will take my Nordic pattern billet and forge this in the same way as a Viking Sword with a fuller that ends where the wrap around the end begins. Making a 5” to 10” knife, American Style with Nordic aspects.
The same will be done with Saber constructed knives.
Hence... Steel hardware, fittings on a fullered blade with a distal taper, curved guards and the influence of swords forged into a smaller knife. Pieces of history and culture put together into a smaller knife.


This will be my trademark style or personal stamp whatever you’d like to call it. First will be a Nordic constructed blade-A composite of multiple billets, profiled American Style, Stag handle with the theme mind when constructing the piece. ~What would a Bowie look like if the Vikings would have stayed in America~
This will be altered and refined in future pieces trying to get a look similar to that of cutting a Bowie or a hunter styled knife out of the end of a sword.
Next will be the Saber Bowie, Forged Steel Fittings guard with a blade. Double wire wrapped Ray skin handle, fullered cable blade. I will also mix and match these 2 styles, the future styles will be … (In the works)

2006 Blade Show

Cutlass Steel Hilted Saber and below a Steel Cutlass with A pattern welded Hunter


This 2nd show was a little difficult to put together very much inventory. The time for preparation is less than you think, out of all the blades I work on at the same time only half actually make it to completion, The same is still true today.

The 2006 show went about the same as the last. I added to my inventory a Viking Constructed Sword, the German Rapier, A Cutlass made from Cable, 2 Axes, A Short Sword in a Lucifer’s Lace pattern Damascus and several smaller blades.


My first Butterfly Damascus knife


My first American~Norseman Concept Blade