J. Arthur Loose

-Saxes & Viking Styles-

The 'Sax,' 'Seax,' or 'Scramaseax,' are single-edged blades that existed roughly from the Migration Era through the Viking Age.

These are not meant to be reproductions, but contemporary extensions of the tradition.

Here are some in-progress shots of a Migration Era sword-length sax.

'Ivory Seax'

Contact Mastersmith's Gallery, in NYC.

Blade 18" ; Handle 5"

Two bar stacked interrupted / offset twist in 15N20 and 1070. The handle is carved fossil ivory and the sheath is leather over wood. A deadly sharp chopper... quick in the hand!

-Click here to see a close-up of the blade-
-Click here to see the Seax sheathed-
-Click here to see the handle-

'Damascus Seax'

Blade 22" ; Handle 6"

The blade is an interrupted twist & split 4-core spine in 1070/15N20 with a laminated L6 edge. The spine is hollow ground. The handle is Blackwood and the fittings are all Sterling silver. The wire wrap at the bolster area serves to stop the fingers and is found on many of the blades from this period. It is my belief that the wrap also served to hold the tang in by tension; there is a slight cut in the handle which clamps down on the tang when the wire is tightly wrapped in place. The pommel holds a ring in the shape of the Midgard Serpent, biting his own tail. The sheath is vegetable tanned leather over wood.

-Click here to see a close-up of the blade-

'Interrupted Twist Seax'

Blade 22" ; Handle 5"

See the making of this piece Here.

The handle is fossil walrus ivory with Sterling fittings and a Finnish Spectralite set in the pommel. A truly historically accurate piece would have had an edge with either a solid appearance or a very high layer count in a straight laminate. Taking advantage of modern materials I thought it would be very interesting visually to have the edge maintain the same layer count as the straight sections, creating horizontal lines all the way across the blade.

-Click here to see a close-up of the blade-
-Click here to see the knife sheathed-
-Click here to see the pommel & ring-
-Click here to see the inspiration for the piece-

'Damascus Seax with Gotland Sheath'

Blade 8 1/2" ; Handle 5"

This Seax is based on finds from Gotland, an island off the coast of Sweden. The blade is a 5 billet composite in traditional Seax style, the spine is made of four billets of 10 layers welded together in 1080 & 15N20. The edge is 1080 folded onto itself as if it was refined in the traditonal manner; you can see the layers running lengthwise. The handle is Blackwood and the fittings are all Sterling silver. The pommel holds a ring in the shape of the Midgard Serpent, biting his own tail.

'Damascus Seax'

Blade 9.5" ; Handle 4.5"

This Seax is based on some early examples found in a bog in Vimose, Sweden. It is a composite construction made with three bars: two opposing twists and a straight laminate edge. The handle is mammoth ivory about 15,000 years old with Sterling silver pins. The sheath is birdseye maple with sterling silver harnesses. The rings are in the form of an Ourobos, or a snake eating its own tail. The sheath is lined with vegetable tanned leather.