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Stiletto Style Dagger

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Posts: 126
Estimable Member Apprentice Bladesmith
Topic starter
 

Here's a stiletto style dagger that I just finished, full custom from bar stock. My brother, Travis, has an identical blade. We started with a pair of blades and a challenge to push ourselves to more complex work. The blade is 154 CM stainless and the fittings are 416 stainless. The handle is mother of pearl with domed nickel silver pins, a fileworked frame, coined liners, and carved bolsters. The guard has shell ends, and carved studs. The studs are stainless screws that I shaped the head and screwed into tapped holes in the guard that were put there to hold them. Overall length is just short of 14 inches with a 9 inch blade. I'll have it on my table at the Dallas show June 13/14.

I've posted this around other places, and it's a stock removal dagger, but you guys are the dagger experts. Aside from the filework being unevenly spaced on the frame, and the gap at the rear bolster that I've fixed already, what critical feedback can you offer? I've never tackled a dagger of this magnitude before. I wrestled with what to do in terms of embellishment and design, and the whole thing was in flux all the way to the very end. For example, curved vs. straight guard. Handle to blade proportion. Guard width proportion. What to do with the various spacers and other design elements.

 
Posted : 05/06/2015 9:58 am
Joshua States
Posts: 1157
Member
 

I must have missed this post when it first came on, so I apologize for the late reply. While I am no "dagger expert", I think this is a very pretty knife and I commend you on such a complicated design and the final choices for embellishment. The proportions look good to me, how was the balance? where was the point of balance? Was it received well in Dallas?

Joshua States

www.dosgatosforge.com

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Also on Instagram and Facebook as J.States Bladesmith

“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”

 
Posted : 12/08/2015 2:43 pm
Posts: 126
Estimable Member Apprentice Bladesmith
Topic starter
 

Balance is just about at the spacer between the guard and handle.

It was well recieved, won best of show. Hope I can sell it at ICCE. I had Caleb Royer shoot it for me. Here's his pic.

 
Posted : 26/08/2015 2:16 pm
Lin Rhea
Posts: 1563
Member
 

Congratulations! It sure is pretty! Good work Jason!

Lin Rhea, ABS Mastersmith

[email="[email protected]"]Email me[/email]

www.rheaknives.com

 
Posted : 27/08/2015 6:57 am
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