Double edged sword blade collaboration

[Stormcrow]

Some of y'all may recall me making this double-edged short sword a while back:



It was me experimenting to see if I could forge a double edged blade, testing for an upcoming project.

Well, I mailed out my part of the project today, going to a certain mad genius in Germany who will be building the handle for it. It's not going to be a typical sword when finished. The blade I supplied is 18", including the choils, and is forged from 5160.

Here it is post-forging:



Right before packing it to ship, I took it up to the little canyon that's upslope from my shop:







And I braved mosquitos the size of horseflies to film a simple water bottle cut. Nothing too impressive, just showing it'll cut.

[video=youtube;iIq5DYqXUWs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIq5DYqXUWs[/video]

 

[Stormcrow]

I got back from the Blade Show and found that the German customer had completed his work on the sword collaboration and had pictures and video up. The customer is none other than Joerg Sprave, well known on Youtube for his mad genius at building rubber-based projectile weapons. Among other creations, Joerg has built full-auto revolving slingshots, sling bows that shoot everything from Oreos to weaponized toilet brushes, and a rubber-powered shoulder-mounted bazooka that launches running chainsaws.

Joerg has a great affinity for killing zombies. In fact, we encountered each other's work on Zombie Squad. So in keeping with a zombie apocalypse theme, he decided to take my short sword blade and build a handle that not only doubles as a slingshot, but looks like something that could be built from materials salvaged after the shambling undead arise to bring about the destruction of civilization.

Here are some of the materials:



And here's what he built with them:





I have to say, this is one of the few spiked sword guards that I like, and that seems like it wouldn't be likely to accidentally stab the wielder. The inspiration for going double-edged on the blade was the thought of a slingshot resembling anthropomorphic hilts on Celtic swords. This one ended up looking similar, or the older antenna-hilted swords. Sort of Mad Max meets ancient Celt.



He also built a scabbard for it, angled to hang where the spikes are clear of the wearer.



And finally, with the triple-layered rubber bands installed:



I really enjoyed the video, especially the cutting test on the zombie head.

[video=youtube;lWI0jqsW4Cc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWI0jqsW4Cc[/video]

 

[Gary Miller]

when i saw the forked handle but i figured out whitch German you were talking about. love it. i really think this guy could hunt bears with a switch. good work

 

[BRad704]

Love the blade! Great work James!

I can't say I love the handle so much though. I have mad-respect for all his work, but I think a wooden handle and peened pomel would do wonders for the overal presentation/package.