Putting the steel back into the forge for more heat.Over time, the blade area started taking on the rough shape, and I hammered on the sides to rough shape the blade wedge. The steel could be worked for about 15-20 seconds, then needed to be heated again. I then started forging the steel in order to hammer it out to the rough shape. A blank of steel was cut to length, then placed in the forge until it reached a nice orange/yellow color. Fiebings Resolene Finish (acrylic-based finish to seal and protect leather)īased on the medieval examples above, I drew out a knife with a similar profile – a long handle and curved blade with a top that was concave, presumably as a location to place the forefinger when pressing down on the knife.
Īs this item had been dyed, I treated it with a product intended to seal the dye and to make the leather a bit more water resistant: Dying and other leatherworking methods have also been documented for the medieval period, in much the same format as used modernly (with the exception of some modern dyes/adhesives). The surfaces were glued together using hide glue, which is documented in period. The sheath was made from leather, and sewn using hemp thread.
Adhesives such as hide glue are documented in period, but I’m not sure that product would be efficacious for joining metal and wood.īoiled linseed oil was used to protect the wood, as well as the metal of the knife to prevent rusting. This is a modern material – I’m not sure what would have been used in period for this purpose. I decided to use purple heart, although this is a New World wood, for the appearance.Įpoxy was used to join the wood and metal together until the pins could be set in the handle. I decided to use hardwood for this project, as working in bone is not something I have experience with. The handles of knives were commonly made of hardwood or bone. The steel is relatively similar to steel used in period. 22 The Gospels of Kildare Gerald of Wales, Henry of Saltrey, Topographia Hiberniae, Expugnatio Hibernica, Itinerarium Kambriae De purgatorio sancti Patrici, Excerpts from the Chronicle of Eusebius of Caesarea, England, N. France or Italy, late 16th/early 17th cent.A medieval depiction of scribe holding a quill pen and a knife, from Canterbury, England.As such, I decided to take one of these as an example and to play with the design. But looking online I saw that the images were relatively consistent in shape for pen knives – long, narrow, with rounded blades and angular tops – throughout the medieval period.
The recipient’s persona is English/Scottish, 15th century. Lord Fáelán MacLochlainn also helped me out by training and demonstrating techniques for the blacksmithing and sharpening of the blade.Īs an initial start, I looked online for examples of quill knives from the medieval period. I talked with my friend Baron Fergus Redmead, and he agreed it would be a (relatively) simple project to learn, and he offered to assist me with training and the use of his forge.
#MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPTS BLADE AND KNIFE HOW TO#
I had previously not created a knife, but I knew someone who had, and thought it would be an interesting project to learn how to create one. The recipient for my Laurel exchange gift specifically mentioned she was interested in receiving a knife she could use for scribal arts.
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