- EALDRIC -

A collaboration between Dave Stephens and the Mad Dwarf Workshop

"I am the Smith
Fire of earth, steel with coal
Heat hearth, sweat and soul
Heavy anvil, ancient oak
Blazing furnace, black of smoke
Forging pounding, ancient iron
Shaping twisting, stoking fire
Metals fusing, hammer rings
Cunning craft, strength of kings
Blazing blade, quenching oil
Grinding shaping, skillful toil
Bronze hilted, heavy sledge
Silver keen, sharpened edge
Bloody battle, war was fought
Final finish, heroes wrought
I am the Sword"

Ealdric was a collaborative project between Alaskan bladesmith Dave Stephen and ourselves, David DelaGardelle & Andy Davis of Mad Dwarf Workshop. The project was one to test our skills, our strengths, and to push us to a level of detail and craftsmanship we have not yet reached in our work as artists.

The blade was forged by Dave in Alaska, and it was historically and traditionally crafted following the same methods as that Germanic bladesmiths used thousands of years ago. By twisting 2 types of carbon steels in parallel tight "rope-like" strands down the central core of the blade, and then wrapping a cutting edge of high layer carbon steel around the outside. The resulting pattern in the blade shows flowing lines like raging water near the cutting edge and tight twists like the bases of two great contorted oak trees side by side running down the fuller.

The blade was then sent off to our workshop in New Castle Indiana where we crafted the hilt and scabbard. The crossbar and pommel were forged from 200+ year old wrought iron off of an old ship in England, and the grip and scabbard from antique figured walnut from an old barn.

David DelaGardelle then intricately carved in Nordic motifs of the north woods which also reflect elements of Alaska, the blades birthplace. Featuring old unshakable pines, antlers from the native elk, and the old king hunting in the woods with his faithful hound.

It is a hefty and kingly sword with a broad reach and a keen edge. Crafted to stand the test of time and evoke legends and myths of the place where it was born...