Navis Lucoria

[jmccustomknives]

A few months ago I was commisioned to make a blade.  Up to this point I'd really cut corners as the market was soft and I was lazy.  The challenge was to make a 7" Maidenshair.  It is forged from L-6 and 1095, 160 layers twisted until I was dizy.  The handle is Buckey burl and stag.  The double scrolled guard and butt cap are also Damascus as the customer likes Damascus.   I have a bad habit of hitting a  plateau and not being able to get any better at what I'm doing.  I'm hoping this blade breaks that trend. 

Oh, the title.  A young man came out to my shop to learn a little bladesmithing.  I showed him the unfinished blade and he said the blade reminded him of a Roman war ship.  Thus it earned the name.

[Woody]

I don't think you need to get much better, that knife looks awesome to me. 

[Momatt]

Really nice lines I especially like the guard.

[toolish]

Yep looks top notch to me. Dont know  if you are really going to be able to make that knife any better then it already looks.

I guess performance would be the only other aspect that one could work on, although judging by the look of your work I am feeling rather confident that your blades will be performing rather well anyways.

Sounds like you are looking for a challenge these days more then anything if you dont feel you need to go to much effort to produce such nice looking work.

Not sure what is going to challenge you more, but I am sure that there is something you have not tried yet, so many different avenues when it comes to black smithing and knife making to play around with.

Keep up the nice work either way and good to hear your sharing the knowledge with others in your shop.