VaughnT Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I get bored with run-of-the-mill projects and have to do something a bit different every now and then. This time, I was motivated by a buddy's birthday celebration and had the idea to make him something pretty different because he likes dragons and fights in the SCA. His birthday party was done up in a knights/fighting theme with all of his SCA buddies showing up for beer, brats and bashing each other on the field of glory.Contrary to popular lore, knights in shining armor were actually pretty bad at killing dragons. Of course, they were also the wealthy upper-crust and could manipulate the histories to suit their tastes much like you see today with all the PR spin going on.Blacksmiths, on the other hand, have long been used to dealing with heat, flames and such. And generally being a grumpy bunch of men, well, I'm sure it comes as no surprise that the local blacksmith might be called upon to dispatch an uppity wyrm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I REALLY like that. Totally impractical as a knife or weapon as it'd be difficult to grip well enough... but I still just LOVE IT. I'd be proud to own it and I'm sure your buddy will be, too. What's the size on it, I can't really tell from anything in the picture, no point of reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 Thanks, Spanky.The enamel portion is about 6" long and the root adds another 3". You can see that the tooth is scratched pretty deeply from all the armor-clad knights this dragon munched on in its day. Kind of sad that so many knights had to die before they deigned to call a blacksmith in to wallop the beastie with a hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Well done! At least you have that in common with the wyrm... Since that is probably how he liked his Knights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Something similar would make a fine war hammer. Cool piece.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Something similar would make a fine war hammer. Cool piece.Frosty The Lucky.Excellent eye, Frosty. Already got that in the works...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsShip Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 (edited) That is awesome, did you make this from scratch with square stock or was it a reclaimed item?Looks a bit like a sickle mower tooth! Edited June 23, 2015 by JimsShip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 Jim, those sickle tines would probably work great, but I started with 1"x1/2" mild steel and forged it to shape. The trick to making these look right is to use two angles of taper on the tooth. The tooth tapers a little bit until the mid point where you think the curve is really going to start, then the angle changes to taper to the point. If you do a straight taper from front to back, it will look off even if you can't consciously point to why.I've had a few requests for more and will be playing around with different sizes and root types. You just never know what it is that will grab a customer's interest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 You have me thinking of war hammers again. I'm thinking basing one on a T Rex tooth with a raptor toe claw on the Pol side and a Norwal tusk for the pike. All appropriate: serrations, sharp edges, points and twists of course. Be a fun build.I've always liked the war hammers modeled on a weapon in a fist a dagger in a fist on it's arm comes to mind.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Very cool, Vaughn! I especially like the method you used to form the root. Stick welding isn't just for breakfast (or making things stick together) anymore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 That's fantastic, Vaughn. Quirky and fascinating. Your mate will be totally in awe of that.What a creative use of the welder, and the tooth is finely crafted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norrin_radd Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 That is really cool. Would look good in a rustic wooden stand hanging in the corner of the victorious smithy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacques Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"I managed to burn a piece of 12 x 12mm square last week, and the blob at the end looked almost like your fang, so here is my version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"I managed to burn a piece of 12 x 12mm square last week, and the blob at the end looked almost like your fang, so here is my version. Jacques, that is absolutely fantastic! You can tell your dragon was just as bad as mine when it comes to dental hygiene! We had another dragon getting rather uppity and bothering the local cattle herds. So the guy that runs the spread called me up last week to give them a hand dispatching the critter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Nice idea with the snake skin and bones for the photo, Vaughn. Very creative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old South Creations Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Great job Vaughn! Love the idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunterbow Smithy Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Very cool Art.e.fact. You imparted a real organic look to the tooth; one could almost imagine the beast who's mouth it came from. I am guessing it wasn't as happy as your friend was. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 I really love these! How about a full sculpture of the head with a mouth full of those? That would be a heck of a project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpencerD Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 LOVE It. I love every aspect of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted November 30, 2015 Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 Finished up yet another. This one gave me fits from start to finish! I'll get some better photos later on today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted December 6, 2015 Author Share Posted December 6, 2015 Normally, I will forge out the taper of the tooth and then cut it free from the parent bar so I can use little pieces of scrap (like we all have lying around) to form the skeleton of the root portion. This time, however, the piece of 1/2x1 stock I started with was simply split down the middle for a few inches and spread open to form the underlying structure to weld on. Can't say that I'm 100% satisfied with how the root came out, but it'll definitely do for now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 More a molar than a fang, this little girl is from the back of the lower mandible. You can see all the grunge cooked on by the hot dragon's breath. Not much smells worse than putrified dwarf baked on a dragon's tooth! Now I need to figure out a way to glue a bunch of bones together to make a nice display stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Something in the last pict looks "odd" compared to the one above. I think it's how the center line of the bevels is on that one compared to the other side above. Pict above with the tip of the tooth pointed left looks and feels "right" while the last pict seems awkward for some reason. Shape reminds me of those big fossilized Megladon shark teeth that they dig up down around NC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 7 minutes ago, DSW said: ...seems awkward... Everything about dragons is awkward. They are the most obstinate creatures you'll ever run across and just plain refuse to cooperate in the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 That's a neat one. Make a big one and turn it into a dragon tooth axe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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