March 23, 20233 yr We in Belgium have a compagny called "Mobile Vikings". They are an telecomprovider for phones and internet. I just joined them for internet at my house. And received a care-pakkage of them. How nice. It included a bottle opener, viking style Nope, no viking style. Thin sheetmetal covered in plastic. But it got me thinking, since I made some bottle openers recently to make a challange here on ifi. To make the best viking bottle opener. They can be as traditional as you like (mine look like they are actually dug up from a viking site) or just modern viking (whatever that is). Time till Easter? I try to sent the winner something to use it on (if customs allow it). To show I'm a real contender.
March 23, 20233 yr I love these challenges! They push me to try things I haven't done or had any consideration to doing, lol I'll try to squeeze one in between all the course exercises I'm practicing.
March 24, 20233 yr Here in the SCA I have seen bottle openers built into metal belt tips for leather belts. Handy and not as likely to disappear when needed.
March 24, 20233 yr If the concern is an alcoholic beverage, there are plenty of pop bottles that are made that require a church key. Guess i will break the ice though. Here is my offering. From left to right, more of a Celtic than Viking but a dragon, then some sort of spiral knot thing i tried, the 3rd is a troll cross. The troll cross, depending on who you listen to, is a talisman to ward off evil, or it is a fairly new creation from the 90's that is a misinterpretation of a rune on someone's farm. The bottom one, come on, no self respecting Viking would use a bottle opener. They would hit it with a hammer and just knock the top off.
March 24, 20233 yr A Wyrm (wingless) Dragon bottle opener is as close as a Viking bottle opener I can come to.
March 27, 20233 yr Nice projects everybody, I'm thinking twice about showing my attempt now. It has elements of mining, brewing, viking, burning armhair and lack of experience of ever having forged a bottle opener before.
March 27, 20233 yr Ferritic, that's an awesome axe. There's also a Viking rock band so if this is a guitar used by someone in that band, then it's TOTALLY a Viking Axe!
March 30, 20233 yr Heres my Viking bottle opener. It's two firsts for me, making an opener and carving letters. I tried to follow VaughnT tutorial. Obviously, I need practice. I used a fine tip sharpie in the bottom of the chisel marks, to guage how deep I was getting. It's made out of the end of a miners pick. Edited March 30, 20233 yr by Scott NC Clarify Something
March 31, 20233 yr Well, here's my day. First, I decided to go minimalist, since I don't have any brilliant, original ideas for how to shape a real viking-themed bottle opener. I decided just to make a regular bottle opener and inscribe it with runes. Which meant having some cold chisels to carve the runes with. I only have 1/2" springs to make proper tools with right now, so I decided to try making some SuperQuench™ and using some scrap 1/4" mild steel, since Robb Gunter had shown us all about it at the NMABA meeting in December. Mixed up the SuperQuench and made those little chisels. Then I forged a bottle opener from 1/2" square bar and did the runes freehand with my new chisels after the opener was cooled. I clearly have not done my quenching right because by the end of my rune inscription they were pretty dull. Pictured are the opener and the re-dressed working ends of the chisels (1/4" and 1/8" working ends). The runes are actually a reference to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and say "Beer Good, Foamy".
March 31, 20233 yr Scott & Tommy I really like the Runes on the bottle openers, really classy. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sails. ~ Semper Paratus
March 31, 20233 yr Nice work all. Scott, that's the first I've seen one made from the end of a pick. I like the ring on the point of it.
March 31, 20233 yr xxxxxx you guys beat me to the runes idea. Nice openers by all so far. All the submissions look great. I'm going to have to go with plan B. Edited March 31, 20233 yr by Mod30 Corrected text
March 31, 20233 yr Looking good guys. I like the pick Scott. Tommy, Super quenching mild steel will get it as hard as reasonably possible but it's still mild steel and you need to re-sharpen regularly. An excellent source for good chasing chisels are garage / yard / rummage sale allan wrenches and old chisel / punches. We're talking a handfull for a buck or tossed into another buy. I stopped picking them up when I had 2 1/2, 3lb. coffee cans worth. Same for drill bits dull and broken ones are give away and easily re-sharpened. Frosty The Lucky.
March 31, 20233 yr Author Nice runes on those openers. Like the text Tommy. Scott what does yours mean? Like the dragons as well. Irondragon and billy. The guitar is nice ferritic, not viking style but real cool.
March 31, 20233 yr Great job on the rune carvings Scott & Tommy. That was also my idea, and I'm still gonna do it that way despite not being unique, lol. It is my first one after all.
April 1, 20233 yr 15 hours ago, gewoon ik said: Scott what does yours mean? It is just supposed to be my name. I just grabbed the first rune alphabet graphic that caught my eye. After the fact (as usual) I studied up on runes on wikipidea and realized how much there is to them.... Plenty of ways to use them uniquely. 19 hours ago, Daswulf said: I like the ring on the point of it. It comes off easily, converting it into a Viking Stabbing Weapon....Lol. 16 hours ago, Frosty said: I like the pick Scott. Thanks. And I still have the other half to make another.... Awesome job freehand Tommy. I traced mine out. I just discovered sharpie metallic markers for dark surfaces like steel and iron and they work good for my eyes and shaky hand..... I was going to put a raven feathers on the sides but need more practice chiseling.
April 1, 20233 yr It's probably be a month before I'm cleared and can dig my way into the shop. This little contest may be long past before I even light a fire. <sigh> Frosty The Lucky.
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