Viking knife with Damascus steel blade 0564000237

Viking knife with Damascus steel blade and wood and bone handle

This handmade Viking Age knife (Seax) features a razor-sharp 256-layer Damascus steel blade. The handle is a real eye-catcher: it is composed of alternating layers of wood and bone separated by thin, dark spacers. The hilt and collar are made of brass. Delivery includes a beautiful tanned leather sheath with ornate brass fittings and a generously sized suspension ring that allows for comfortable belt carrying.

Please note that as the blade is sharp and fully functional, this knife is intended as a collector's or decorative piece and is not suitable for combat reenactment.

The terms Damascus steel , Damascene or pattern welded designate a composite steel forged from two or more different types of steel. It is named after its birthplace, the Syrian city of Damascus, an ancient stronghold of stamped steel production. As a common practice, a harder high-carbon steel and a softer low-carbon steel are repeatedly welded and folded. The high-carbon steel ensures greater hardness, better temperability and greater edge retention, while the softer steel confers greater flexibility and tensile strength. This procedure, which emerged in an era when steel grades were often low and inconsistent, allows the positive attributes of different steel grades to be combined. Moreover, the different shadings generated by the varying carbon content of the alternating layers engender strikingly beautiful patterns, such as the twisted motif called Twist Damascus pattern or the Rose Damascus pattern . Undoubtedly, these unusual patterns partly explain why inherent magical properties were attributed to Damascus steel blades of the Middle Ages.

Details:
- Blade material: Damascus steel (256 layers), sharp edge
- Handle material: wood and animal bone
- Total length: approx. 23cm
- Blade length: approx. 12 cm
- Weight: approx. 154 g (approx. 334 g with case)
- Leather and brass sheath with carrying ring

Swedish company SPQR offers a wide range of historical replicas. SPQR stands for Senatus Populusque Romanus (Engl. The Senate of the People of Rome) and is an apt name for a company specialising in the reproduction of artefacts ranging from Roman times through to the Renaissance period. SPQR is committed to making high quality re-enactment and battle ready products available at affordable prices. The entire product line is made to historical specifications. Each piece is inspired by illustrations and photographs from historical books and museums, and SPQR works closely with a number of Viking and medieval reenactment groups in Scandinavia, Germany and the UK to jointly develop the most authentic products possible.