Dr. Fabrice Cognot, PhD, Bladesmith

@fab-bladesmith

The blog/website of Dr Fabrice Cognot, PhD, Bladesmith. All content here is property of Fabrice Cognot, unless stated otherwise. Asking for permission is the mark of a civilised mind - although, reversely, if ever anything should not be here, just let me know and I'll act accordingly. #Fab_Bladesmith on Twitter, @fabbladesmith on instagram, fab.cognot as an email on gmail.com. Feel free to get in touch !

605 posts

Posts

Black Magic.

A Knife.

High carbon steel core between layers of damascus made of mild steel and pure nickel.

Mild steel fittings, with hints of heat-blueing and 18 carats gold inlays.

Fileworked end cap with silver pin.

Ebony grip.

A play with textures, shapes, and illusory depths.

In truth, one's real eyes could find it hard to focus on the mesmerising patterns of the blade ; and though I tried to keep the rest of the object rather simple so as not to distract from the blade itself, the wood for the grip also shows some subtle yet intricate graining.

OAL 243 mm, with a 150 mm blade

I'm considering offering it on silent auction, ending this Sunday.

Message me.

#Knife #Couteau

IXth-Xth century knife, after finds from Birka and others.

High Carbon steel blade with selective hardening, and mild steel hand-forged handle, covered in burnt linseed oil.

128/185 mm.

Yours to claim. 130€, shipping not included.

#Knife #Couteau #Historical #Historique #Available #Disponible

A Sword, Xth-XIth century.

Tool steel blade, wrought iron fittings (some centuries old) showing a rich texture, and leather over oak grip.

Brass inlays very much inspired by the sword found in Linschoten, and now kept in the @rijksmuseumvanoudheden The exact meaning of these symbols is lost to us, but their presence on the blade are in the direct continuation of their former aspects as forge-welded marks, patterns and letters - especially the knotwork-like central feature, and the surrounding triple vertical bars - of the previous centuries ; the inlaying technique, in which a groove is chiseled into the blade and filled with wire of another metal, will then become the main form of expression of this "Blade Magic", shaped as a succession of letters evoking psalms and prayers ; an apotropaic ritual uttered every time the sword would leave - or go back to - its scabbard.

On this one I tried chiseling and inlaying before proceeding with the heat treatment - a bit of a risk, as the melting point of brass is dangerously close to the hardening temperature of the steel alloy I used for the blade ; a moment of inattention, a bit of overheat and things go sideways. I've been lucky, I guess. But chiseling that steel after it is hardened is a no-go.

The grip is rather slender, but it is consistant with what can be glimpsed of such swords in Ottonian artwork.

OAL 970 mm, with a 841 mm blade (53 mm wide). Weight is 1154 grams, and point of balance is 20.5 mm from the cross, giving this sword some pleasant heft. Now at 2000€, shipping not included.

#Historical #Historique #Sword #Epée

A Katzbalger, XVIth century.

The iconic weapon of the Landsknechte, with its distinctive S-shaped guard and flared pommel. This one was inspired by several originals, scattered between Dresden, Vienna and elsewhere.

Spring steel blade, and heat-blued steel fittings, with some filework and chiseling. There's horn in the middle of the grip, with brass spacers. Top washers are gold-plated brass, and fileworked too.

It comes in a hand-made scabbard, leather over linen over wood, gold-plated chappe (with etching - also sterling silver pins) ; and a set of 6 by-knives and an awl, all high-carbon steel with buffalo horn scales, brass bolsters, sterling silver pins and gold-plated, etched pommels. And a nice knotworked strap.

OAL 976 mm, blade is 837 mm long and 4.6 mm thick at its base and 36 mm wide there, weight is 1189 g and PoB is 14.5 cm down the blade.

#Historical #Historique #Sword #Epee #Available #Disponible

A Sword of Power

High carbon steel blade, bronze fittings.

This one was designed as a childhood dream sword - the iconic silhouette of He-Man's own, from the popular toys and animated series of the 80s, also with a strong influence from the sword made by Conan's father in the legendary John Milius movie.

The bronze pommel, skulls and Battle-cat masks were 3d-scanned from my very own Castle Grayskull (one that I bought second-hand in 2015, though, as my parents got rid of the one of the days of yore - still an original, though) and action figures. It then required a lot of 3d editing, as the original items show a certain amount of liberty from absolute symmetry to say the least. I then sand-casted them in bronze. Central plates are etched, also, and the grip is very much inspired by the designs of Ron Cobb for the aforementioned movie. The important parts were to get the skulls right, but also the crown/pommel, a striking feature of the original Castle.

Blade is hand-forged in spring steel.

1176 mm long, and 4315 grams with the PoB a bit further down from the tips of the fangs.

It is a work of love, commissioned with love, and which taught me a lot in the process, and it seems fitting to finish and publish it today especially. I wouldn't be doing this job - having this life, even - if it weren't for these things that pretty much made me.

#Sword #Epee #Fantasy #Fantastique

High carbon steel, all hand-forged, filed and more, with a selective hardening.

About 16 cm OAL. Now at two hundred euros

#Knife #Couteau #Available #Disponible

High carbon steel, all hand-forged, filed and more, with a selective hardening.

About 16 cm OAL.

#Knife #Knives #Couteau

Roman knives, 1st-2nd century A.D.

All steel, hand-forged.

Bottom one still available at 150€

#Knife #couteau #Historical #Historique #Available #Disponible

A Rapier

Commission work

Spring steel bl@de, oil-blacked mild steel hilt and pommel, steel wire wrap with brass Turk's head knots.

128 cm, with a 105 cm blade ; 1327 grams,, point of balance 12,5 cm from the cross.

#Sword #Epée #Historical #Historique

A Bauernwehr, in a late XVth century style.

Almost a Rugger, but not quite IMO. High carbon steel blade with selective hardening, fileworked steel Nagel, brass and elm.

457 mm long, with a 335 mm blade.

Now at 460€.

#Historical #Historique #Knife #Couteau #Available #Disponible

Friction Folder

High carbon steel blade with light filework and selective hardening, walnut scales with Lichtenberg figures and fileworked mild steel spacer ; brass pins.

OAL 206/126 mm.

Yours for 250 - European unit.

#Knife #Couteau #Available #Disponible

A Bauernwehr, late XVth century.

Again, a coherent mix inspired by several period pieces.

High carbon steel blade, clay-quenched and therefore showing an interesting hamon ; walnut scales, and hand-rolled brass pins (yes, each of them - it yields that organic, authentic look that pre-made tubes fail to achieve), fileworked steel Nagel and decorative brass plate on the other side.

OAL 354 mm, with a 239 mm long blade.

Yours for 480 units of the Old World currency ; additional cost for a scabbard.

#Historical #Historique #Knife #Couteau #Available #Disponible

A Bauernwehr, in a late XVth century style.

Spring steel blade, walnut scales, and hand-rolled tubular brass pins, as well as brass sheet spacers. Hand-forged end plate and Nagel. OAL 330 mm, with a 204 mm blade.

Now at 360, but time permitting I might make it a scabbard, with or without by-knives, for a couple extra euros.

#Historical #Historique #Couteau #Knife #Available #Disponible

Friction Folder

High carbon steel blade with a differential hardening following the bevel and light filework, fileworked mild still spacer, and acacia scales with Lichtenberg figures.

OAL 204/126 mm

Now at two hundred and fifty European units of money.

#Knife #Couteau #Available #Disponible

A Friction Folder

High carbon steel blade with light filework and selective hardening (following the bevel line), elm wood scales with Lichtenberg figures and fileworked spacer.

223/132 mm.

Yours for 250 units of the common European currency.

#Knife #Couteau #Available #Disponible