Steel
Shortly after assembling it for the first time in an old studio of mine, I loved all the natural light pouring in from the huge window to my right.
The lack of a good, sturdy workbench had been chafing me for quite a while, and this is the solution I came up with. I wanted something functional but not boring and utilitarian, and I feel like I succeeded.
The frames of each panel are 1" solid steel bars, and the whole bench breaks down into 4 separate panels once the top is removed.
A fun little piece I forged out at a demonstration, this could be hung as a decorative piece or made into a hefty necklace pendant.
One of the more enjoyable commissions I've gotten, this 16ga mild steel chased piece is now mounted above a large fireplace frame.
A progress shot of the Boar sporran, a commission for a very good friend of mine. This was immediately after my impatience got the better of me - I had intended on finishing the fur texture completely before setting in the amber eyes. This is before it was fully set in, but I couldn't resist seeing what effect the inlaid piece would have.
My very first commissioned ironwork. In retrospect I would have done nearly everything differently, but the customer was very pleased with them.
All the fur texture is done here, as well as the cracked texture on the snout. The eyes are prepped to receive the amber, and the tusks have yet to be removed. They would later be replaced by fine silver versions, soldered in place.
Another small demonstration piece, this time at a Renaissance faire in Charlton, MA. I ended up making this piece into another pendant, and kept it as my own.
Probably my favorite stage when doing pierced pieces like this. After all of the negative space has been defined, it's time to work on shapes that are not just parallel and perpendicular. It's this stage that transforms a piece from a flat, bland cutout into something with life and interest. Here I've just begun to round out the outline of one of three central holes that are an iconic element of many antique tsuba.
A delightful moment during carving. The chip of material being removed can sometimes wrap itself up into these fantastic little curls, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a quick photo.