A.J. Chalifoux, Swordsmith

03/01/2022

After two years of work, this sword is finally done!

This was a very personal project, and one that took roughly two years from start to finish. The sword itself is loosely inspired by an original which is currently housed in the National Museum of Ireland. From the pictures, note the double pommel and the grip is two hollow steel collars (originally with a wood core) and a brass spacer between them. There were also jewels set into the pommel, grip spacer, and quatrefoils which indicates this was a sword meant for a very important person. The hilt is significant because it has both Irish and Scottish design elements, and its origin is unclear.

The aim with this sword was to take elements from the inspiration sword and incorporate them into something else entirely. The final result has a damascus blade that features a mosaic pattern core and random pattern/san mai edges, all forge welded into one piece. The guard and upper grip are made from one piece of steel and features brass quatrefoils on the ends of the quillions. The lower half of the grip is carved stabilized box elder burl, and the pommel is of the distinctive double pommel shape present in the inspiration piece.

Stats for the finished piece:
- Overall Length: 51.875" (131.8cm)
- Blade Length: 40.0" (101.6cm)
- Blade Width at Base: 1.389" (3.527cm)
- Blade Thickness at base: 0.260" (0.660cm)
- Blade Width at Tip: 0.924" (2.346cm)
- Blade Thickness at Tip: 0.080" (0.202cm)
- Guard Width: 9.750" (24.765cm)
- Grip Length: 7.750" (19.685cm)
- Guard/Grip Thickness: 0.874" (2.220cm)
- Pommel Length (Bottom Section): 1.852" (4.705cm)
- Pommel Diameter (Bottom Section): 1.940" (4.928cm)
- Pommel Thickness (Bottom Section): 1.433" (3.641cm)
- Pommel Length (Top Section): 1.496" (3.800cm)
- Pommel Diameter (Top Section): 1.512" (3.841cm)
- Pommel Thickness (Top Section): 0.620" (1.576cm)
- Weight: 3lbs 8.2oz (1.593kg)
- Center of Gravity: 3.008" (7.640cm)
- Primary Node (Center of Percussion): 25" (63.5cm) forward from guard
- Secondary Node: 1.630" (4.140cm) back from guard
- Forward Pivot Point: At point
- Aft Pivot Point: 7" (17.8cm) forward of guard

03/01/2022

07/26/2020

Complex pattern welding in progress!

03/11/2020

More forge work! Hopefully this comes out okay, but it will be a while before I find out...

01/29/2020

Big things in the works. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

12/25/2019

A preview of a Christmas present this year. Merry Christmas!

07/01/2019

Vacation and warm weather mean a morning at the forge. One dagger and a dirk just about ready for heat treat, one dirk still to go this afternoon.

04/21/2019

This is an odd blade, but it's really somewhere between a huge kitchen knife and a small fantasy sword. It started out as a fantasy sword that broke on me. I decided not to waste it, especially when I saw the blade's widest point to the tip had a similar width and thickness as an 8" chef's knife. So, I ground out a tang and reinforced it with a frame handle and two brass side plates that all rivet together and it came out quite nice. The result is very thin, sharp, and fast.

Weight: 1 lb 2.0 oz
Overall length: 22.5"
Blade length: 17.5"
POB: 1.75"
Width at base: 1.15"
Thickness at base: .109"
Width at widest: 1.735"
Thickness at widest: .085"
Base to widest: 11.625"
Thickness at tip: .054"

07/23/2018

Materials are on order for a small benchtop power hammer concept I've been working on. Given the scope of forthcoming projects, the rest of the summer will be spend building this along with getting other equipment in good running shape. Exciting times!