Blackbeard's sword? Could be...

It's seen better days (in fact it had to be reconstructed from its separate pieces for this photo) but this gold-gilded sword hilt recently recovered from the site of the Queen Anne's Revenge off the coast of North Carolina is being thought of as possibly belonging to Captain Edward Morgan Teach... more infamously known as Blackbeard the Pirate.

If so, it's probably not the weapon that Blackbeard would have primarily used in combat (likely not even in his final duel with Captain Maynard). Pirates and the like preferred blades with more protection for the handle. However the conspicuous hole in the hilt suggests a chain guard. Whatever the case might be however, it is a rich and handsome weapon: just the sort that one could imagine being carried by Blackbeard.

National Geographic's website has more photos of this sword handle. I'm wondering if it'll go on display in Raleigh anytime soon. If so, I'll have to go check it out :-)

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The latest of Dad's knife handiwork

Damascus steel blade for a commission job. And yes, Dad even made the sheath...

Lord willing, I'll wind up even half as good as Dad is at this craft :-)

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Klingon wannabe robs Denver 7-Elevens with real bat'leth

Just when you think there are enough aliens lurking around 7-Eleven...

Police in Denver, Colorado are looking for a man who committed armed robbery at two of the convenience stores. The weapon of choice for the assailant? A "bat'leth": the customary sword of Klingon warriors in the Star Trek universe (modeled here by Worf), first forged by Kahless the Unforgettable during the Earth's Ninth Century.

At least he wasn't a Doctor Who fan trying to hold up stores with a toilet plunger...

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Dad's latest hand-crafted knives

Dad asked me to take photos of a number of knives that he's made in his shop recently, for an upcoming publication. I thought it would be neat to post some of them here also.

Two of the Damascus steel blades that he's finished. Dad learned the art of forging Damascus from Bill Moran, the man who more than thirty years ago re-discovered the centuries-old secret of making layered steel. Dad's Moran-inspired technique usually means that there are around three hundred layers of steel in an individual blade, all folded and hammered into each other. He also made the leather sheaths...

Bowie knife that was made special-order for a customer (whose name is engraved on the blade, which I have blurred-out of the photo)...

Probably his favorite kind to make: the entire knife is crafted from a single railroad spike. Also pictured is a knife forged from a horseshoe...

The Bowie is already spoken for, but if you see anything there that you'd be interested in purchasing, write me at theknightshift@gmail.com and let me know.

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Dad's hand-made knives, including Damascus blades, on sale this weekend at church festival

This Saturday, April 12th 2008, Midway United Methodist Church on US 158 a few miles west of Reidsville, North Carolina will be having its "Old Timer Festival", showing off a bunch of traditional crafts, vintage vehicles and farm equipment, stuff like that.

My father Robert Knight will be there too. He's been busy the past several months in his knife shop making several new blades for this event and he'll be set up at a table. Here's some of his handiwork that will be on display and for sale...

In addition to a number of Damascus (multi-layered steel) knives, Dad also has some horseshoe-made knives and several of what might be his specialty: railroad-spike knives!

By the way, the fancier knives that you see in the top photo each come with a custom-made leather sheathe.

I'll be at the festival too, shooting some video of the event. Y'all come see us, hear? :-)

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