Vesta
"Vesta" Custom Black Rune Dagger
- Type: An investment grade custom collector's dagger
and athame
- Size: Length overall: 13.0" (33.0 cm), Blade Length:
7.6" (13.3 cm), Thickness: .240" (6.1
mm)
- Weight: Blade: 1 lb. 4 oz. (567 grams) Sheath:
8.0 oz. (227 grams)
- Blade: O1 high carbon tungsten-vanadium tool steel,
hardened and tempered to Rockwell C59, mirror polished, hot-blued
- Fittings/Bolsters: 304 austenitic stainless
steel, hand-engraved
- Handle: Polished Australian Black Jade, Apache
Gold (Pyrite and Shale) gemstone mosaic
- Sheath: Black stingray skin Inlaid in hand-carved 9-10 oz.
leather shoulder
- Knife: In dynamic harmony of materials, finish,
design and theme, this piece flows together like no other. This is one of my most beautiful daggers
and will always be one of my favorites. Please take some serious
time examining the extensive photo set below to understand what I
mean. Commissioned by a special
client to his specifications, the Vesta pattern (named for the Roman
goddess of the hearth), is a stunning custom black rune dagger and athame,
with some very special features. The blade is tightly and cleanly
hollow ground with a three inch contact wheel for a firm and
substantial spine with elegant and thin cutting edges. Made of hard
and wear-resistant O1 high carbon tungsten-vanadium tool steel, I
meticulously ground and mirror polished this fine blade before I professionally hot-blued
it for
a deep, dark, glossy and slick black oxide surface that just soaks up the
light while offering improved corrosion resistance. I also blued the spine of the full tang handle, and fully
fileworked the tapered tang with a deep vine pattern. The knife is
bolstered with sculpted and polished zero-care high nickel, high chromium 304
austenitic stainless steel, in which I hand-engraved my
client's custom runes. The front bolster has special bind runes and
the rear bolsters have individual historic Germanic runes to my
client's specifications. It took quite a bit of effort to engrave them in deep relief, with
blackened backgrounds and flanked by high detail entwined leaves,
bringing it all together for the look that is just right. The bolsters are dovetailed and bed
unique mosaic gemstone handle scales in polished Australian black nephrite
jade gemstone paired with matched wedges of Apache Gold, a metallic,
lustrous polished pyrite and shale gemstone. The knife feels substantial
and vital in the hand, with the balance point at the front bolster
face.
- Sheath: The sheath for this magnificent dagger
had to be very special, so I created one in 9-10 oz. leather
shoulder, dyed in black cherry, with 32 (yes, 32!) mirror-placed inlays of
black stingray skin. This is a very difficult and painstaking sheath
to make, with plenty of hand-carving and tedious scalpel-work, but
the effort truly paid off, as this is one of the finer knife sheaths
I've made. Even the double-row stitched belt loop has ten inlays of
the exotic ray skin proudly standing above the rich, deep, black
cherry leather surface. I hand-stitched the sheath with black nylon
for high strength and durability, and finish-coated the surface
with glossy organic surface sheen sealant. The knife is just right
in the sheath, with the front sculpted bolster pointing right into
the sheath face and mouth.
- This is a magnificent piece; an honor to make!
Thanks, R.N.!
Hello Jay,
it arrived on the 10th safe and sound. It is truly amazing! I cannot thank you enough for the amazing work you did bring this dagger to life for me.
It is truly a work of art that I will cherish for years to come. It is amazing to say the least!! I was almost moved to tears with how perfectly you
have brought the athame that I envisioned into reality for me. Thank you.
--R.N.
Please click on thumbnail photos