Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

New to the website? Start Here
"Kochab" obverse side view in T3 deep cryogenically processed 440C high chromium martensitic stainless steel blade, 304 stainless steel bolsters, Petrified Sycamore Wood gemstone handle, sheath of lizard skin inlaid in hand-carved leather shoulder, nylon
"Kochab"

Aegir

"Aegir" knife sculpture in mirror polished, hot blued O1 high carbon tungsten-vanadium alloy tool steel blade, blued steel bolsters, 14kt gold bezels, peridot gemstones, Nebula stone gemstone handle, stand of cast bronze, white Carribean coral, Venetian gold granite with garnets
"Aegir" Knife Sculpture

Aegir is the name of an old Teutonic god of the sea. It is also the root name of aegirine, one of the predominant minerals in the newly discovered gemstone, Nebula Stone. The idea and character of the mythological Norse god was the inspiration for this work of edged art and knife sculpture I call Aegir.

My passion for new gemstone and my pleasure and career as a lapidary was the first consideration, truly, I wanted to create a work of sculptural art in the form of a knife that was suited for Aegir himself. Since this is the very first knife in human history to have a Nebula Stone handle, I wanted to create something very special to debut the newly discovered gem. There were many ideas and creative aspects that went into this piece, unique efforts that will never come together in this way again.

The knife blade was designed just for this project. I wanted the knife to have all the appearance and aspects of dark water, a swirling, rolling group of waves, combined into one rich and expressive form. Since Aegir would reside in the deepest, darkest recesses of the great sea, and since aegirine is a richly black dense mineral, I made the blade with blued O1 high carbon, tungsten-vanadium tool steel. This was an extremely challenging blade to make, the curves are severe, and I wanted every possible surface mirror polished, including the inside of the cuts in the blade spine. I spent many hours working the hardened steel blade up to a brilliant polished finish, and then topped it off with a deep, penetrating hot blue, for the appearance of polished black wet glass.

"Aegir" reverse side blade detail. O-1 high carbon tungsten-vanadium tool steel blade is hand-sculpted, mirror polished, and hot blued
"Aegir" knife sculpture on custom handmade sculpted display stand

Like most of my works, I'm very proud of the accurate, clean, and sharp grinds, shaping, contouring and finishing of the blade, and this one is especially fine. The blade is hollow ground throughout, with matching grinds and flowing, sweeping grind terminations that echo the curvature of the profile. Every surface is crisp and clean, and the knife has graduated sculpting at the spine in the wave forms, as well as hand-cut, milled, ground, and polished waves through the spine. The hollow grind leads off with an elegantly curved tip, and the cutting edge is bright and razor keen, hand-sharpened with a single bevel. The blade tang is fully fileworked, with a cresting wave pattern. The tang of the knife was left at full thickness to balance the blade size and weight, making the equilibrium point right at the front of the forward quillon.

"Aegir" spine filework, sculpting detail. Filework is "crashing wave" design completely throughout knife tang, all hot blued and mirror polished
"Aegir" knife sculpture, handle orientation view. Knife rests in arms of prehistoric nautilus

The wild curves of the handle required some very special treatment, as I wanted the bolsters as well as all metal parts of the knife to have the same, deep penetrating mirror black finish. The blade would have to be made and pre-finished, The bolsters attached, the gemstone attached temporarily, the entire blade, bolsters, and handle finished, the entire assembly taken apart, the blade heat treated, polished and finished, the components all polished and finished, hot blued where needed, and then accurate reassembly of the entire piece would top it off. Consequently, this is one of the hardest knives to build. The bolsters are contoured, polished, finished and attached with stainless steel machine screws, and capped with 14 kt. gold cup bezels that hold 12 solid Peridot gemstone cabochons. The Peridots (Olivine) have the light sea-green color I wanted to accent the black base, while echoing the rounded forms of the fascinating green patterns of the Nebula Stone. This Peridot comes from an island in the Red Sea, and is also called evening emerald because it darkens at night. How fitting these gemstones are for Aegir and I couldn't help but think of green eyes of a creature of the sea staring from the abyss.

Green peridots set in 14kt gold bezels in the bolsters of "Aegir"
"Aegir" on stand in scupture. Olivine (Peridot) accents on black blued knife bolsters

The handle of Aegir is very unique indeed. I can comfortably claim that this is the first knife in history to have a Nebula Stone gemstone handle, since the discovery of this new gem is very recent. There is only one source and he has not supplied Nebula Stone material to any other knife maker or knife artist. This is the main reason I created Aegir, to preview this rare discovery. The Nebula Stone handle scales are a fascinating gem, composed of quartz, zircon, anorthoclase, riebeckite, and, of course, aegirine (acmite). This mysterious stone lacks a defining classification; some call it a jade, but scientists generally agree that it is a new, exciting find. The discoverer of the gem named it Nebula Stone, because the green orbs floating in black space appear to be nebula like, with scatterings of star-like mist circling the nebulas. The gem is hard, tough, and takes a bright, smooth and lustrous polish, and will outlast us all! I could imagine a Norse god of the sea taking a special liking to this unique material. (References and links to more information about Nebula Stone below).

"Aegir"  with Nebula Stone gemstone handle, a unique and new gemstone of uncertain origin
"Aegir" reverse side view. Nebula stone gemstone handle is unique and rare.

With full and detailed contouring and radiusing, the knife feels comfortable and easy in the hand. The shape of the handle is inviting, and the thumb is naturally drawn over the front bolster at the rise. The angle of the blade to handle places the wrist at ease, and the weight of the knife reminds you that it is a substantial work of art. It is one of the most striking forms I've ever created, and so to complete it, I let the knife and theme guide the effort.

"Aegir" obverse side view in blued O1 high carbon tungsten-vanadium tool steel blade, blued steel bolsters with peridot gemstones set in 14kt gold bezels, Nebula Stone gemstone handle

I knew the knife must have a suitable display, much more than that, it needed a clear context related to its very name. In my mind was an image of an ancient, prehistoric chambered nautilus I had once read about, a creature long lost to history, and only lightly represented by the one we know today. In the study of fossils, we see these commonly, and they were large, impressive cephalopods that once ruled the domain of the prehistoric seas. The curvature of the knife, the darkness of the ocean, and it was clear to me what I needed. I needed Aegir to be carried on the tentacles of a mystical creature of the deep.

I sculpted the prehistoric nautilus in wax, and then cast the sculpture in bronze. I made no molds, this was to be a singular, lost wax process sculpture, never to be repeated. I took some liberties with the nautilus form and let my imagination create what I needed for the artwork. I added some fins on the shell, (from an illustration of a prehistoric nautilus), and gave my creature an extra length measure of tentacles for its task. Although I created a creature of over 20 tentacles, it was much more manageable than the modern creature which has 94! I also gave my creature large and serious eyes, and a bit of a beaked mouth. I cast the sculpture in bronze, polishing the shell brightly, but gave a coarser, living texture to the animal within. The creature embraces a windlass spool and a boat of carved Honduras Rosewood, on which Aegir solidly rests.

"Aegir" bronze knife sculptural stand cast by lost wax casting process.
"Aegir" knife sculpture, rear right view. Bronze nautilus uplifts knife to the sea

The sea creature secures the knife well, though the tentacles are thin, they are very stout and solid, and the forefinger area as well as the blade contact keep the knife secure, yet easy and quick to remove. The bronze casting is pressed onto a bronze and copper threaded stud mounted to the base, so the nautilus could be repositioned a bit to suit the taste of the owner. I knew that the form of the sculpture must be framed, for perspective, for balance, and for a harmonious display. I needed just the right form and material to establish the contrast and dark richness of the knife. I chose a backdrop of white Caribbean coral, intricate and detailed, to mount behind the bronze and blued steel. The coral is bolted to the base with a set-in, permanent keyed anchor.

White Caribbean coral backdrop on "Aegir" knife sculpture
"Aegir" with white Caribbean coral backdrop in cast bronze and blued steel, gemstone

The base had to reflect the beauty of the sculptural work without detracting, while offering its own flavor and charm. I chose a material that looks like beach sand, Venetian Gold Granite from Brazil. I polished the surface, and hand-carved the edges in a convex/concave fashion, polished to a high luster. This granite has numerous solid deep red garnets, that offer a bit of rich color, and it is heavy and tough. The components are bolted through, and the base has inset neoprene feet to prevent marring of any surface the heavy sculpture rests upon. I finished the sculpture with a nameplate of black lacquered brass engraved in a Viking font with the name, set into a small overturned boat of polished Honduras Rosewood.

"Aegir" knife sculpture on a base of Venetian Gold granite, polished and carved
Venetian Gold Granite resembles beach sand, with hard ruby-red garnets throughout
"Aegir" Knife Sculpture Specifications, Materials
  • Size
    • Overall Sculpture: 12.25" (31.1 cm) height x 15.5" (39.4 cm) wide x 11.0" (27.9 cm) depth
    • Knife: Length Overall: 12.125" (30.8 cm), Blade Length: 8.0" (20.3 cm)
  • Weight
    • Sculpture with Knife: 14 lbs, 10.5 oz. (6.65 kg.)
    • Knife: 1 lb., 2.5 oz. (525 grams)
  • Blade: O1 high carbon tungsten-vanadium alloy tool steel, hardened and tempered to 59HRC
  • Blade Finish: mirror polished throughout, hot blued, caustic sodium salt process
  • Bolsters, Fittings: low carbon steel, hot blued, 304 stainless steel screws, 14 kt. gold bezels, polished Peridot (Olivine) gemstone cabochons
  • Handle: Polished Nebula Stone Gemstone
  • Holder/Sculpture: Silicon Bronze hand-cast by lost wax process, Honduras Rosewood hangers
  • Back piece: White Caribbean Coral
  • Base: Venetian Gold Granite with Garnets
  • My hope is that this original work of knife sculptural art is as inspiring and original as the fascination with the ancient seas and the myth and legends that accompany them. I thoroughly enjoyed creating Aegir, a unique and bold work of museum-grade knife art.

Thanks, G. L.!

Jay,
My thanks to you as well for taking the time from your busy schedule to visit with us, and for the inspired creation, extraordinary craftsmanship, and delivery of the Aegir - it is a truly wonderful and unique work that I shall enjoy for the rest of my days, and is now comfortably ensconced in my living room where I can view it every day from the comfort of my favorite chair.

--G. L.


Please click on additional thumbnail knife photos below
"Aegir" side view, knife sculpture. White Carribean coral is a backdrop to knife sculpture cast in bronze supporting unique knife art "Aegir" knife stand is cast in art bronze, hand carved and sculpted by Jay Fisher "Aegir" knife sculpture, without the knife. The stand alone is a challenging and original work of art in bronze, stone, wood, and coral "Aegir" inside handle tang detial. Very curvaceous knife with gemstone handle and all blued steel construction "Aegir" blade detail. All surfaces are mirror polished, even inside sculpted cuts, piercings, and hollows "Aegir" reverse side Nebula Stone gemstone handle. Nebulas cluster in a field of stars in this original, unique new gemstone find "Aegir" blade point detial. Finely hollow ground and mirror polished hot blued high alloy tool steel blade "Aegir" blade form perspective. Knife is a study in extreme curves and fine craftsmanship "Aegir" knife perspective study. The handle is inviting and curved to fit the human form. Wax carving by hand for the stand of "Aegir." The Nautilis is carved from a block of hard wax; you can see the flakes from the effort. Carving the wax model for the prehistoric nautilus Wax model with sprues, ready for investment and mold making Wax model ready for investment, mold creation, and burnout, loosing wax model to be replace by bronze Casting molten bronze for "Aegir" prehistoric nautilus art sculpture

My page on the introduction and cutting of this gemstone

Museum Grade Knives, Swords, and Sculpture

Featured Knives Pages


XHTML 1.0 Validated, Compliant, Link Checked, and CSS Level 2.1 Validated through W3C, the World Wide Web Consortium
Main Purchase Tactical Specific Types Technical More
Home Page Where's My Knife, Jay? Current Tactical Knives for Sale The Awe of the Blade Knife Patterns My Photography
Website Overview Current Knives for Sale Tactical, Combat Knife Portal Museum Pieces Knife Pattern Alphabetic List Photographic Services
My Mission My Knife Prices All Tactical, Combat Knives Investment, Collector's Knives Copyright and Knives Photographic Images
The Finest Knives and You How To Order Counterterrorism Knives Daggers Knife Anatomy  
Featured Knives: Page One Purchase Finished Knives  Professional, Military Commemoratives Swords Custom Knives  
Featured Knives: Page Two Order Custom Knives USAF Pararescue Knives Folding Knives Modern Knifemaking Technology My Writing
Featured Knives: Page Three Knife Sales Policy USAF Pararescue "PJ- Light" Chef's Knives Factory vs. Handmade Knives First Novel
Featured Knives: Older/Early Bank Transfers  27th Air Force Special Operations  Food Safety, Kitchen, Chef's Knives Six Distinctions of Fine Knives Second Novel
Email Jay Fisher Custom Knife Design Fee Khukris: Combat, Survival, Art Hunting Knives Knife Styles Knife Book
Contact, Locate Jay Fisher Delivery Times Serrations Working Knives Jay's Internet Stats  
FAQs My Shipping Method Grip Styles, Hand Sizing Khukris The 3000th Term Videos
Current, Recent Works, Events Business of Knifemaking Concealed Carry and Knives Skeletonized Knives Best Knife Information and Learning About Knives  
Client's News and Info   Military Knife Care Serrations Cities of the Knife Links
Who Is Jay Fisher?   The Best Combat Locking Sheath Knife Sheaths Knife Maker's Marks  
Testimonials, Letters and Emails     Knife Stands and Cases How to Care for Custom Knives Site Table of Contents
Top 22 Reasons to Buy   Tactical Knife Sheath Accessories Handles, Bolsters, Guards Knife Making Instruction  
My Knifemaking History   Loops, Plates, Straps Knife Handles: Gemstone Larger Monitors and Knife Photos  
What I Do And Don't Do    Belt Loop Extenders-UBLX, EXBLX Gemstone Alphabetic List New Materials  
CD ROM Archive   Independent Lamp Accessory-LIMA Knife Handles: Woods Knife Shop/Studio, Page 1  
Publications, Publicity   Universal Main Lamp Holder-HULA Knife Handles: Horn, Bone, Ivory Knife Shop/Studio, Page 2  
My Curriculum Vitae   Sternum Harness Knife Handles: Manmade Materials    
Funny Letters and Emails, Pg. 1 Blades and Steels Sharpeners, Lanyards Knife Embellishment     
Funny Letters and Emails, Pg. 2 Blades Bags, Cases, Duffles, Gear    
Funny Letters and Emails, Pg. 3 Knife Blade Testing Modular Sheath Systems  
Funny Letters and Emails, Pg. 4 440C: A Love/Hate Affair PSD Principle Security Detail Sheaths      
Funny Letters and Emails, Pg. 5 ATS-34: Chrome/Moly Tough
Funny Letters and Emails, Pg. 6 D2: Wear Resistance King        
The Curious Case of the "Sandia" O1: Oil Hardened Blued Beauty        
The Sword, the Veil, the Legend Elasticity, Stiffness, Stress,
and Strain in Knife Blades
   
Professional Knife Consultant Heat Treating and
Cryogenic Processing of
Knife Blade Steels