bauernwehr messer

hellize

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Bauernwehr messer



A common accessory of anyone amongst the peasants, burghers or the lower nobility of the late medieval times of the german speaking world, sometime around the second half of the 15th century.
Its total length is 38 cm / 15 inch. The blade's length is 24cm / 9.5 inch, its width 4 cm / 1.6 inch.
I handforged the blade of 5160 carbon steel, the handle is made of polished deer antler with forged iron accessories.
Its sheath is made of thick cow hide.


The cave had a narrow entry. Its outside was strewed with small, sharp rocks and stones, but the inside was nice and flat, almost like a marble floor. The stalagmites seemed like ancient columns and the echoes travelling back and forth through its ever expanding halls gave the mirage of a basilica. A sanctum of nature.
This " shrine" also had a choir of its own. The bandmaster and the vocalist was the one and the same, the boar. But boar music doesn't have a melody. It is composed of illusive sounds, weird noises, growls and grunts. The last note always lures into the grave.

His own presence was undeniable. The floor was littered with its own musty, moldy manure, soaked in urine. The stink was teasing his sensitive snout, but it also helped him to orient itself in the darkness of the cavern, in a world all too familiar by now.
He didn't know, how much time has he spent inside the mountain, only had faint memories of rushes, collisions and roars. But all his past wounds healed with time and he started to know the tunnels intimately. He stood there now, whining in the dark depths of the mountain.

An odd vox stroke his ear, more and more strange sounds intruded into the wont tranquility of the den. The boar nervously sprung up and with clapping hoofs trotted across the naked stone floor towards the invader. Suddenly a dim ray of light found itself on a large iron and for a moment shined timidly on its edge in the dark, a flashing white tusk greeted it from the shadows.
Moments later a long shriek could be heard, but the men left behind, outside at the mouth of the grotto couldn't tell if it was from the beast or from the hunter.


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hellize

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Yes, it's excellent; I had to google the style of knife because I wasn't familiar with it, your ability to adapt your hand to any number of styles is quite rare in knifemakers.
Thanks! :)
No wonder you wasn't familiar with it, it went out of style, about 400 years ago :rolleyes:
Medieval stuff is my fetish, thou I rarely find free time for such doodles.
 

Renton

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Weird timing as I am currently reading a novella called Sharps by K. J. Parker. All about a small troop of fencers going on a tour of a neighbouring country and being faced with a nation obsessed with Messer fighting rather than the expected Rapier or Longsword with common epitaph of "Here they fight with Messers"

Amazing to see this example pop up on here and bring descriptions of the weapon to life.
 
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Nice65

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Excellent tale as always, and a wonderful knife. The work in the guard is mad, lovely you’ve indulged yourself with the passion of it.

I still go back to Doctor Chang’s sword cane dagger and marvel at how totally unique that is. From the source of the inspiration to the final product, a true one-off.
 

hellize

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Weird timing as I am currently reading a novella called Sharps by K. J. Parker. All about a small troop of fencers going on a tour of a neighbouring country and being faced with a nation obsessed with Messer fighting rather than the expected Rapier or Longsword with common epitaph of "Here they fight with Messers"

Amazing to see this example pop up on here and bring descriptions of the weapon to life.
Well now! That sure is weird :D
That seems like a good book. Heaven knows, I'm sure in need of a good book.
 

hellize

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Excellent tale as always, and a wonderful knife. The work in the guard is mad, lovely you’ve indulged yourself with the passion of it.

I still go back to Doctor Chang’s sword cane dagger and marvel at how totally unique that is. From the source of the inspiration to the final product, a true one-off.
Thanks a lot! :)
Yeah, I usually don't bother that much with accessories. The effort is rarely rewarded, you know. But this time, I was compelled somehow to do it.
Believe it or not, I still dream sometimes with the dreameaters. Such a fascinating unique world it was. I'm having a hard time to forget it properly, so I could pick it up once again and read it as a fresh book, and relive all those adventures. :D
 

Nice65

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Thanks a lot! :)
Yeah, I usually don't bother that much with accessories. The effort is rarely rewarded, you know. But this time, I was compelled somehow to do it.
Believe it or not, I still dream sometimes with the dreameaters. Such a fascinating unique world it was. I'm having a hard time to forget it properly, so I could pick it up once again and read it as a fresh book, and relive all those adventures. :D
I found my copy recently, I think it is due another visit to indulge its steampunk gothic Victorian style.
 
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