Jesse holding a recently finished fowler

Jesse holding a recently finished fowler

Friday, January 27, 2017

A new direction in jewelry making from Jesse

These extraordinary pendants are made from rare richly colored pieces of fossilized walrus ivory dug up from eroding coast line by Yupik and Inupiat Eskimos from North Western Alaska.
The mottled white material at the center is called tapioca because of its appearance.



Finished: The Sgian Dubh

This masterpiece of knife making skill is finished.
It features a handle of Fossilized Walrus Ivory sourced from eroding coast line in Western Alaska, completely mineralized and distinctly colored with dark stripes. Such color in this fossilized material is very rare.
The natural shape of the fossil tusk was slightly flattened on one side, and Jesse used this to create a design that allowed the handle to fit flush with the body of the wearer. The Celtic knot work was applied to the curved side, sparing the flat side.
This Scots knife is dedicated to my wife and her family MacKay whose family roots are in the highlands.










Saturday, January 14, 2017

Progress on the Sgian Dubh

Jesse has finished polishing the blade on this knife, fashioned the silver sheath and is just about to complete the carvings on the fossilized walrus ivory handle and execute engraving on the sheath.