This is a very special blade. The steel was forged entirely under the light of the full moon over the course of a year.  Some of the forge welding was done at minus 25 degrees Celsius.  The billet is constructed from 1084, L6, and hundred year old wrought iron.  The process of forging a blade only at night and only one night a month was very interesting. In many ways it got to the root of what it is to be a bladesmith; forging in the void created by the firelight in the moonwashed night can be a surreal experience.

This project was started in 2005, I waited for the right materials to dress this blade.  The scabbard and grip are carved from ancient bog oak and the fittings are sterling silver. I carved the scabbard and grip with spirals that represent the division of time.  In the ancient mythologies of Europe, the moon was seen as the time keeper and days where reckoned by nights.  I chose to create the scabbard and hilt largely in the early medieval Pictish style, which was itself influenced by the insular art style of the British Isles, this tradition draws from both Germanic (Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian) and Celtic (Scottish, Welsh, and Irish) traditions.  I have blended Celtic and Germanic mythology and iconography in this piece.  It’s name, Manigandr, is a composite word drawn from Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon, and incorporates the name of the man in the moon ‘Mani’ with the word for magic ‘Gand’ the word ‘Gandr’ also was a word used to describe a magic wand.  When coupled these words mean ‘moon’s wand’ or ‘moon’s enchantment’ and describe not only the object, but the process by which it was created.

Blade - 23.5cm / 9 1/4"

Hilt - 14cm / 5 1/2"

The box for this blade was constructed from extremely rare figured beech, and lined with rough silk. The lid is carved with a moon symbol and the name of the blade in elder runes.