soulgifts – Telling Tales

Himself has been at it again. Creating masterpieces.  He has developed something he calls Damascus Wood. You may have heard of Damascus Steel.

During our road trip to Darwin I asked my brother, who lives there, to help me make a knife. He’s a master craftsman. Well – he and Himself did.  While I watched . Because I discovered that I did not even have the beginning novice skills needed. They knew. Of course. But humoured me. Bless them! You can read about it here.  

Original Damascus steel, also known as Pattern Weld, Dascene or Damast was  first produced over two thousand years ago. The forged steel composing the blades of swords smithed in the Near East from ingots of wootz steel are characterized by distinctive patterns of banding and mottling reminiscent to flowing water. They were reputed to be tough, resistant to shattering, and capable of being honed to a sharp, resilient edge. Swords and knives  made from this material were dominant during the Iron Age, to the Viking Age, to Alexander the Great, even Aristotle. It can be traced as far back as 500 AD.

Since coming home, Himself has been esconsed in The Man Cave creating. And one of the things he created was what he calls Damascus Wood. Because the process has similarities to creating Damascus steel. He cuts bits of different woods. Glues them together into a block, recuts and glues again.

The first thing he made was this cake knife. The minute I saw it I said  “That one is mine!”

The next thing I said was you need to make a cake lifter to go with it. And then a butter knife.

He did.

Now on order is a cake platter to complete the set.

Oh – and a cutting board.

Raili Tanska

Think laterally