Award Knives for Display
Oregon Knife Collectors Association
Oregon Knife Show Display Award Knives 2023
The display award knives are special awards given for the best displays at the Oregon Knife Show. The blade blanks were made from a pattern by Gene Martin. The theme is the Nordic Seax knife. This pattern was decided on as something different to try and indeed it is.
The steel used is 1095. Gene Martin is orchestrating this event and oversaw the laser cutting of the blanks. http://www.customknife.com/
The displays at the April 2023 Show are museum quality displays and deserve the finest of awards for their efforts.
It is planned to judge the award knives that are being donated to this event.
The seax is the knife that was common among the Germanic tribes and the Anglo Saxons. It was popular from the 5th until the 11th century. The Vikings are credited with having used this style knife The description seax is used specifically for a type of small sword, knife or dagger typical of the Germanic peoples of the Migration period and the Early Middle Ages, especially the Saxons, whose name derives from the weapon. These vary considerably in size, but are mostly all-purpose tools and weapons, often carried around by women as well as men.A typical form of the seax is the broken-back style seax. These seaxes have a sharp angled transition between the back section of the blade and the point, the latter generally forming 1/3 to 3/5 of the blade length.
Original Historic Seax Knife
The Knives
These are the knifemakers that have volunteered to make these knives
Brion Baker, Great Falls MT – Peter Bromley, Spokane Valley WA – Gary Dekorte, Sequim WA – Theo Eichorn, Grants Pass OR, – Gary Griffin, Bend OR – Cameron House, Salem OR – David Kurt, Molalla OR – Gene Martin, Williams OR – Glen Morris, Vancouver WA – Jeff Murison, North Plains OR – Bryan Wages, Eugene OR – Harlan Whitman, Portland OR – Gene Martin – Williams OR – Event coordinator
Peter Bromley Knives
Peter Bromley – Spokane, Washington
Peter was inspired to maintain the theme of the original Seax knife.The elk horn is torched and dyed . The furniture is copper intended to look Celtic. Peter is at table G06
Gary DeKorte
Sequim, Washington
The award knife is 1095 steel as provided, antiqued with a mustard finish. The handle is a maple burl, cord wrapped. The guard is nickel silver, with a peened finish, fluted edge. “My rendition of the Seax knife is an attempt to make it as original as I could imagine, without ever having seen one!” Gary is at table Q03
Theo Eichorn
Grants Pass, Oregon
The handle of Visakoivu (Curly Birch) is a beautiful choice of color and shape.. The end cap and guard are copper. The blade is the result of differential tempering. Theo is at table K06
Brion Baker
Great Falls, MT
This is Brion’s interpretation of the Seax knife. Brion is at table D02
Jeff Murison
North Plains, Oregon
A handle of a Sanbar stag crown brings us back to the days when these Seax knives flourished. The blade has been mustard etched and the collars are textured wrought iron, The rope spacer is nickel silver. Jeff is at table S04
David Kurt – Hand Made Knives
Molalla, Oregon
This is David’s interpretation of the 2023 OKCA display award Seax blade. The handle is katalox wood with a micarta spacer. The guard & pins are antiqued copper. David is at table H04
Gene Martin – Provision Forge
Williams, Oregon
Gene had a vision about doing the Seax blade and distributing blanks this year. He has submitted his rendering with the 1095 blade hand rubbed to 1200. The furniture is copper and the handle is one piece walnut. Gene is at table Q11
Gary Griffin – Griffin Made Knives
Bend, Oregon
The handle Of Gary’s Seax knife is organically stained elk antler with leather spacers. The pommel is mild steel and the butt cap is cocobolo. The handle and blade spine are marked with runes of power, wealth, victory, magic and all things of Interest to Vikings The blade has a differential temper and finished off with an antique patina. Gary is at table D04
Harlan Whitman – OOak Forge
Portland, Oregon
Harlan had a piece of Mountain Mahogany that he harvested from Central Oregon. In order to add something to the Broken Back Seax knife blade, Harlan did a deep fuller which really makes the blade stand out. This knife project was outside the box of typical Harlan knives and he was excited how the results turned out. Harlan is at table F08
Bryan Wages – Lifer Knives
Veneta, Oregon
What the Nordic people back in the day, wouldn’t have given for this tool/knife. The handle is industrial grade micarta with a red liner and stainless pins The blade is a convex grind and convex edge. The contours of the handle are a perfect fit to the hand. Bryan is at table B10
Cameron House
Salem, Oregon
The blade is a Scotchbrite finish. It is a mild steel guard and pommel with Oxphoblue finish. The Sambar Stag handle uses black, copper, and stag spacers. Cameron can be found at Table F09.
