The Wolf Sword

Sorry I’ve been quiet lately! I’ve been a bit busy. I’d like to take a moment to share with you the sword I shipped out this week. It was an absolute joy to work on and let me put my skills to the test.

The pommel and crossguard are made from a polymer clay called Premo Sculpy.

This clay is sculpted, baked in the oven, and affixed to the sword with a combination of contact cement and matte Modge Podge. Then, it gets sanded, carved with the Dremel tool, sanded again, and finally, painted.

The Shadowhunter who requested this blade asked that it be made to look old, as though it had been handed down in a family line. To achieve this effect, I gave the paint on the wolf portions a tarnished look with dry-brushing.

The leather began as a simple dark brown: a perfect base colour to build upon. I painted it with scarlet leather paint and then added some darker colours where the grip meets the pommel and crossguard. This gives the impression that dirt and grime over the years has become packed in that seam where it is difficult to clean properly.

I then took a lighter rusty colour and added some “stains” where the acidic adrenaline-saturated sweat from previous Shadowhunters’ hands would affect the dye of the leather, bleaching it little by little over the years.

The Shadowhunter requested a frosted blade both for the shorter crafting time and the brightness of the finished product. I think her choice was spot-on for this blade.

I loved working on this and I very much hope that the Shadowhunter who ordered it enjoys it for many years.

Two of the things I learned from the creation of this sword: using a smaller LED allows me to make a more slender handle and is just as bright as the large LEDs.

The other thing was that the snaps I had were nice and robust with no danger of coming off the leather the way the Velcro tends to do … but they’re a little bulky. So I bought smaller snaps that will hopefully lie flatter against the grip.

Thank you very much to this Shadowhunter for the commission, for her patience, and her excellent feedback.

Author: Ethan Kincaid

Ethan Kincaid was born in 1985 in Ontario, Canada. He graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa with a degree in Linguistics and a minor in Japanese Language. After finishing his education, he settled down there with his wife Kaitlyn and became a full-time writer. In 2011, he moved to Montreal and discovered its vibrant writing culture. In 2015, Ethan moved to Helsinki, Finland with his wife; he works as a creative craftsman and part time author. The greatest joy in his life lies in helping others find venues for their own personal expression. View all posts by Ethan Kincaid