I just finished up a San Mai hunter with a handle made of Ancient Bog Oak from the Ukraine. For those who do not know, the old oak tree fell into what either was or what became a "peat bog". This would be a very acidic environment which would also be a bit void of oxygen. Without the oxygen to support bacterial life no decay took place.
So this piece here was dug up and carbon dated at 5420 years old - 3400 BC.
This was 2000 years before King Tut!
I got to thinking while working on this about what might have been going on in the area of Eastern Europe at that time.
The Bronze Age basically began around 3200 BC. This was the time during which the predominant metal being used was a smelted mixture of Tin and Copper.
Steel - iron and carbon - had not been in use yet.
So, this piece of Bog Oak is now attached to a modern piece of 1095 tool steel to which I laminated a jacket of stainless steel.
Sort of like using some ancient spear handle for material to make the gear shift on a Corvette.
The contrast of the materials on this knife just make my head spin.
Anyway - fun thoughts.
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c247/kbaknife/Trad%20Gang/TSb-2_zpsefbf6afc.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/kbaknife/media/Trad%20Gang/TSb-2_zpsefbf6afc.jpg.html)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c247/kbaknife/Trad%20Gang/TSa-2_zpsea28ad20.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/kbaknife/media/Trad%20Gang/TSa-2_zpsea28ad20.jpg.html)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c247/kbaknife/Trad%20Gang/TSd-2_zps7c957d7f.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/kbaknife/media/Trad%20Gang/TSd-2_zps7c957d7f.jpg.html)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c247/kbaknife/Trad%20Gang/TSc-2_zpsa6e44b88.jpg) (http://s28.photobucket.com/user/kbaknife/media/Trad%20Gang/TSc-2_zpsa6e44b88.jpg.html)
Great story to go along with an amazing knife, I like everything about this one.
Those pictures really show that blade well. Pretty cool when I know it's better than they can show. Love it, that guard is so clean and what's not to like about San Mai.
Awesome. Great looking piece Karl.
cool beans, Karl....and thanks for the help yesterday buddy
Fascinating to think about. It's like a time capsule.
Great work and knife Karl. :campfire:
Great work. And you brought a ancient tree back to life.
That is some sweet San Mai!!! I'm waiting for Burl Source to get some more of that Bog Oak for one of my future projects.
Jay
Yep - I hope Mark can keep a steady supply of that. It is one of my favorite materials.