Cool Custom: Ryan Breuer’s Relic Dagger

BLADE Staff

July 29, 2024

Cool Custom: Ryan Breuer’s Relic Dagger — Ryan Breuer, 26, said the primary influence on his one-of-a-kind Relic Dagger is the Bronze Age Egyptian dagger. The shapes on the quillons of Ryan’s knife are carvings in the bronze. While Ryan has made knives for about 10 years, he did not start making them seriously until about eight years ago after graduation from high school. A part-time bladesmith, he works full time as an engineer for a manufacturer making parts for medical devices. (image of Ryan’s knife by SharpByCoop.com)

Breuer’s Relic Dagger is Bronze Age solid gold.

While it may appear to be an alien looking back at you, the Relic Dagger by ABS journeyman smith Ryan Breuer is inspired by Egyptian daggers from the Bronze Age that were made over 6,000 years ago.

The pommel on the originals are believed to have been made of hippo ivory.

“There’s such a striking shape to it,” Ryan said. “It very clearly looks like a human form in the handle holding up either a head or maybe the sun. It’s as if those who made the daggers thousands of years ago are looking back at me. It’s almost spooky.”

The damascus blade is a collaboration between Ryan and bladesmith Jason Morrissey, though Ryan gives Jason most of the credit for the steel. The blade is a composite mosaic damascus, with twisted mosaic edge bars of Jason’s steel and Ryan’s “eyes” mosaic in the core.

Ryan Breuer

Ryan ground, heat treated and finished the blade. The hilt is cast bronze made with the lost-wax process. The pommel is pattern-welded wrought iron and pure nickel, manipulated to imitate layers of organic ivory. Ryan drilled the two holes for the “eyes.”

Breuer Relic Dagger Specs
Maker: Ryan Breuer
Blade length: 7.5”
Blade material: Composite mosaic damascus of 1084 carbon and 15N20 nickel alloy steels
Blade width @ base: 31/8”
Overall length: 12.75”
Maker’s price: $3,000

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