Teen Forges Knife From 4.5-Billion-Year-Old Meteorite

Nebula Meteorite Knife by Tristan Dare

Bladesmith Tristan Dare is only 19 years old, but he's already making a name for himself. For the past five years, he has been crafting knives that are true works of art. And, interestingly, he often incorporates ancient materials into his blades. His latest piece, called Nebula, was crafted from one of the oldest meteorites ever recorded—it's estimated to be 4.5 billion years old. Set off with opal, gold, and an ancient wooly mammoth tooth, the blade is a masterpiece.

In a video posted to his YouTube channel last year, Dare shows how he takes meteorite and carefully crafts it into a blade. Step by step, the meteorite is worked over until it's perfectly sharp. Using meteorite as a material brings a unique touch to Dare's work. The pattern of the ancient metal is still visible, adding a visual interest beyond the cool factor of using a meteorite as a knife.

According to Dare, his interest in working with his hands began at a young age. At just 11 years old, he started woodworking, inspired by his grandfather who was an avid woodworker. After several years of woodworking and competing in contests, Dare began crafting his own chisels and tools. This is where his adventure with metal began.

Self-taught, he dove in to the world of bladesmithing and has not looked back. Now he's constantly pushing himself to new heights and is always on the lookout for interesting materials to incorporate into his blades. Dare often works with meteorite, which gives his blades a unique touch. For his handles, he also enjoys using rare and prehistoric materials like mammoth tusk or rare woods.

If you're interested in owning one of his creations, Dare puts his blades for sale in his shop when they are available and also takes commissions.

Tristan Dare has created a blade made from a 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite.

Nebula Meteorite Knife by Tristan Dare

The talented teen also incorporated opal and an ancient wooly mammoth tooth.

Nebula Meteorite Knife by Tristan Dare Nebula Meteorite Knife by Tristan Dare

Dare, who is self-taught, enjoys using rare and ancient materials to create his blades.

 

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A post shared by Tristan Dare (@tristandareofficial)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tristan Dare (@tristandareofficial)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tristan Dare (@tristandareofficial)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tristan Dare (@tristandareofficial)

Take a look at how he transforms a meteorite into a knife.

Tristan Dare: Website | Instagram | Reddit | YouTube

All images via Tristan Dare.

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Researchers Uncovered a 5,000-Year-Old Crystal Dagger Buried in Spain

Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Staff Editor and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book "Street Art Stories Roma" and most recently contributed to "Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini." You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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