Nautiloids have experienced minimal changes over the past 500 million years, surviving the last "Big 5" major extinction events. If that's not metal 🤟 I don't know what else is. That's why these hand forged nautilus shells are one of my favorite gifts to give friends, family, and other living fossils like my coworkers.Â
Production Process:
I start with a 5/8" thick bar stock of 1080 cold-rolled steel, get it to a cool 2000°F and wail on it with a big hammer until my arm gets tired or it's drawn out to a nice taper. I then get it back up to a temperature that hurts your eyes and twist it until my vice starts to groan to create that signature spiral pattern. After that I use a rawhide hammer to scroll the end in on itself and form the overall shell shape. A wire brush, some heat, a few curse words, and beeswax/boiled linseed oil go into the finishing of the piece.Â
Comes with a small wooden display stand and the hopes and dreams of a fossil.Â
Since I make these by hand each one is going to be slightly different in terms of color and spiral pattern.
