Purple FringingAug 2025 - Jan 2026
Blade: purpleheart, rosewood, dead soft silver wire, epoxy
Handle: Spanish cedar, wood veneer, wood glue
Sheath: vinyl sheet, thread
Finishing: Watco Danish oil, wax
approx. 12 x 2 x 0.5 in per dagger
Purple Fringing is a pair of wooden daggers with vinyl sheaths. The work operates as a thought experiment in combining physical materials in unusual ways: what might the physical embodiment of modern swordsmanship look like?
Instead of sharp, lethal edges, these daggers are made from colorful solid woods and marked with symbolic patterns. The blades are rendered harmless, shifting their function from violence toward gesture, protection, and intention. The transparent vinyl sheaths are designed for display rather than concealment, emphasizing visibility, vulnerability, and care.
Wooden blades like Purple Fringing can act as a personal statement and an object of connection, carrying a belief in the complexity of materiality and the agency of human hands.
I chose the wood types based on their color, texture, density, and symbolic meanings across different cultures.
In some Eastern cultural contexts, wooden daggers and swords are regarded as amulets for luck and protection. This is how I understand and position these daggers.
- Purpleheart (blade; extremely hard, with ripple silver inlay): Unbreakable spirit, strength under pressure
- Rosewood (blade; dense, with a light-ray pattern):
Calm mind in chaos, precise and clean action
- Spanish cedar (handle; softer, fragrant):
Safe journeys, protection away from home
Thus, these daggers embody the message:
Fight with courage,
Fight with clarity,
Travel safely,
Return home.
In August 2025, I started Purple Fringing as a side project, experimenting with wooden daggers (bladed objects more broadly) made from solid wood species. Along the way, I explored fine woodworking techniques, including lamination, carving, veneer inlay, and metal wire inlay.