Ex Materia

The act of Creation especially in a theological sense is often thought of as ex nihilo (Latin for "out of nothing") when in fact even the biblical references to creation or "new" things is really the process of transforming something that is into something with a new shape or a new purpose.  That is creation ex materia - out of material that exists.  It is a complete change in the original material that is so extensive that the very essence of the original is re-purposed.  We are familiar with this concept when it comes to raw materials - things  that are expected to be used in the creation of something more - i.e. flour being baked into bread.  It is expected that flour is a raw material and that it is not surprising that is should be transformed.  Most of the steel I use comes as bars from the steel mill, and it is therefore not surprising that it should become something else.  But of a finished product, the transformation is unexpected.  God most often uses this type of creation: taking something that has all the features and characteristics we expect of a finished thing, and making of it something with a new look, a new purpose.  That is creation ex materia. 

The Ex Materia Fighter is part of what will be an ongoing experiment in transforming something already made, already finished into something entirely different, where only tiny clues remain as to the origin of the material.  I find that this too is close to the style of God.  Rather than an object being melted down and poured into another mould, leaving no trace of what was, He tends to forge anew while traces of what or who used to be are still present...proof that the connection is real.  

The Ex Materia Fighter is forged from an assortment of precision ball bearings, compressed and stretched and twisted, yet if you know where to look you can still see each individual bearing.  The whole color scheme is something I do often because I love the idea that a knife is dressed best when dressed like a tuxedo: black and white (or in this case, silver).  The guard is a thorned variety - blued, with a stainless spacer and a satin finished black paper micarta handle with some stainless accents.  The sheath is a high-ride, black Dragonskin model with natural colored edges. 

The blade is 8" and the overall is 13"