THE TRAGEDY
The harrowing events of September 11th, 2001 are forever etched into the consciousness of the global community who lived through it. “9/11” pivoted human history in dramatic fashion. While planned and carried out with the worst of mankind’s nature, the aftermath birthed a renewed sense of patriotism and brotherhood.
In the days, months and years that followed, we’ve heard stories of heroes and villains, luck and misfortune.
Our creation is one more story to be told…
CONSTRUCTION
The World Trade Center complex was an icon of American ingenuity and gumption. From 1966 to 1971 construction crews utilized 200,000 tons of steel to raise the twin towers to previously unseen heights. 1 WTC, coined the “North Tower”, had an elevation of 1,368 feet while 2 WTC, “South Tower”, reached 1,362 feet.
To those who were never fortunate to witness them in person the scale is hard to comprehend; the WTC site had its own zip code! Underneath were 7 subterranean levels including a huge subway station. Each floor had an acre of rentable space. There were 239 elevators (one of the first buildings to utilize local and express lines) and it took 250,000 gallons of paint for general upkeep each year.
For 30 years the twin towers stood guard over NYC’s skyline as a symbol of America’s engineering prowess.
DIGNITY LOST
In the aftermath of the attacks on 9/11, 1.8 million tons of debris were removed from Ground Zero including an estimated 300,000 tons of steel. Of the 300,000 tons of steel wreckage, 1,890 fragments were collected in Hangar 17 at the JFK Airport and from 2010 to 2016 the NY Port Authority donated these “artifacts” across the globe to erect memorials remembering those lost. Another 7.5 tons of steel was used by the US Navy to construct the warship USS New York. Tragically, this is where the dignity deserved by such material largely met its end.
In the haste to clear rubble, much of the steel wreckage was sold at bargain prices to China, India and South Korea to be recycled. Hundreds of thousands of tons of twisted steel was taken by boat to Asia and melted down into kitchenware and raw building materials. This is an unsatisfactory and undeserving end to the tangible consequence of 9/11. Fortunately, we forged a more suitable destiny."
RESTORING HONOR
During the first few weeks after the attacks, only those credentialed to erect monuments were allowed on site to collect debris. In 2001 Michael Capriola was a Det. Sergeant of the Freeport NY Police Department. In this capacity he was also the liaison to the Freeport Revolver & Rifle Association Range. At his urging, the range decided to install a monument to those lost.
In December 2001, Mr. Capriola met with the FDNY Commissioner Thomas Von Essen at Ground Zero to recover steel from the North Tower rubble. Their salvation efforts netted two large beams for a memorial and thanks to his efforts, and that of the relief workers at Ground zero, the Freeport range is today blessed with an awe-inspiring memorial worthy of a visit. Mike also recovered a steel block 3” thick, 18” long, 8” wide and weighing in at a stout 127 pounds. This recovered steel is the inception point for our endeavor.
Being the days before the ubiquitous smart-phone, Mr. Capriola had the wherewithal to capture this historic recovery effort with his personal camera and we are honored to share the previously unseen fruit of his efforts.
THE FINAL SALVAGE
Our mission was to once again empower this material and restore the dignity deserving of its lineage via unparalleled artistic expression. In order to bring our vision to reality we had to first contend with the elemental challenges of the recovered A36 structural steel.
A36 is a proven alloy for skyscraper construction but not ideal to withstand the forces exerted during the combustion of gunpowder. The answer was to incorporate a technique known as pattern-welding which incorporates small blends of other metals to create a custom alloy suitable for the rigors exerted on a firearm. Pattern-welding has the added benefit of allowing acid-etching to form a modern “Damascus” visual appeal. This process was to be entrusted to a seasoned blacksmith with accolades in the firearm industry.
REBIRTH
The rusted, pitted amorphous block of steel from the North Tower was first cut and milled into a clean and true billet. The material was then privately transported to a NY metal fabrication shop capable of heating the entire billet over 2200℉ before multiple passes, and re-heats, through a series of rollers thinning out the once 3” block to ⅛” thick.
Once complete, the material was loaded into our blacksmith’s truck for further processing. Over the next year of testing and trialing, our blacksmith refined a recipe 130 layers thick, to create workable billets. Each billet requires metal sheets tacked into place, heated through in the furnace, smashed into a homogenous form and finally twisted (in a custom-made machine) to impart the distinctive Damascus finish you see today.
METAMORPHOSIS
With functional steel billets finally realized, Spatha Consulting tasked the fine artisans at Miniature Arsenal to replicate America's handgun, the M1911A1 in 1:2 scale.
For decades, Miniature Arsenal has continued the tradition set forth by royalty from centuries past. The practice of collecting and gifting miniature weapon models became widespread in the 17th century and remains in practice today, specifically with specimens crafted from Miniature Arsenal's workshop.
Unlike budget scaled models, the artists at Miniature Arsenal create fully operational arms. The watch-like precision and impeccable attention to detail has their creations sought after by discerning collectors and aristocracy worldwide.
This collaboration is the ultimate intersection of reclaiming historic dignity via the medium of fine art.
THE WTC MINIATURE
Deciding the material’s final form was obvious from the start. As the brainchild of the most influential firearm innovator, John Moses Browning’s 1911 is as American as it gets. The 1911 has served the US military and it’s citizenry for well over 100 years and today still holds a special place in the hearts of firearm enthusiasts and historians. A gentleman's gun born with total global war on the horizon, it was conceived without placating to the lowest common denominator. The 1911 is an enduring statement that sound mechanics and rugged aesthetics are not mutually exclusive.
Miniature Arsenal’s heirloom-quality specimen adds another worthy story to the continuing saga of the 1911. While diminutive in size at only 4.2 inches long and 5 ounces, this piece adds a unique narrative to 9/11’s story on a grand scale.
GIVING BACK
After 20+ years of recovery and rebuilding from 9/11, we are warmed by humanity seizing light from the dark as support for those affected continues to this day. This project is no exception.
Spatha Consulting LLC will donate portions of proceeds to the “Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund” which provides post-secondary education assistance to financially needy dependents of those lost or permanently disabled from 9/11.
At Spatha Consulting, we believe a stronger America tomorrow begins by germinating stronger minds today.