3V wakizashi {Not traditional, not trying to be}

BenR.T.

BenR.T.

Tanto grinder & High performance blade peddler
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Apr 18, 2011
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I just finished up this slightly different version of the A2 waki I shared a Wip on a while back.
This one has a hand rubbed (lots of fun!!) 14" 3V blade, and has a 21.25" oal. I suppose with the 14" blade it could considered a Ko Wakizashi.
The seppa and menuki are hammered copper and the tsuba is Orange peeled and heat colored Ti.

I am incredibly impressed with the 3V's corrosion resistance with the right heat treat. I've tried several things to get an antiqued or blued finish, but can't even touch it with my normal methods.

Any and all comments welcome!











Tapered fuller on the spine. It gets shallower and tapers completely out at the tip. Pretty cool I think.


With customer requested sheaths.
 
I love it too
 
It is categorically an o-tanto....and not a bad one.

Still needs a habaki.....those scabbards are superfluous.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Very nice all around. :)
I don't care what the traditional terminology for it is...the modern term is awesome.:thumbup:
 
That is really bad ass ko-wakizashi

I like your style brother :)
 
That is beautiful. I wonder how heavy is that piece and what is blade thickness?
Regards
 
Thanks for the comments everyone!
I should have prefaced my post, and this goes for all of these I will make in the future, I am not trying to copy a traditional design. This is merely my modern interpretation of a style of knives and short swords that I enjoy. I call it a wakizashi because I think that best describes it to ME, it is a short sword meant for chopping. :)


giedymin said:
That is beautiful. I wonder how heavy is that piece and what is blade thickness?
Regards
Click to expand...

Thanks! I didn't weigh it before it shipped out, but it was .290" at the spine. With the deep fullers, and longer handle, it balanced quite nicely.
 
BenR.T. said:
Thanks for the comments everyone!
I should have prefaced my post, and this goes for all of these I will make in the future, I am not trying to copy a traditional design. This is merely my modern interpretation of a style of knives and short swords that I enjoy. I call it a wakizashi because I think that best describes it to ME, it is a short sword meant for chopping. :)
Click to expand...

There are specific terms for specific things.....traditional or not. A wakizashi was never meant for chopping....it was meant for cutting and slicing. A Scrapizashi or a Ruck Waki or whatever marketing term that Jerry Busse came up with is definitely meant for chopping. I guess a term that has been used unmolested by Japanese swordsmiths for 500 + years and then butchered by Western knifemakers really shouldn't matter...right? Calling it a Japanese-influenced short sword or brush sword would be too much to ask, and while significantly more accurate, takes too long to type.

You used Japanese terminology in the description(seppa=spacers, menuki-handle charms), should it be ignored that you used ONE "seppa"....which would never occur on purpose if it was a proper Japanese handle construction, or what the seppa's purpose is?

I have taken the time to point out areas that have need to address with terms and missing parts because I thought you might benefit from it in the long run.....but frankly, only makers who WANT to improve in these areas will benefit from the effort.

Enjoy making what you make, whatever you want to call it, and have fun doing it.

The threads with this type of product are best left alone by those who know the difference and find it matters, Western style makers are certainly free to create whatever they want to create.....and call it what they want.....good is good no matter what, great is great...and good enough is, well.....

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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Kohai999 said:
Still needs a habaki.....those scabbards are superfluous.
Click to expand...

Steven, would you mind expounding on this? I'm not sure what you mean by superfluous. Are the scabbards superfluous due to the absence of a habaki? Or because they aren't traditionally constructed? Provided the sheaths offer proper retention (I'm sure Ben crafted them with this in mind), would not a habaki be superfluous (from the perspective of this being a non-traditional piece)?
 
If I may expound on japanese style scabbards

The entire art of carrying and using a japanese style blade is in the carrying and drawing of the blade IMHo

While I like modern interpretations of Japanese blades I still believe the best way to carry them is edge up sash/belt carry style

The Japanese did this because it works well

With the blade worn this way a draw cut is such a fun thing to do and a leather sheath if you want to keep fingers just does not work

Kydex will but I'm not a big Kydex fan unless we are talking about wet knives

A modern adaptation that did work well is what Hartsfield did with his lined metal and leather wrapped sheaths or what David Mirabile does with his carbon wrapped wood sheaths

I would personally like to see all Japanese style blades traditional or modern be in some form of an edge up sash/belt style sheath

Not because in anyway an obligation to tradition simple because it works really well :)
 
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