Photos Beyond excited!!! Yozakura Forge

I have forged, heat treated, and ground the second iteration of the cleaver and everything went great this time. It is dead straight with a really crisp s-grind. I'm currently working on the polishing and should finish that up tomorrow, and then I can move on to the final handle and get started on the saya! Here's an image of how it's looking right now:
https://imgur.com/a/YEJB9S5
 
The cleaver is now done! Here's a video of it:
https://imgur.com/a/9HPfKXT

I am very happy with how it ended up coming out, I think you will like this one a lot. Next step is now the saya for each blade. These tend to go by pretty quick, I should only need 2ish full days of work to get them done. I may need to get a new board of wood for them tho, I think I am running out of my usual stock. Also, I got a lot of pictures of my handle making process, so I will be putting together a tutorial for that over the next few days that I will post here.
 
Just finished the write up on my handle making process. The pictures are a bit rough at times (I only have one set of hands while working haha) so please let me know if there's anything that's confusing that I can help to clarify. You can see the tutorial here (clicking on the link will make it a lot easier to read rather than looking at it in this thread):

https://imgur.com/a/F7qwyvI

As for the saya, I was unfortunately very busy this week and have only got a couple hours in so far, but I will have a lot more free time this weekend and am currently planning on finishing them up on Saturday. The next update from me will probably be final pictures with everything done!
 
Fantastic tutorial! Thank you! I love the look of your faceting. The tang is a lot shorter than what I typically make; in my research I've read advice about keeping the tang approximately 3/4s into the entire handle. Ever have any issues with your design in regards to that? Also, next time cut up hot glue sticks into tiny bits and use that to glue the tang. Heat up the tang and shove it in. By using hot glue, if you ever need to do a handle repair or reprofiling, all you need to do is bake the knife at 200ish fahrenheit and it will slide off without destroying the handle. Works like a charm and holds it solidly as long as the customer isn't a doofus and puts the knife in the dishwasher.
 
Thanks! As for the tang length, there's no real hard rules on how long it has to be. This one is almost 3 inches long and extends about 2/3 of the way into the handle. The tang looks very small when compared to the big knife, but it's a fairly reasonable size. On a knife like this that's built for slicing, you will never have an issue. If this was a butchers knife or something like that that is going to see a lot of impact, then I'd make the tang thicker, longer, and I wouldn't put in as aggressive 4 way shoulders. It's extremely dependent on what you're making. Larger and longer tangs also are heavier, which is generally a negative in the context of the kitchen knives I make. Even just an ounce or two can make a big difference for chefs who will be using it for their whole shift, maybe not so much for a regular home cook. The hot glue idea is interesting, but I'm not sure I would feel comfortable using hot glue. It is not very durable and has low adhesion strength, and so any vibrations can wear the glue interface over time. Obviously because of its low strength it would not be suitable for any hard use knife for sure. I think I would also be worried about it's high viscosity, I don't know how well it will fill any gaps near the shoulders of the blade. If water gets into the handle it can rust the tang away slowly without the user ever noticing.
 
I started using the hot glue method a while ago, which I have been using with success. I had the same concerns as yourself. The bond is more than adequate, and it actually is durable. I've put one of my home use knives which was about a year old in a vise and pulled hard on the handle without being able to slide it off. Once I witnessed that, I stopped using epoxy for my wa handles. The main issue is that it's not waterproof, but you can get around that by sealing the tang with clear silicone. Being able to remove a handle without destruction is ideal.
 
Gootknives said:
I started using the hot glue method a while ago, which I have been using with success. I had the same concerns as yourself. The bond is more than adequate, and it actually is durable. I've put one of my home use knives which was about a year old in a vise and pulled hard on the handle without being able to slide it off. Once I witnessed that, I stopped using epoxy for my wa handles. The main issue is that it's not waterproof, but you can get around that by sealing the tang with clear silicone. Being able to remove a handle without destruction is ideal.
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Okay, I definitely don't have as much experience with this as you, I'll have to look into it more and try it out sometime. Despite my concerns, I really do appreciate the advice :) Being able to remove a handle without breaking it would definitely be a bonus!
 
Saxman25 said:
Okay, I definitely don't have as much experience with this as you, I'll have to look into it more and try it out sometime. Despite my concerns, I really do appreciate the advice :) Being able to remove a handle without breaking it would definitely be a bonus!
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Your work is incredible! These knives are beautiful and the fact that you take the time to share your knowledge makes it apparent how much you care about the profession.
 
Super impressive thread and of course the end results. Beautiful set of knives infall respects. Very nicely done.
 
Thanks for the kind words everyone :)
I am planning on taking some nice pictures tonight with a new camera setup and posting the finished set and saya. D Dabling I will be in contact with you soon for payment and shipping details!
 
Hello everyone! Here's a final update: I'm proud to announce that the set is finished!! Thank you to everyone who took the time to look and comment during the process, and an especially big thanks to D Dabling who has been incredibly patient as I worked through this large order. Here's some final photos using a new camera setup:

https://imgur.com/a/t7HVWd6

Let me know what you all think of the finished pieces! Because I haven't mentioned it before, the saya are made from spalted basswood and have african blackwood retaining pins.
Thanks again!
-Grant
 
Saxman25 said:
Thank you! :)
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I dabble a bit in woodworking, but I don’t have anywhere near the skills, patience, or stamina myself these days to even think about taking up this kind of work (not to mention a good work area or budget!). I have however been a big fan of FiF for about as long as it’s been around. So I’m content to just sit in awe at the kind of stuff folks like you can turn out. Really beautiful pieces. 👍
 
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