Bush Waki Project

Here's a quick video of my concept for the Waki and Tyrant Katana.

I'm not sure yet if this is 100% feasible from a production perspective. Lots of details to work out, but I will be making these swords on way or another.

This will be the most complex project I've ever done. There's lots of parts to get right and making everything fit with the warping and dimensional changes that Z Tuff undergoes with the low temper will be a real challenge, but I'm ready for it.

This will be my Magnum Opus boys.

I'm planning on making a few variants. I'll probably launch these with normal scales and no guard at a much lower price point and then have the "Magnum Opus" editions with the coffin scales, guard, and pommel.

Here's some details:

1. The "Bush Waki" will be geared towards actually chopping wood and just generally having fun with. It will have a slightly wider blade than a Wakizashi normally would. You'll be getting the Tyrant Bowie level fit and finish on a sword you can beat the hell out of. I'm hoping for a price point under $800 for this one. This will be a 29in OL sword with a roughly 20in blade. 3/16th Z Tuff with low temper.


2. Tyrant Katana- This will be the biggest, baddest, highest quality sword ever made, period. I've revised my design and am aiming for 40in minimum overall length. This piece will stand the test of time. It will also be absurdly expensive.


 
Huntsman Knife Co. LLC. said:
Here's a quick video of my concept for the Waki and Tyrant Katana.

I'm not sure yet if this is 100% feasible from a production perspective. Lots of details to work out, but I will be making these swords on way or another.

This will be the most complex project I've ever done. There's lots of parts to get right and making everything fit with the warping and dimensional changes that Z Tuff undergoes with the low temper will be a real challenge, but I'm ready for it.

This will be my Magnum Opus boys.

I'm planning on making a few variants. I'll probably launch these with normal scales and no guard at a much lower price point and then have the "Magnum Opus" editions with the coffin scales, guard, and pommel.

Here's some details:

1. The "Bush Waki" will be geared towards actually chopping wood and just generally having fun with. It will have a slightly wider blade than a Wakizashi normally would. You'll be getting the Tyrant Bowie level fit and finish on a sword you can beat the hell out of. I'm hoping for a price point under $800 for this one. This will be a 29in OL sword with a roughly 20in blade. 3/16th Z Tuff with low temper.


2. Tyrant Katana- This will be the biggest, baddest, highest quality sword ever made, period. I've revised my design and am aiming for 40in minimum overall length. This piece will stand the test of time. It will also be absurdly expensive.


Click to expand...
Honestly, I couldn’t even imagine that you’d surprise us THIS much!
What thickness would be optimal for each of them, and what are you aiming for?

Considering my experience with Fell Beast and Tyrant,
having something around 30 inches long from you, and also !!!40 inches!!!
That’s the best thing ever!photo_2025-09-10_23-00-33.jpg
 
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Moorik said:
Honestly, I couldn’t even imagine that you’d surprise us THIS much!
What thickness would be optimal for each of them, and what are you aiming for?

Considering my experience with Fell Beast and Tyrant,
having something around 30 inches long from you, and also !!!40 inches!!!
That’s the best thing ever!View attachment 2972932
Click to expand...

Aiming for around .187in thickness for both of them. I originally was going to use thicker stock, but Z Tuff is so resilient that I can save some weight and improve blade speed by using thinner stock.
 
Huntsman Knife Co. LLC. said:
Aiming for around .187in thickness for both of them. I originally was going to use thicker stock, but Z Tuff is so resilient that I can save some weight and improve blade speed by using thinner stock.
Click to expand...
Considering the specifications, Waki will weigh around 50 ounces or less, and Tyrant Katana around 80 ounces? Maybe slightly less (.It seems I exaggerated. 40 and 60)
This is actually extremely interesting, VERY interesting—these are already competitive values, as I understand it.
I do a bit of fencing, so I might have a slight sense of how much a blade would weigh.
This is incredibly intriguing, especially with my experience with the Z-tuff Fell Beast. I understand that the philosophy here will be similar—focused on speed and durability with flexible geometry. Extremely interesting and undoubtedly very challenging. I strongly support this idea.
In theory, the Bush Waki might be slightly thicker,Like around 0.220 inches. (Just thinking)
 
Yes! So much awesome in this news!!!

Sub-$800 Waki sounds amazing, and also for the "Magnum Opus" edition... Coffin shaped guard and pommel in heat treated, hardened steel please!!!

Looks like the Tyrant Katana is on track to do something like this: (15 sec mark)

 
wolverine-hugh-jackman.gif
 
Huntsman Knife Co. LLC. Huntsman Knife Co. LLC. I know you’ve worked with Nathan Carothers in the past. It might be worth bending his ear a bit in regards to long thin blades and HT warping on his K20 of D3V.

I know some of his process is proprietary, but he might have some tips for you that could save a LOT of headache/heartache. HTH.
 
SpyderPhreak said:
Huntsman Knife Co. LLC. Huntsman Knife Co. LLC. I know you’ve worked with Nathan Carothers in the past. It might be worth bending his ear a bit in regards to long thin blades and HT warping on his K20 of D3V.

I know some of his process is proprietary, but he might have some tips for you that could save a LOT of headache/heartache. HTH.
Click to expand...
I've dealt with quite a bit of warpage in my time. I think I have a good grasp on it overall, its just something you have to be prepared for and have to have processes to deal with.

The TGM AIR run gave me lots of practice in correcting warpage. I feel pretty confident now. First step is taking precautions to minimize warpage, next step it having ways to deal with it, which for me is carbide hammer peening and I've become pretty efficient at it.

I may end up heat treating these myself with a plate quench and a clamp temper but we'll see.
 
Finalizing the details on the handle.

Here's my concept and prototype for the full coffin handle with guard and pommel (prototype pommel not pictured, but drawn)

I've gone through several different variants but I think this is the best one. One thing I didn't like when playing around with a guard is how the hand gets pushed up into the steel guard on when choking up on the handle. I think this is a bit of a flaw in the entire classic wakizashi/katana design. I've added a small guard from the handle material to help with this front grip + give everything more strength. The guard will be locked in place against the scales.

The coffin scales will be secured with small corby bolts and one screw in the center of the handle which will feature a slotted hole to allow easier takedown and assembly. (getting the tang hole and front hole to line up perfectly is harder than you think, a small slot allows for the handle material to expand and contract without hurting fitup or making it difficult to reinsert the screw.

With the pommel, I'm planning for it to go over the scales like a butt cap and hold everything in place with a pin/ screw. With this pommel, we can also cheat a bit and add length to the handle.

VAMOS!!!


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please note the tang will look much better than this. (everything will look much better)

GE9Szoz.jpeg
 
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