David Mirabile RONIN Battle Tanto WIP (PAGE 25 NEW CUTTING VIDEO)

First, great thread, still.
I am a forensic psychologist by trade, and have spent a great deal of time in prisons and mental hospitals and used to teach all sorts of verbal and nonverbal de-escalation stuff. Please don't forget that a large proportion of people you will see doing things that are strange to you are genuinely mentally ill (I am not writing this for you, Joe, but for the casual reader- you seem to have kept that in mind).

Being fit, aware, confident, and also able to appear calm and give an impression of genuine humanity, all play a big role in keeping things from getting out of hand. Knowing what you are doing, with lots of practice for the muscles, surely helps when push comes to shove (or to throw).

Second - that guard/habaki shot was nice... the habaki looks stylish and has a touch of serious craftsmanship about it. This looks like some very meticulous work.

Steven - I don't think we have met although I go to Ashokan every year. I enjoy and respect the things you said.

Hopefully, this thread will be revived or there will be a new one at some point showing this blade cutting.
Looking forward to Coop's magic.
 
Kevin

Thank you so very much for participating

I will keep updating this thread and as soon as Coop d-Es his thing the pic will be posted here and than when in receive it I will do an unboxing and comment video and than I will move on to some cutting videos etc

Thank you all for the enthusiasm
 
Okay officially Elvis has left the building

Blade on way to Coop

Photo courtesy of Lorien A from the Seattle show

David shown with another one of his incredible creations



Any great blade needs a good trainer

This one is perfect

It is the exact size of the new piece from David

This has always been the perfect size for my liking



I've been practicing my draw cut and I'm a bit bummed my right shoulder is still tweaked from the bike crash .... Hopefully I heal up by the time that I'm ready to do cut video
 
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Btw that trainer started life as an oak Bokken that I broke hence the longer handle (Tsuka)

I reshaped the tip and it's been one of my favorite trainers ever since

Love the blade to handle ratio
 
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Maybe I missed it Joe...what's the handle and blade length on this gonna be?
 
kevin -the professor said:
First, great thread, still.
I am a forensic psychologist by trade, and have spent a great deal of time in prisons and mental hospitals and used to teach all sorts of verbal and nonverbal de-escalation stuff. Please don't forget that a large proportion of people you will see doing things that are strange to you are genuinely mentally ill (I am not writing this for you, Joe, but for the casual reader- you seem to have kept that in mind).

Being fit, aware, confident, and also able to appear calm and give an impression of genuine humanity, all play a big role in keeping things from getting out of hand. Knowing what you are doing, with lots of practice for the muscles, surely helps when push comes to shove (or to throw).

Second - that guard/habaki shot was nice... the habaki looks stylish and has a touch of serious craftsmanship about it. This looks like some very meticulous work.

Steven - I don't think we have met although I go to Ashokan every year. I enjoy and respect the things you said.

Hopefully, this thread will be revived or there will be a new one at some point showing this blade cutting.
Looking forward to Coop's magic.
Click to expand...

Thanks Kevin. Last time I was at Ashokan was probably 2004 for the sword conference that year. I did cut, but badly. Kevin Cashen and I were wearing smoking jackets, and I had on a fez.
5c15aa.jpg


Way too much going on this year to attend Ashokan, but I will get back there sooner rather than later, it's a great place, and have learned so much over the years!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
Thanks Kevin. Last time I was at Ashokan was probably 2004 for the sword conference that year. I did cut, but badly. Kevin Cashen and I were wearing smoking jackets, and I had on a fez.
5c15aa.jpg


Way too much going on this year to attend Ashokan, but I will get back there sooner rather than later, it's a great place, and have learned so much over the years!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...

Fez's were meant to be worn by you :)
 
VicS said:
Joe, the steel used in your sword is it W2 ?

Vic
Click to expand...

VicS

This blade was forged from an old axle oot of a very old mine in Alaska

I believe the same sight that the antique wrought iron was sourced out of for the Tsuba (guard)

I mentioned in the first post that all future varients will most likely be W2

The subject of mystery steel is pretty well discussed and in No discussion I have ever seen has any positive merits been attributed to using mystery steel in today's day and age ............... But for this piece it fits and being that this blade was never meant to go to anyone but me for blade design and geometry testing I'm fine with it

I do believe a good smith can judge a piece of steel fairly well by how it works and heat treats

David tested this edge on hard wood , horn etc and is satisfied that it will serve its purpose and I kinda dig the raw origins and sources of the steel

Hell I'm just happy ot survived heat treat :)

[video=youtube;eb9ZCyvf8uQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb9ZCyvf8uQ[/video]


Another of my favorite smiths out there the great Bill Bagwell of ABS fame and founding member at times used what we would call mystery steel

He would judge it by how it worked and how it performed

I have an old Bowie from Bill that the steel was sourced out of an old plow found in a field

It is one of my best performing bowies

Now I'm not suggesting any hocus pocus magical nonsense in mystery steel in fact I'm stating far the opposite

Today with great new steels available and the formulas to get great heat treats easily accessible it's a no brainier but for an old forged blade fan like me I'm alright with it in some cases :)

My thought is if David was not confident in it he would not be sending it to me knowing I'm going to train with it and possibly bet my life on ....... He's my friend

But to answer your question David will work in any steel the client prefers ..... I have a feeling that many might be requesting some old mine axle steel :)

All feel free to discuss thoughts on using mystery steel
 
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From David :

This was a piece of steel that I had acquired from the Treadwell mine ruins here in Juneau, that I had used in the past to forge carving tools from before. This was an experiment to see if that steel would work for a larger blade.

Later pieces will probably be W1 as I don't have enough W2 for a project like this. Although I could use this same material, if it survives your rigorous testing. It did show a respectable hamon after the finishing of the blade, so we will see...
 
Joe, does David use "Brine" or plain water to quench?

Just wondering.. I know a well known MS who swears by the Brine quench.

Steve
---------
Member, W.F. Moran Jr. Foundation
ABS Apprentice Smith
 
Thanks for the info. Joe, I am sure while working with the steel and with David's experience he good tell if the steel would hold up to your testing. The steel used makes this project more interesting to see your results.
 
JParanee said:
VicS

This blade was forged from an old axle oot of a very old mine in Alaska

I believe the same sight that the antique wrought iron was sourced out of for the Tsuba (guard)

I mentioned in the first post that all future varients will most likely be W2

The subject of mystery steel is pretty well discussed and in No discussion I have ever seen has any positive merits been attributed to using mystery steel in today's day and age ............... But for this piece it fits and being that this blade was never meant to go to anyone but me for blade design and geometry testing I'm fine with it

I do believe a good smith can judge a piece of steel fairly well by how it works and heat treats

David tested this edge on hard wood , horn etc and is satisfied that it will serve its purpose and I kinda dig the raw origins and sources of the steel

Hell I'm just happy ot survived heat treat :)

[video=youtube;eb9ZCyvf8uQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb9ZCyvf8uQ[/video]


Another of my favorite smiths out there the great Bill Bagwell of ABS fame and founding member at times used what we would call mystery steel

He would judge it by how it worked and how it performed

I have an old Bowie from Bill that the steel was sourced out of an old plow found in a field

It is one of my best performing bowies

Now I'm not suggesting any hocus pocus magical nonsense in mystery steel in fact I'm stating far the opposite

Today with great new steels available and the formulas to get great heat treats easily accessible it's a no brainier but for an old forged blade fan like me I'm alright with it in some cases :)

My thought is if David was not confident in it he would not be sending it to me knowing I'm going to train with it and possibly bet my life on ....... He's my friend

But to answer your question David will work in any steel the client prefers ..... I have a feeling that many might be requesting some old mine axle steel :)

All feel free to discuss thoughts on using mystery steel
Click to expand...

Well said Joe. I have a 40+ year old grader blade from our cabin in my shop. I plan to get it tested in a lab, but I ran coupons through a few heat treat regimes, and it seems to be similar to 1095, W1, or W2 based on the optimal austentizing temp. It starts losing hardness and consistency when heat treated above 1475deg. Steels up to 1084 will be ok into the 1500s. I wouldn't sell a blade made from this steel to a stranger, but there are a few orders from hunters in our community at the cabin as they like the nostalgia of this reclaimed piece. The steel was in the coal shed, and was not put there by anyone in my family, and we have owned this cabin for 40 years. The cabin is in a coal mining ghost town in the coal branch.
 
This thread made me want to build a saya, I'll start another thread when it and it's blade are done. :cool:

Copper Kurikata

 
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