- Joined
- Jan 2, 2014
- Messages
- 297
Before:
After:
more photos of the finished piece...
***spoiler alert: i tend to do things the hard way (^__^) ***
Mounting Process:
once the small blade is in rough polish, a scrap of copper is forged into a habaki and machigane and soldered
an old spoon forged out and turned into a seppa blank, a nickel silver washer to sit next to the habaki
partly mineralized cow bone, complete with ancient coyote gnaw marks...definitely harder to cut than wood!
checking the fit of the ancient bone slice after cutting the profile (still a few coyote tooth marks)
the tsuka (handle) carved to hold the nakago (tang), glued with sokui (rice glue) and bound to dry
the mekugi-ana (peg hole) is drilled, the tsuka (handle) is shaped, and the end is keyed to hold the kashira (pommel)
final shaping and smoothing is done on the bone, a combination of vinegar, rust, and tea highlights the age cracks
test fit of the koshirae and tsuka
collecting sap for preparing kusune (heat activated glue made from Pine resin and beeswax or plant oil)
the matsuyani is boiled and strained, powdered charcoal and beeswax added, then cooled in a mold
the kashira (pommel) is fixed into the keyslot with pine resin glue then scraped flush with the handle
a tense moment, i haven't got too many scraps of ray skin! the pine glue works well and the handle looks great
the mekugi-ana (peg hole) is hand drilled in the tang and a mekugi carved from a retired red bamboo chopstick
a well aged knee-of-pear-tree is selected and sawed into the two halves that will become the saya (scabbard)
the inside of the two halves is carefully leveled by sanding on a stone quarried on shiraishijima...also: alligator.
the inside of each half is carved until the blade just fits inside...
preparing sokui (rice paste glue) to rejoin the halves...the tastiest rice makes the best glue.
after the blade fits and the habaki (blade collar) is snug, the two halves are rejoined with rice glue and wrapped overnight...
once the glue is dry, the saya (scabbard) is carved, shaped, and sanded in preparation for several coats of tung oil
several coats of 100% pure tung oil bring out the warm glow of real wood...it takes a while to dry but def worth it..
count 'em if you dare...each dent is one tiny hammer blow...the habaki (blade collar) is textured and polished
polishing on industrial diamond whetstones, using water to keep it all flow
after a couple hours of hand polishing on the stones the blade really starts to clean up...a subtle hamon
the remains of the spoon...a silvery moon is the finishing touch for the saya (scabbard)...locked in by a copper stem
a drop of hot kusune (pine resin glue) in the keyway locks the metal to the wood...this knife is ready to assemble...
a shot of the koshirae ("furniture") before the final assembly...and then time for a photoshoot, this knife is done!
naming ceremony...it shall be called "Mikazuki", for the crescent moon in the drifting clouds of spalted pear tree.
Thanks! more info...
After:
more photos of the finished piece...
***spoiler alert: i tend to do things the hard way (^__^) ***
Mounting Process:
once the small blade is in rough polish, a scrap of copper is forged into a habaki and machigane and soldered
an old spoon forged out and turned into a seppa blank, a nickel silver washer to sit next to the habaki
partly mineralized cow bone, complete with ancient coyote gnaw marks...definitely harder to cut than wood!
checking the fit of the ancient bone slice after cutting the profile (still a few coyote tooth marks)
the tsuka (handle) carved to hold the nakago (tang), glued with sokui (rice glue) and bound to dry
the mekugi-ana (peg hole) is drilled, the tsuka (handle) is shaped, and the end is keyed to hold the kashira (pommel)
final shaping and smoothing is done on the bone, a combination of vinegar, rust, and tea highlights the age cracks
test fit of the koshirae and tsuka
collecting sap for preparing kusune (heat activated glue made from Pine resin and beeswax or plant oil)
the matsuyani is boiled and strained, powdered charcoal and beeswax added, then cooled in a mold
the kashira (pommel) is fixed into the keyslot with pine resin glue then scraped flush with the handle
a tense moment, i haven't got too many scraps of ray skin! the pine glue works well and the handle looks great
the mekugi-ana (peg hole) is hand drilled in the tang and a mekugi carved from a retired red bamboo chopstick
a well aged knee-of-pear-tree is selected and sawed into the two halves that will become the saya (scabbard)
the inside of the two halves is carefully leveled by sanding on a stone quarried on shiraishijima...also: alligator.
the inside of each half is carved until the blade just fits inside...
preparing sokui (rice paste glue) to rejoin the halves...the tastiest rice makes the best glue.
after the blade fits and the habaki (blade collar) is snug, the two halves are rejoined with rice glue and wrapped overnight...
once the glue is dry, the saya (scabbard) is carved, shaped, and sanded in preparation for several coats of tung oil
several coats of 100% pure tung oil bring out the warm glow of real wood...it takes a while to dry but def worth it..
count 'em if you dare...each dent is one tiny hammer blow...the habaki (blade collar) is textured and polished
polishing on industrial diamond whetstones, using water to keep it all flow
after a couple hours of hand polishing on the stones the blade really starts to clean up...a subtle hamon
the remains of the spoon...a silvery moon is the finishing touch for the saya (scabbard)...locked in by a copper stem
a drop of hot kusune (pine resin glue) in the keyway locks the metal to the wood...this knife is ready to assemble...
a shot of the koshirae ("furniture") before the final assembly...and then time for a photoshoot, this knife is done!
naming ceremony...it shall be called "Mikazuki", for the crescent moon in the drifting clouds of spalted pear tree.
Thanks! more info...
