Maitreya Tanto (Burch/Law custom)

B

biogon

Joined
Jan 2, 2002
Messages
2,111
Mmmm.

Traditional Japanese-style tanto, designed to look, function, and cut like a Japanese tanto, but with the balance and forward guard of a modern tactical.

I'm sure Michael will have more to add about the steel (1095?) and other specs. Approx 10.5" OAL, 5" blade. (I think!?)

The workmanship (especially that hamon) is goooooorgeous.

-jon

tanto_01_large_10-19-2004.jpg


tanto_02_large_10-19-2004.jpg
 
Pretty dang cool. Hopefully, I should be able to post a picture of my new Burch knife soon. ;) :)
 
Those specs are about right. ;)

Danbo is a slave-driver. :D
 
Oh yeah.... white same', dragonfly menuki, black cotton wrap with epoxy.

That hamon reminds me of that "mountains in the clouds" style... I forget what it's called.

Danbo,
Can't wait to see yours. Michael never fails to astonish. :)

-j
 
Burchtree said:
Those specs are about right. ;)

Danbo is a slave-driver. :D
Click to expand...

Bwahahaha! That's the beauty of this forum thingie. Burch knows full well, that I'm gonna post big honkin pictures of his knife, so he HAS to do it right! (insert maniacal laugh here)Muhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! :D
 
Anthony,

Apparently he/it has adopted the name.

My reference (supposedly) is in reference to the "future Buddha" -- the one that is yet to come. The way it was explained to me is that it doesn't name an actual, specific, entity or entity-to-be, but rather symbolizes the "next" Buddha which hasn't appeared yet.

The idea is that the design integrates old and modern, looking to the future, but hasn't reached enlightenment yet (which is, IMHO, an inachievable goal.)

There are some comments in reference to the "second Messiah" but AFAIK the original usage is from Buddhism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitreya

Then again, I'm also known for talking crap left and right. :)

-j
 
Ah, Michael, I see the big blades happening again for you ... ! The long dropped gaurd makes a HUGE difference in the attitude in this piece. So, Danbo, the pics on your new knife - thats a promise ? Jason.
 
Jason,

You like??? :) I LOVE your work.

If you don't mind, what would you characterise that change in attitude to be? I'm curious... I'd like to understand what/how you felt in response to it, in order to work that into my future designs. :)

-jon
 
Thanks for the endorsement Jon ! always welcome... :)

The rest of the knife presents itself as an orthodox "wrapped Japanese-inspired tactical" but the simple addition of a guard gives it a distinctly "western tactical" feel. It even gives the blade a Bowie / Camp-knife look and feel even though it is a straightbacked blade that would look at home on any other Burchtree tanto. Its all about the subtle things that define the package. I go on gut feeling. And when I saw this one - the subtle things gave my gut feelings a subtle WOW ! And thats them way I like it. (I am not fond of outlandish Liberace-on-steroids looks.)

Michael executes these simple but effective designs very well.

Cheers. Jason.
 
Jason,

Thank you for your comments. I'll have to think and digest them a bit.

Yes, he certainly does do the simple designs well. I personally think the simple ones are the best, and yet, can be the most difficult to do cleanly and elegantly. It's always easy to add crap and fill up a poor design line with nonsense to obscure things, but it's harder to remove the extraneous and unnecessary and still keep it graceful.

He definitely hit it, more than I could ever draft out. Can't wait to give her a nice workout. :)

Well, perhaps if you are willing, one day we'll have to get together on a piece then.

Michael will tell you that I will tweak the designs until the day that you profile. It's not true!!! Well... not entirely true. I guess... well...ahhh... nevermind. ;)

Many thanks to Michael for his sweat, blood, insight, and art on this piece.

-jon
 
Here's my photo of her.

The balance point is directly behind the guarded swell. Balances incredibly well -- fast and light, yet enough heft to not be whippy.

Cuts devastatingly well too. :)

attachment.php


-jon
 

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