Making a San Mai tanto - Chapter #1

[ArielSalaverria]

This is the first part of a tutorial of how I make a nice San Mai damascus tanto with a wooden sheath. For the blade I'm going to use a motorcycle chain and W1 for the edge.

I'm going to use pretty much all the techniques and processes I know in the making of this one, so it's going to be long.

It's going to take me a while too, as I have a fair in the middle, but I'll post details of every step I take til I get the final product.

Picture 1: here we have the motorcycle chain and what I'm going to use to tie it before putting it on the oven.

Picture 2: now that the chain is tightened and tied up, it's ready to go into the oven for a first heat.

Picture 3: once it gets properly heated, I took it out of the oven and put borax on it (the smoke is because I added 10% of Sal Ammoniac (Ammonium Chloride) to get less oxides in the weld.

Picture 4: back into the oven til the borax starts boiling.

Picture 5: chain after the first hits. (You must start with soft hits and then increase the strenght)

Picture 6: forged chain.

 

[ArielSalaverria]

Picture 7: forged chain cutted in two pieces and then tied up with the W1 in the middle. After I added borax gains and heat it on the oven, I'm ready to weld it on the press.

Picture 8: I welded the steels on the hydraulic press (it took me 3-4 seconds). I could have done it with a heavy hammer, but I wanted to test my new press.

Picture 9: after the pressing/welding, I started hammering the steel to transform it from a brick to something I could use to make a blade. This is how it looks once it got cold. It weights a good half kilo.

Picture 10: partially grinded blade.

Picture 11: I grinded the tip of the blade to show the composition of the steel. You can apreciate the chain on the laterals and the W1 apearing in the middle to form the edge. After tempering and acid etching, the contrast is better.

At this point the blade is ready for me to keep grinding it to final shape, continuing that grind to the other end, eliminating the imperfections from the forging process.

Regards,

Ariel

 

[Mr.BadExample]

Wow, looking good! I look forward to seeing more photos.

 

[Robert Hankins]

You da man
Hope you make it to Blade next year I look forward to shaking your hand in person!
Thanks for a great tutorial!

 

[TDE]

this is very cool, can't wait to see more! Paul

 

[Burchtree]

keep 'em coming --

You make it look so easy. Mine would have gaping holes, inclusions, and everything in between.

 

[ArielSalaverria]

Will take me a little while to post more on this tutorial, but I will not forget to take pictures
Ariel

 

[ArielSalaverria]

This took me a while and it's going to take me a long time as I'm just going to work on this between projects and custom orders

This is how I grinded the spine into the Hira-Zukuri blade style.

Regards,

Ariel

 

[spyken]

Ariel,
I'm really looking forward to seeing how this one turns out....if you are doing the full (clamshell / convex) profile to a zero grind, this tanto will rock! I would also suggest that the fittings be in the aikuchi style....

 

[S2nd]

WOW! That is going to be quite a blade when finished.


Just curious, what tempering process do you follow for a san mai blade? Would you temper it like it's completely W1?

 

[Clydetz]

I'm really enjoying your pixs, Ariel! Can't wait to see the finished work of art.

 

[ArielSalaverria]

Spyken,

I grinded that tip of the blade like that to show the core steel and the chains, but I'll make the blade section just like on the picture, zero grind, no seconday bevels

S2nd,

For tempering I treat it as it was just W1.


Regards,

Ariel

 

[boltman]

Fantastic!!!

 

[ArielSalaverria]

With this pictures and the ones I'll take after the acid, chapter #1: the blade, ends

Regards,

Ariel

 

[ArielSalaverria]

Just etched blade, ready to receive a handle, I hope you like it

Regards,

Ariel

 

[Mark Williams]

Thanks for sharing that Ariel, Very nice photos.

 

[viking313]

Great looking blade! Thanks for sharing....

 

[Will P.]

Now that is a simply amazing piece of damascus.

 

[boltman]

ARIEL: Man I wish I wasnt so broke cause I could go broke buying your knives. Keep the pics coming, they are great lessons for some of us. JIM

 

[ArielSalaverria]

Thank you folks

A part of the handle making process


I use a tin alloy bar to add a film to the back of the bolster so I can weld it later to the knife.

Same treatment on the knife.

I press both pieces in position and then I heat it with a torch to the melting point of the alloy (aprox 270 C)
When it colds, the welding is perfect, so I can take it off the grip.

Regards,


Ariel