Dawkind
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2000
- Messages
- 13,024
I put pics up of this badboy several years ago but, since it's one of my favorite balis of all time, I dug it out to have a look and take some new pictures of it, too.
I've always been fascinated with Japanese-style blades and always wanted a bali with a traditional sword-style blade and finish so I started to try and put a couple of makers together.
This was a collaboration between Joe Walters of Moonlit Forge and Chris Olofson of 29 Knives. It took quite a bit for me to get these two to agree and then they had to figure out how to make it all work since they were on opposite coasts.
The original plan was to have 4 knives made but things don't always work out and 3 were eventually made......one blade didn't make it......a learning experience that enhanced the others.
The most critical and very important component of my idea was the blade hamon with full polish.....the cherry blossom decorated tang and the browning of the steel on this one was just frosting on the cake.....the other two did not have decoration or browning.
The big problem was that the semi-ground roughed-out blades, without any holes, would have to make numerous trips back and forth across the country. The first trip was for heat-treat, back for tang/pivot holes and fitting to the handles, back again for grinding, polishing and browning, and back one more time for the final fitting, assembly and finishing.......whew.
This all happened while other knives were being made, people moved households/shops, phone numbers changed, email changed, etc.........it took several years for it all to come together.........maybe that's one of the reasons I think so highly of this balisong because it probably shouldn't have ever been.
4 1/4" cutting edge of 1060 carbon steel, clay-hardened and polished with milled stainless, latchless, handles that feature double dove-tailed inserts fitted with Exhibition Grade Amboyna Burl that was hand picked by none other than the good Doctor himself, Examonlyf.
I think this was the only collaboration that either of these great makers did...........and after they finished these, it was their last.
The 4-case inro, black enamal with gold water flower design, white metal ojime and ivory netsuke are from the Meiji Period and was gifted to me by my lovely wife.....makes for get background!
I've always been fascinated with Japanese-style blades and always wanted a bali with a traditional sword-style blade and finish so I started to try and put a couple of makers together.
This was a collaboration between Joe Walters of Moonlit Forge and Chris Olofson of 29 Knives. It took quite a bit for me to get these two to agree and then they had to figure out how to make it all work since they were on opposite coasts.
The original plan was to have 4 knives made but things don't always work out and 3 were eventually made......one blade didn't make it......a learning experience that enhanced the others.
The most critical and very important component of my idea was the blade hamon with full polish.....the cherry blossom decorated tang and the browning of the steel on this one was just frosting on the cake.....the other two did not have decoration or browning.
The big problem was that the semi-ground roughed-out blades, without any holes, would have to make numerous trips back and forth across the country. The first trip was for heat-treat, back for tang/pivot holes and fitting to the handles, back again for grinding, polishing and browning, and back one more time for the final fitting, assembly and finishing.......whew.
This all happened while other knives were being made, people moved households/shops, phone numbers changed, email changed, etc.........it took several years for it all to come together.........maybe that's one of the reasons I think so highly of this balisong because it probably shouldn't have ever been.
4 1/4" cutting edge of 1060 carbon steel, clay-hardened and polished with milled stainless, latchless, handles that feature double dove-tailed inserts fitted with Exhibition Grade Amboyna Burl that was hand picked by none other than the good Doctor himself, Examonlyf.
I think this was the only collaboration that either of these great makers did...........and after they finished these, it was their last.
The 4-case inro, black enamal with gold water flower design, white metal ojime and ivory netsuke are from the Meiji Period and was gifted to me by my lovely wife.....makes for get background!
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