- Joined
- Oct 29, 2006
- Messages
- 2,912
It's been a while....
I just finished this piece that has taken me months to complete. I tried some new things on this one and when asked how long it took, I couldn't really say as some work sessions were 75% staring into mental space trying to imagine the final product.
This one is a moroha zukuri blade and is double edged. Though this is considered a rare geometry, some of the earliest Japanese swords had a variation of this for the tip. My inspiration for this piece was a wonderful version by Yoshindo Yoshihara in the recent book "The Art of the Japanese Sword: The Craft of Swordmaking and its Appreciation"
For the koshirae or mountings I was inspired by Edo period and later pieces. Though tantos fell out of favour for a period, the mountings are often spectacular.
The steel is W2 and the blade measures at about 8 3/8" (guard to tip not the traditional measurement)
and the OAL is about 12 1/2".
For the tsuba or guard I used a piece of low layer damascus and the fuchi/kashira/kojiri are wrought iron. Copper for the seppa and accent spacers and horn for the kurikata and koiguchi.
The Seppa have coined edges. I didn't realize, until done, how much of a visual effect the coining has on the seppa. This was a first and I will certainly do this again.
The saya is Sapele lined with poplar. Sapele has an understated beauty with a nice flash of golden undertones. I think I chose it for the smell though.
When working it, it has a nice spice like scent.
The handle is leather that has multiple coats of lacquer over a poplar core.
The mekugi (the real name escapes me at the moment) was purchased from Japan and is threaded and tapered.
The stand is Wenge.
Thanks for looking.
I just finished this piece that has taken me months to complete. I tried some new things on this one and when asked how long it took, I couldn't really say as some work sessions were 75% staring into mental space trying to imagine the final product.
This one is a moroha zukuri blade and is double edged. Though this is considered a rare geometry, some of the earliest Japanese swords had a variation of this for the tip. My inspiration for this piece was a wonderful version by Yoshindo Yoshihara in the recent book "The Art of the Japanese Sword: The Craft of Swordmaking and its Appreciation"
For the koshirae or mountings I was inspired by Edo period and later pieces. Though tantos fell out of favour for a period, the mountings are often spectacular.
The steel is W2 and the blade measures at about 8 3/8" (guard to tip not the traditional measurement)
and the OAL is about 12 1/2".
For the tsuba or guard I used a piece of low layer damascus and the fuchi/kashira/kojiri are wrought iron. Copper for the seppa and accent spacers and horn for the kurikata and koiguchi.
The Seppa have coined edges. I didn't realize, until done, how much of a visual effect the coining has on the seppa. This was a first and I will certainly do this again.
The saya is Sapele lined with poplar. Sapele has an understated beauty with a nice flash of golden undertones. I think I chose it for the smell though.
When working it, it has a nice spice like scent.The handle is leather that has multiple coats of lacquer over a poplar core.
The mekugi (the real name escapes me at the moment) was purchased from Japan and is threaded and tapered.
The stand is Wenge.
Thanks for looking.
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