new sword "Gins Kat"

wnease

wnease

Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
878
Of course I won't call it a katana, but it has obvious influences!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwIuIX17uos

Constructive criticism welcome, and since it usually comes anyway, fair criticism welcome too. Overall I've made use of all types of criticism here.

Specs:

S-7 steel RC58 .25" thick

hand rubbed to 1000 grit

2lb 10 oz

40"oal, 28" blade (measured from the guard)

handle: laminated bamboo with carbon fiber wrap, cotton ito, vac impregnated with epoxy

steel guard, carbon fiber habaki with cast aluminum core

scabbard: still working on it
 
Pure awesomeness William! I really like the style of this one, especially the traditional japanese look with combination of S7 & carbon fiber... Any cutting videos??? :D
 
Really cool! I'd also love to see how it cuts. How is the balance?
One recommendation I'd make is to do something with the mune. Unless I'm mistaken, it looks like you have a kaku-mune, which I think really detracts from the look of any japanese styled blade. Putting a ridge on there would really complete the look IMO - there's a reason iori-mune was so popular!
- Chris
 
thanks!

no videos with customers swords! this was a custom order from the ground up

balance is a bit forward owing to the light handle, 5" in front of the guard

yes it has kaku mune, mainly because i still like the look of a thick blade and the iori-mune makes it look thinner, but my tastes are evolving. one other reason for the kaku-mune, it saves me time, and if I disclosed how little this sword cost the customer I'd be disclosing my stupidity (or is that optimism) again (custom orders are like that which is why it's getting to the end-time of orders for a while)
 
Outstanding! That is going to be so tough it isn't even funny! Great lines and I love what you did with the handle, I bet it cuts like crazy!
 
wnease said:
Of course I won't call it a katana, but it has obvious influences!
Click to expand...

It certainly does, and considerably more appealing aesthetic qualities at that.

wnease said:
Constructive criticism welcome, and since it usually comes anyway, fair criticism welcome too. Overall I've made use of all types of criticism here.

S-7 steel RC58 .25" thick

hand rubbed to 1000 grit

40"oal, 28" blade (measured from the guard)

2lb 10 oz
Click to expand...

Based upon these specs, that is obviously the case, and well chosen geometry as well.

wnease said:
handle: laminated bamboo with carbon fiber wrap, cotton ito, vac impregnated with epoxy

steel guard, carbon fiber habaki with cast aluminum core
Click to expand...

Both of these choices are perplexing....the bamboo/carbon core will not compress under use, negating the choice of any braided ito, and facilitating the recommendation of katate maki(battle wrap)...it may suit your style more appropriately.

The habaki material choice appears as a self-indulgence, care to inform on the thought process behind it?

My only other observation is that you have improved sword shape appearance much as of late, and I prefer a more traditionally shaped kissaki, which is very hard to do.....good work.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Actually the habaki started out as cast aluminum only, but I got to wondering why I've never seen an aluminum habaki, and strength issues started to worry me. Cast aluminum, in this case pure or nearly so, is not very strong (compared to alloys like 6061 or esp. 7075 tempered properly) so I trimmed it back and added the carbon fiber for strength. The continuous cf wrapping of the aluminum means it is loaded only in compression. I like the 2 tone look but yes it was self-indulgent, good observation!

The handle, also self-indulgent! More flex in it than a full tang with solid carbon fiber slabs, but less than a traditional handle probably. I don't have enough experience handling traditional swords to feel confident building in any way approaching traditional, though I am intrigued by the complex construction of Japanese sword handles.

Daniel I saw a couple of your sword blades, the wide blades cut better typically than the narrow especially if you get them thinned out, so you should expect some great chopping ability!

Thanks!
 
I really like it. Make a kydex sheath, wrap it in CF and call it a day. It's definitely going to be a better user than one having traditional koshirae. Gonna make another? :)
 
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