Redwood Burl and Forged W2 with Hamon

silver_pilate

silver_pilate

Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
3,974
This is a little knife I delivered today. I forged it out of Don's W-2 and clay quenched the blade for a hamon. It has a full distal taper and a gently tapered tang and the balance is just right. The handle scales are made from some of Mark's (Burl Source) amazing redwood burl with red spacers and corbys. Unfortunately, I let it go before I took a ruler to it for specs, but it's going tobe similar to my other EDC's at 3.5" blade and around 4" handle. Thanks for looking!

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--nathan
 
I really like it, although I would have brought the hamon away from the edge a little. Very nice handle scales.
 
Yeah, Matt. I would have liked the hamon up a bit farther as well. Still learning this W2, and there was plenty of hardened blade at the edge for a servicable knife. I'm going to lower my kiln temp a bit and raise the clay up higher on the blade. I thinned the clay out already, and it was still a bit too low.

--nathan
 
Yep, it will still cut the heck out of stuff, and basically a higher hamon is more aesthetic. I have found that different steels react differently with hamons. For instance, Aldo's 1084, the hamon seems to creep up from the clay line, so I put the clay a little closer to the edge. Admiral's 1095 seems to plunk the hamon right where the clay line is, give or take, and I have noticed similar results from Don's W2. Are you doing a complete coat in light stuff first, then applying it thick to the edge? If so, all my information might be a moot point. I use Rutco furnace cement, and don't do any sort of a light covering coat. I dont know what a covering coat would do to the placement of the hamon.

I do love the knife by the way!
 
Thanks Matt. I've always loved your work and really enjoy the one of yours I have. I do a very light coat first to help the clay stick better, but I wonder if it's slowing me down on the quench. Next one I'll try and completely remove the thinner coat at the edge. Give me a few more from this steel, and I bet I can get some more control. I'll let you know what works out.

--nathan
 
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