Rob Criswell Katana

Gary W. Graley

Gary W. Graley

“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Mar 2, 1999
Messages
27,364
I recently received this long sword, he calls it a Katana but I know that others, more accurately will name it as a long sword because it's not in the Classic Katana Tradition. But I do like it quite well! Sharp 27" piece of A2 blade, yep it has a shallow hollow grind and that makes for not as clean a cut but I'm going to work on the edge myself to get a more convex type final bevel that should cut very well. As it stands it cuts pretty good now. Cutting meaning limbs of trees, something that I'd never try to do with the more traditional type swords, though I did have a Paul Chen Shinto that worked well, which makes this one more fun for me. The scabbard is an armadillo style kydex and he doesn't tote it as being a real scabbard but a Storage sheath, one of wood would be nicer of course!

The blade is about 1 1/4" wide near the base and tapers out to 1" near the tip. It is 1/4" thick the entire length.

Balance point of the sword rests about 3" from the tsuba. The tsuba is oval steel, the handle has some G10 wrapped with cord up to near the butt of the handle and then extra layer of G10 to make a strong ending of the sword.

Here is a pic that a friend took of me and my sword today, notice the difference from my avatar and the guy in the photo...I shaved both the mustache and the beard, as well as dropped about 43 pounds, so I feel a lot better, from the weight...not the hair removal. But the pic also shows more of my noggin' then I realized, luckily the sword detracts from that area of the pic...:D

I also have a Tanto from Rob as well, 12" blade and very balanced, point of balance is JUST ahead of the tsuba on that one.

My wife thinks I'm crazy...of course!
Thanks again to Win Heger, good guy and thanks for the Peeler too Win, the wife is liking it now...finally!

G2
 

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Congratulations on the weight loss, 43 pounds is a LOT!
Don't think of it as losing hair, think of it as your forehead bulging with all those brain cells. LOL
(At least that's what I tell my wife.)

Nice sword! How about some action shots of your test cutting?
 
Good Idea Ken, I'll pass that along to the wife as well...brain power!

As to the action pics, probably will be sometime in the spring time or summer and I'll set up some mats and try and get some action photos and also comment on the cutting ability of this sword.

G2
 
Got your e-mail, and it's very good to hear from you again.:)

That's a very nice looking Criswell, and a very different looking, trim G2! Now if I could only get from 210 to 185:rolleyes: 43 lbs. That's a bunch, my friend. Bet there's a welcome bounce in your step these days, yea? Good man.

The Criswell Wakazashi you sold me is still here on it's stand by the bedpost, inches from me and my laptop, ready for duty.

Drew just came in the bedroom and told me to tell you he's working on his first out-the-front automatic (at 15 yo). Trying to get him to post, but he's still a little skittish. Take care bud.

AL
 
It's hard to tell from the pic but has Mr. Criswell dispensed with the ring at the end of the handle?
 
Mr. Graley, you are cetainly looking slim and trim. I'm impressed that you've been able to keep the weight off.

Glad you like the long sword. Rob has done away with the ring and
although still using 1/4" A2 has cut about 10% of the weight off the new swords. He "Graleyized" the swords. I had both styles here and the
new are much lighter and better balanced. IMHO.

Win Heger
Preferred Edge
908/359-2008
 
Originally posted by Triton
It's hard to tell from the pic but has Mr. Criswell dispensed with the ring at the end of the handle?
Click to expand...

Yes he has, it's a much trimmer handle and I think more balanced as well...

Al, that boy of yours is starting out on the right track, just keep them away from school at ALL costs, that zero tolerance is a bit!

Yep a bounce in my step, I just finished watching the Bugei video of test cutting and WOW, if you have not seen this you should, the guy is amazing! He can really whip that sword around and make such precise cuts SO fast, it's incredible!

Go here and then download the video, if you like to see some test cutting!

http://www.bugei.com/index2.html

G2, off to eat my fruits this morning....doing the Fit for Life thing, fruits only in the morning and NEVER after any meal as the fruit is processed so much faster than other food. Also I gave up the junk food ride, no chips or snacks other than nuts and stuff like that, and nothing after 9pm, I try to not eat after 7pm when I can, works for me! Also a bunch of exercise as well, free weights and stomach crunches/leg raises and during warm weather I ride my bike an hour during lunch to do all my errands. :D
 
Here is a shot of some of the sizes from Tanto to Waki,
10"
12"
16"
20"

Nice eh?
 

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Gary

Don't worry about the forehead. Someone once said that he had "grown taller than his hair".

Really like the pics of the swords. If ther are done as well as the warncliff just might have to start saving pennies. (or is that dollars?)

I'll get the hawksbill to you after Thanksgiving for it's fitting.
 
Originally posted by pyrguy
Gary

Don't worry about the forehead. Someone once said that he had "grown taller than his hair"...
Click to expand...

LOL, yep I can relate to that. A few years ago when this started to happen to me...my youngest daughter walked by when I was seated on the floor near our couch and commented that ~Dad you have a Hole in your hair!~....thanks dearest daughter...made me laugh though!


and Robert, appreciate your comment and will certainly try to enjoy these swords, I know you have a much higher level of understanding behind the Japanese sword and I appreciate your insight when we chat in mIRC as well...you're very informative and truly have a strong passion on that subject!
G2
 
those tantos look real cool. i've seen the waks before but not the tanto's. where can i find these?
-clayton
 
Originally posted by Win Heger
Mr. Graley, you are cetainly looking slim and trim. I'm impressed that you've been able to keep the weight off.

Glad you like the long sword. Rob has done away with the ring and
although still using 1/4" A2 has cut about 10% of the weight off the new swords. He "Graleyized" the swords. I had both styles here and the
new are much lighter and better balanced. IMHO.

Win Heger
Preferred Edge
908/359-2008
Click to expand...

Thanks Win, looking forward to seeing you at the Chesapeake Show in December...I'll bring my sharpening stones along as well!

Clayton, check with Win Heger, last I knew he had a 10" and a 12" Tanto you might be able to wrangle out of him, also he has that 16" and the 20" is or should be enroute to me...so that will give me a 12" a 20" and a 27", I'll need to make a nice stand for them!

Al, I'll let you know how this 20" handles compared to that 22" I sold you so long ago, with the new end piece and the blade a bit thinner, not much, it will be a little different, and of course 2" shorter than yours and won't have the Cherrywood saya I made for the one you have...don't know if I'll work on wood saya's for these or not, it would certainly be much nicer but I'm lacking wood working tools to do a good job, don't want to impose on my friend again...
G2
 
Looking good, Gary -- you and the sword. Like your boots, too! Had to stop wearing mine after I had ingrown toenail surgery.

Trying to lose a few pounds myself. Got a recumbent excercise bike. Watching what I eat as well, trying to cut out sweet drinks, etc. My triglycerides are through the roof. It's genetic so there isn't too much I can do about it, but worth a try...

Very nice sword. Enjoyed the video! Have never cut anything with my everest katana. One day, though...
 
Originally posted by CD Fleischer
Looking good, Gary -- you and the sword. Like your boots, too! Had to stop wearing mine after I had ingrown toenail surgery.

Trying to lose a few pounds myself. Got a recumbent excercise bike. Watching what I eat as well, trying to cut out sweet drinks, etc. My triglycerides are through the roof. It's genetic so there isn't too much I can do about it, but worth a try...

Very nice sword. Enjoyed the video! Have never cut anything with my everest katana. One day, though...
Click to expand...

That video is great alright! good to hear that you are exercising, always a good thing! I try to DO something each day, muscles are what really burns off the calories even after you exercise so try to walk or something everyday!

BUT in regards to that new sword of mine? Hehehehe, well a small tale to be told in regards to that.
I got home late from work the other day, sitting looking at the sheaths I have in the process and just pulled the sword out to look at it and started to wipe it down with a papertowel, dust, fingerprints and what not and wasn't really paying attention, can you guess where this is heading?
as I was sliding my hand down against the blade edge my left thumb came across the sword edge, cut straight across the face of it and in at an angle, quite deep, before I could even stop, bled and bled and bled....almost yelled out...almost, but then my wife would have heard that and come in to laugh her head off, so I couldn't have that now could I?:D Off to the bathroom to wash it out and try to stem the flow of blood and it looked like a Pez Dispenser of sorts! I used several bandaids to try and close it up and hope for the best, probably should have gone to get some stitches but you know us Swordsmen...we be stupid and tough, well one out of two isn't bad.

Today, two days later, the throbbing has gone down, I told my wife that I had cut it with a razor knife I use on sheaths...could've happened...but I'm out of commision for a few days while it glues itself back together.

So here's a tip for you guys/gals, them swords can be quite sharp!!!
HAH
Oh well,
G2
 
Got the 20"er yesterday, wow, that is a nice handling sword!
So now I have...lets see;

12" Tanto
20" Wakizashi
27" Katana

My wife has only seen the Tanto and Katana, she was out yesterday, Black Friday!, shopping and I was able to slip it into the house unawares! I'll try and get a shot of the three together, with the guards in line so you can see a good comparison shot of them.

Hmmm do I really need a 16"......lol probably not!
The thumb seems to be SORTOF healing, hopefully a lesson learned?
G2
[Color=sea-green]off to do some damage in the woods![/Color]
 
You AND the sword. Congrats on dropping off some useless pounds. My wife tells me that if I want to lose 20 pounds of useless fat, I should remove the bald section about 3 feet above my butt cheeks. I tell her that isn't a bald spot, it's a solar panel for a sex machine. She gives me one of these----> :rolleyes:

I saw one of Rob's pieces at a show a couple of years back. It was cord wrapped and had a laser carved dragon head at the end. I didn't much care for it. I like the look of yours though, as well as the complememtary pieces you have there. Very nice.

Robert, I hear where you are coming from, knowing your passion for traditional pieces. Would that we all had the kind of cash to add one to our collections. But alas, I guess you will have to put up with our appreciation of the alternatives in life. :D

Thanx for sharing, Gary.
 
Thanks Vel, the pic above is one that Win sent me, not my swords there, but I'll get a shot of the three of mine next week I hope.

A friend of mine sent me this OLD picture of me, taken when I was in the Navy in 1973 I think, down in Key West Florida...where did my hair go? :eek:

G2
 
Originally posted by Kodiak PA
Gary, you may have lost some hair but you gain other stuff....LOl
:)
Click to expand...

You're a Kind man Greg...hehe thanks! :)

Here is a shot, taken quickly before my wife was able to put it together that I now had two swords....
The Top one is the 27" Katana, next is the 20" Wakizashi and then the 12" Tanto, which after using the other two seems like a normal little knife!

G2
 
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