Satsuma-age: from Tanto to Kwaiken - sheath post#19

SBranson

SBranson

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Oct 29, 2006
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Satsuma-age: counter shortening.. It is a system of shortening a blade where the kissaki, the tip, has broken off.

Back in December I cracked two blades in a row water quenching. The first was a long tanto blade that cracked about 5-6 times in the tip half of the blade. While planning a wakizashi project I'm working on, I kept staring at the two pieces of this tanto and I figured that after that much work, I could still regrind the tang half of the blade, re-heat treat it (which isn't traditional in satsuma-age) and make a good kwaiken out of it.

So, this is what I came up with. It's a Shobu Zukuri blade in W2 at about 5 3/8" from the turk's head knot to the tip with an OAL of about 10"
Black ray skin with cotton ito wrap over grasshopper menuki.

I don't like the look of my name on a Japanese style blade so in a moment of whimsy I signed the blade with my last name "Branson" literally rendered in katakana: "Buranson" :)

Picture1-4.png


I really like this style of knife.

Kwaiken1.jpg



Kwaiken2.jpg



Kwaiken3.jpg


And with the rest of the blade


Kwaiken4.jpg



Kwaiken5.jpg
 
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It's beautiful Stuart. Outstanding polish.

I'd say about 80% of the small knives I had in Arkansas were made from my broken Japanese blades. I was thinking of calling them my 'Broken Sword' line.

How did you fashion your mark? Dremel? Looks great....
 
That is some seriously sweet lemonade my friend. What are you doing for a sheath?

Roger
 
There is no such thing as a ruined knife......just shorter ones. :D
Nice work as always!
 
Thanks!

I did think if doing a habaki and guard etc... Not this time. As I said, I like this style.

Sheath will be lined black leather. I'm thinking of texturing the whole thing to mimic the ray skin.

I used my foredom tool for the mark. I am either going to get a stencil made or learn to chisel it properly.
 
Had you not explained the history behind this piece, I don't think anyone would have suspected it came from a broken blade. It looks stunning. The hamon is beautiful.
 
Yes, beautiful hamon, on a really nice (smaller)knife. I'm glad someone has the guts to water quench! (Just not me, please)

John
 
@harkamus... For me, I think the history of Japanese swords is a big part of the interest in making. It was actually William Nease who put the germ in my head with his comment on the cracked "whaling knife".

This one is was re-heat treated into Parks 50 this time. I figure that water tore it apart once so it'd be safer to go with Parks for the second time.

I am happy to say though that I quenched a 19" bladed wakizashi into water this weekend with apparent success and little warping. (!!) I think I know how to avoid cracking the blades now from the heat angle.
 
dude, that looks awesome...I cant help but wonder what it would look like with the full length, Either way, it is a work of art....I really wish I had the skills to make knives this well
 
Wow, did you nail that one Stuart!! I love every aspect of it, from the shape of the blade to the incredible activity you have in that hamon. I've got to find a good place to get menuki...

Hopefully someday I'll get the chance to speak with you - your work is very inspiring for me!
 
Thanks Matt. Your Japanese inspired work has been looking so nice and is largely what spurred this effort.
I just look around the exchange threads on sword forums for menuki or ebay.

Here's the sheath done.

Kwaiken6.jpg


Kwaiken7.jpg


Kwaiken8.jpg
 
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