Recommendation? Siam Blades

The pictures look nice at least. Unfortunately I don't have any experience with that particular company but if you do decide to pull the trigger please get back with us and let us know what you think.
 
I can tell you what I see from the pictures on the site: laminated spring steel (I don't care what they say they're using, look at the length-wise grain), cheap & pock-marked brass fittings; workmanship looks shoddy all around. Their "Japanese" swords have torch marks on the Hammon, meaning they were touched up after forging (compromising the temper). I would skip it & not look back, especially at those high prices.
 
YagyuShintoRyu said:
I can tell you what I see from the pictures on the site: laminated spring steel (I don't care what they say they're using, look at the length-wise grain), cheap & pock-marked brass fittings; workmanship looks shoddy all around. Their "Japanese" swords have torch marks on the Hammon, meaning they were touched up after forging (compromising the temper). I would skip it & not look back, especially at those high prices.
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Thanks for your thoughts! I was not aware to look for things like that. Would love to see more detail on what to look for with respect to steel grain, if you know of any sites that explain it, or could suggest a search phrase. I’d like to read more about it; I would be great for future reference!

Do you (or anyone else here) know of a good version of the Burmese “dha” sword? I already have the Hanwei Banshee; that’s the only one I can find with any known decent reputation.

Thanks!
 
Laci Szabo has some excellent Thai swords made by American Kami, but they're hard to find & cost $1000. There's not much demand for those kind of swords, much less in primo quality versions, as those are the only one's I know of.

www.americankami.com/sword.html

The grain you're always looking for is width-wise, from the spine to the blade; the tighter the better. Length-wise grain, with big gaps between the lines invariably means steel that may well be more ductile, but it's less rigid, less able to hold an edge, and much more succeptible to corrosion. Some of the swords on American Kami have length-wise grains, but look at how tight the grain is. Look at the sword they call RM4-SXL: proper width-wise grain, and very tight.
 
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I actually have one of Laci’s older krabi kabrongs....it’s one of my favorite swords!

Not a big fan of the American Kami collection...they are beautiful swords, but I detest the chisel grind with a passion.

Thanks so much for the recommendation, though! And the pictures were helpful in seeing what you were referring to regarding the grain!
 
I just looked at the Osprey knife catalog: every single one of them has a back to blade (width wise) grain, and very deep, non-angular bevels. You might be a little too tactical if you think you need more than that.
 
Mecha said:
Love me some Siam blades. :)
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I’ve got one of your blades handled by someone else. It’s kind of a dha style. He called it “Quicksilver”!

I also have another one of yours I got from you....it’s a beauty - the subject of a video showcasing its cutting power. My wife loves it because it’s so light; she’s claimed it for her Zombie Pockeyklipse blade!

If you made a full fledged dha, I’m totally on board for it!
 
BlackKnight86 said:
I’ve got one of your blades handled by someone else. It’s kind of a dha style. He called it “Quicksilver”!

I also have another one of yours I got from you....it’s a beauty - the subject of a video showcasing its cutting power. My wife loves it because it’s so light; she’s claimed it for her Zombie Pockeyklipse blade!

If you made a full fledged dha, I’m totally on board for it!
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Yep I know exactly the sword you have, from the video. I remember making it, one of the first round of them. That youtube video is filled with comments calling me a moron! :D But at the time, that blade was a big boy. I'm glad you're still happy with it.

What is that other blade you have? Did you by chance acquire it from a youtuber? If so, then that is an even older blade than the big boy one, from a round I'd called the "stairwell defender" series on my first sword website.

I have been on-board with making really nice dha and Thai type blades forever, but something always foils me. I like them them because to me they seem like a hybrid machete and sword, which is my favorite type of blade.
 
Mecha said:
Yep I know exactly the sword you have, from the video. I remember making it, one of the first round of them. That youtube video is filled with comments calling me a moron! :D But at the time, that blade was a big boy. I'm glad you're still happy with it.

What is that other blade you have? Did you by chance acquire it from a youtuber? If so, then that is an even older blade than the big boy one, from a round I'd called the "stairwell defender" series on my first sword website.

I have been on-board with making really nice dha and Thai type blades forever, but something always foils me. I like them them because to me they seem like a hybrid machete and sword, which is my favorite type of blade.
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Pics?!
 
Mecha said:
Yep I know exactly the sword you have, from the video. I remember making it, one of the first round of them. That youtube video is filled with comments calling me a moron! :D But at the time, that blade was a big boy. I'm glad you're still happy with it.

What is that other blade you have? Did you by chance acquire it from a youtuber? If so, then that is an even older blade than the big boy one, from a round I'd called the "stairwell defender" series on my first sword website.

I have been on-board with making really nice dha and Thai type blades forever, but something always foils me. I like them them because to me they seem like a hybrid machete and sword, which is my favorite type of blade.
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It was Dave Stifle’s:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/titanium-dao-updated.1340853/#post-15407229

I still have her!
 
Mecha said:
Yep I know exactly the sword you have, from the video. I remember making it, one of the first round of them. That youtube video is filled with comments calling me a moron! :D But at the time, that blade was a big boy. I'm glad you're still happy with it.

What is that other blade you have? Did you by chance acquire it from a youtuber? If so, then that is an even older blade than the big boy one, from a round I'd called the "stairwell defender" series on my first sword website.

I have been on-board with making really nice dha and Thai type blades forever, but something always foils me. I like them them because to me they seem like a hybrid machete and sword, which is my favorite type of blade.
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I just looked up a couple of those videos. The combination of the video, the music and reading the comments is hilarious! Great stuff.
 
BlackKnight86 said:
It was Dave Stifle’s:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/titanium-dao-updated.1340853/#post-15407229

I still have her!
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Oh yes! I remember that one had a really good heat treatment. He did a great job, made it so unique.



BlackKnight86 said:
Here’s the video!
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HAHAHA! :D The thing about those old videos that many of the youtube commenters don't get, is that I was trying to show that these titanium swords could be used. That they're durable, and to give some impression of what they might be like to use. The commenters are unaware that at the time, titanium swords weren't a "real" thing yet and that I was just trying to show that it was possible and worthwhile to figure out how to make them work, and to show the state of their development. Sort of documenting it, and also hoping it would be a funny.
 
Mecha said:
Oh yes! I remember that one had a really good heat treatment. He did a great job, made it so unique.






HAHAHA! :D The thing about those old videos that many of the youtube commenters don't get, is that I was trying to show that these titanium swords could be used. That they're durable, and to give some impression of what they might be like to use. The commenters are unaware that at the time, titanium swords weren't a "real" thing yet and that I was just trying to show that it was possible and worthwhile to figure out how to make them work, and to show the state of their development. Sort of documenting it, and also hoping it would be a funny.
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I'm pretty sure no one even watches a video all the way through before commenting on yootoob; they may be basing their comments on the thumbnail.
 
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