Small San mail Wak. light and fast

Knifemaker87

Knifemaker87

Joined
Jan 2, 2006
Messages
1,073
hey everybody
been a while since i did anything big. and this blade as been almost finished for a long time, and been collecting dust. so i thought i would pull it out and finish it up.

it is a san mai blade with cable damascus on either side of 1095. The blade is aggressively distal tapered which makes is lighting fast and light in the hand. it is a slim package;a small wakizashi. Kind of a macho tanto or a girly wak. The fittings are all copper and old wrought iron. it will be getting a light colored silk wrap to go with the tiger maple saya. i haven't fully polished the blade yet but it should have a very interesting hamon.

here it is as it was when i got it off the shelf
Knives002.jpg

Knives004.jpg

Knives003.jpg

Knives005.jpg


making fittings:

CBR077-1.jpg

CBR076.jpg


and where we stand now:
CBR071.jpg

CBR072-1.jpg

CBR073.jpg



i would really appreciate your opinions.
thanks
~chris
 
Hey Chris,
Good to have you back. It seems that this is going to be another awesome blade coming from your shop. I like that Slate too :)
 
Looking good!
Some details:
1) I think the size is great — I've always been a fan of smaller wakizashi.
2) The hammering on the kashira and fuchi are really classy. A minor point, though: The fuchi is hammered on the ito side, whereas the kashira is the opposite. I think it would give the handle a better symmetry if they were either both hammered on the inside or both hammered on the outside.
3) The metal koiguchi is really ballsy, and I bet it makes a great sound when you sheath it! Would it run the risk of damaging the edge, though?
I can't wait to see it when it's polished!

- Chris
 
Hesparus said:
Looking good!
Some details:
1) I think the size is great — I've always been a fan of smaller wakizashi.
2) The hammering on the kashira and fuchi are really classy. A minor point, though: The fuchi is hammered on the ito side, whereas the kashira is the opposite. I think it would give the handle a better symmetry if they were either both hammered on the inside or both hammered on the outside.
3) The metal koiguchi is really ballsy, and I bet it makes a great sound when you sheath it! Would it run the risk of damaging the edge, though?
I can't wait to see it when it's polished!

- Chris
Click to expand...

1. i also am a fan of small swords, plus.. it is able as big as i can heat treat in me forge so it works out for me!
2. I will have to get some pictures of the parts, but the fuchi is actually a copper band soldered to a wrought iron "tsuba" incorporating the two parts into one, and the fuchi/tsuba hammering mirrors the Koiguchi on the saya, where the hammering is on the same side of the fuchi and kashira. i may end up "hammering" the whole kashira, especially since it is small and will be partially covered by the ito.
3. the Koiguichi is just a band around the throat of the saya the actual mating surface is wood all the way around. the saya is kind of thin around the habaki because of how slim it is, and i wanted some added strength there. i also stippled the back of the habaki to match everything, but again you cant see it in the pictures too well.


i am currently making some really simple using knives for a hunters function a friend is putting on so this is taking the back burner till i get those done, but after Tuesday i will be working on this baby again.

thanks for the feedback!
 
i used Jesus Hernandez's tutorial on his website for the habaki. everything else was just trial and error.
 
glad you see you're still active! your WIP threads are great reading. hope marriage is treating you well!
 
Welcome back. I figure a lot of folks were wondering
where you zipped off to. Your blades are wonderful.
Skip the motorcycles, make more knives.

This from a 50 year rider! Little Hondas, Matchless's, BMWs, Big Hondas
(Gold Wing with 2 seater sidecar) Really big Hondas (VTX1800),
and assorted other stuff.

How are you and Gracie?

Bill
 
Bill Hoffman said:
Welcome back. I figure a lot of folks were wondering
where you zipped off to. Your blades are wonderful.
Skip the motorcycles, make more knives.

This from a 50 year rider! Little Hondas, Matchless's, BMWs, Big Hondas
(Gold Wing with 2 seater sidecar) Really big Hondas (VTX1800),
and assorted other stuff.

How are you and Gracie?

Bill
Click to expand...

i didnt know you were a rider! that is nice to hear. i havent had anything big. the biggest i have worked on is a 82 cb750 i restored for my friend.
And i would agree. Knives are alot shorter term projects. even if a sword takes you a month... i worked on that bike for over a year to get it where it was. and i hate all the electronics work.

alot of my hiatus was due to my lack of workspace. i got married, moeved out and had no garage. so not i have my workshop all set-up and am ready to rock and roll.

Grace and i are doing well. NASA is working my butt off. I just moved to a new Okuma 300 5-Axis lathe and it ALWAYS has some big job in it. Gracie is doing very well, working at a Wells Fargo bank up in Williamsburg, and training our puppy on the side when she isnt cleaning up after me =) all in all things are great!

how are things with you and your family?
 
Doing well. Aline is working on a PhD in Behavioral Science, I'm making and sharpening
knives. Sharpening actually pays pretty well. Keeps me in beer money.:D

Back to work!

Bill
 
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