Sorrells inspired tanto hamon (pic heavy)

[Knifemaker87]

hello everybody
i feel really sluggish looking at all the posts by people like phillip patton who keep churning out all these gorgious peices of work.. so here is something i am almost finished with.
yes.. it is just a blade. i have everything else ready to go.. but i am finishing the final touches on it.
this is the first blade i have made since watching the walter sorrells hamon and polishing DVDs.. so that is where i got the help.

the blade is W1 and was quenched in water. the blade is 15" long, tip to tang, and the blade is about 10 1/2"

i left the clay really thin as the customer didnt want much curve. i have some pics of the clay if anyone is interested. also.. the blade was etched.. but i took it off.. the blade in the pics has no etching on it. it is prettier that way (in my opinion)

please let me know what you think

thanks for looking!
~Chris

 

[Knifemaker87]

these were taken later.. i tried sunlight, the etching pitted the surface slightly. *sniff* but it gives it a kinda old blade look
i am still trying to figure out the best set up for taking pics. suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks for looking!
~Chris

 

[Matthew Gregory]

Wow, Chris... that is sweet! You've got some serious rocks to do the water quench... next thing you know, you'll be smelting your own tamahagane, you traditionalist, you!

You are SO required to loan my broke ass that Sorrell's dvd -- I'm not kidding!

Excellent polishing job as well, btw.

 

[Luke Sheridan]

Looks good although the hamon goes too close to the edge in that one spot for my liking, you can make a straight sword by making the sword a recurve before you heat treat it, then you can use the proper amount of clay. Did you scrape the clay off the spine too?

for example(sword from michael bell class)

 

[Knifemaker87]

yeah.. i dont know what happened there at that one spot..
but i did scrape some off the spine too

thanks for the help! usually i like my blades to curve (more than they end up curving) still working on it. this is my first single edged water hamon..
so.. still experimenting
thanks so much!
~chris

 

[Phillip Patton]

hello everybody
i feel really sluggish looking at all the posts by people like phillip patton who keep churning out all these gorgious peices of work..

Thanks for the compliment. In fact, I often feel like you're making me look bad. You have the drive and the skills to hold your own Chris. :thumbup:
How long have you been doing knives?
Keep up the good work.

 

[Knifemaker87]

thank!
i just see your knives and you make alot and theya re all really nice! i kinda feel bad. but thanks.. i am hoping to make some easier knives here soon.
i have been making knives for about 4 years, forging for about 2, and been making hamons for less than one.
thanks so much for the encouragement
~Chris

 

[Dan Pierson]

Here's a picture of Coop's cheap foam board, artists velum and aluminum foil light box. Very easy to make: