Sun-nobi Tanto, Stuart Branson - WIP - Coop pics added!

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RogerP

RogerP

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Feb 28, 2002
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Greetings all,

I've wanted an authentic Japanese sword for quite some time. I'd love to have a Katana, but for the most part those are priced out of my reach.

Within the realm of the attainable, however, would be a tanto. And my first choice for a maker for this type of piece was fellow Canadian Stuart Branson - who has developed a real passion for the genre.

"Sun-nobi Tanto" essentially means an extended length tanto. When forged to shape, the blade came out to about 13 3/4" in length. That was certainly good by me. :)


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Blade ground and clay-coated - ready for the water quench:

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One of the design elements I was keen on was using wood with nice colour and figure for the saya. I know that black lacquer is the most traditional of choices, but what can I say - I have a thing for wood and don't like to hide the natural grain, colour and figure.

I had sent Stuart a gorgeous piece of black walnut that I sourced from a supplier of wooden gun stocks. It was a forestock piece, and almost perfect in terms of dimensions, though only barely long enough for this blade.

Well, turns out there was some bad news on that score. Stuart broke it to me by video. I'll break it to you the same way:

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[youtube]jhKYSZ0ORIU[/youtube]

[youtube]9F4kD5r153g[/youtube]

Oh well - we'd just have to try to source another piece.
 
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Roger, I am looking forward to this one. I am sorry about your walnut, that is a tough one. I am a big fan of Stuarts work and this should be great. See you in Little Rock.
Brion
 
In the same boat...would love a Katana but will likely not be in my budget for a while.

Sorry about the wood, but I'm sure this one will turn out great!
 
Stuarts work is second to none, IMHO, and this will be a superior work, as are all of his pieces.....congrats! :cool:
 
I hear ya on the wood grain, but I'd love to see exactly how traditional a piece like this Stu could do!
 
Roger

looks to be a GREAT project....and I may be able to help you out with your problem......:D

sent ya an email

Bill
 
Thanks gents - and thanks to Bill for his kind offer - but the saya issue has been solved.

Here's a peek at the blade post-quench. Not polished yet, but you can already see some nice activity:

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Roger,

Good for you. Stuart is a developing artist among makers, and I'm happy to watch this one take shape.

More pics!

John
 
I have watched some of his progression and drooled over his art over on a Canadian Gun forum and love his work.

I tried to get him to build me a folder, but he wasn't into it............. yet. ;)
 
Roger, can't tell from the pics yet....it's going to have a habaki, right?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Really enjoying this thread, Roger, can't wait to see what Stuart comes up with !

Doug
 
KOOL project Roger. From what i've seen of Mr. Branson's work, the end result will be an exceptional piece.

I've done a bit of working with unknown wood, collecting burls in my hiking travels. Sometimes a piece with great potential turns out to be useless when cutting into it. Not sure the proper name, but those "borer" bugs enter through one tiny little hole about the size of a typed period, and bore a circular path resembling a bee hive!

Anxious to see the finished katana.

Peter
 
I had a couple different choices of contemporary pieces for the tsuba, but when Stuart told me he was able to source an antique Edo period piece, the choice was clear:

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According to Stuart, it was during the Edo period that the saya started to become more varied and ornate. Given my choice for figured saya instead of black laquer, the choice of this tsuba seemed particularly appropriate.
 
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