The Gary House big sword invitational

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Some of the swords more to come
 

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Dave Thanks for posting the photos. This stuff is so cool. Quench tank with windows -- I love it.

Brian
 
Bill Burke said:
Hey Dave thanks for putting this up.



Hey Eric, to have had more fun we would have had to seriously break the law or had an OGRE there to poke with sticks:D
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Bill, they say not to poke dogs<?>, hate to think of the end result of poking an OGRE! :D
 
ac1d0v3r1d3 said:
So I have no idea about knife or sword making. A couple of questions if you don't mind. What is the "worst sound ever"?
Whats the big cylinder with the molten metal running out of it? Were ya'll making your own steel?
Thanks
-Chris
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I think you get a "ping" if your sword cracks during the quench... :mad:
 
This had to be the most fun a guy can have and keep his clothes on! The slipjoint folder class taught by MS Mike Vagnino was excellent. Mike is a first class instructor and if you ever get a chance to take one of his classes be sure to do so. Making the swords out of W2 and then water quenching was a hoot for sure. Mine made the dreaded noise TINK:( when quenched and had a crack about six inches from the tip. Oh Well it is a learning experience and I would not take for my broken sword. It will hang on my shop wall.
If you have never quenched a long piece of W2 you would be amazed at how much a piece of steel can move. Before the blade is put into the quench tank it is straight. Upon entering the water the blade quickly takes a downward bow along its length. THEN the blade comes back straight and keeps moving into the traditional upswept katana shape. Man for steel to do this in a matter of maybe five to six seconds is nothing short of black magic to me! I would not have been surprised if that steel had screamed.:eek: No wonder some of the swords made it and some did not. Who knows what made the difference in making it and not. Could have been no more that a millisecond in quench time.
There were two large forges going and one of Dave Lisch's small ones. I welded up two billets and used Gary House's twisting tool that is part of his rolling mill. That machine gives me a BAD case of tool jealousy. There was a lot of the tamagene (sp) forged up also. I could not believe someone could take a handful of the really crappy looking stuff, put it in the forge to welding heat the gently press it all together to make solid steel. It crumbled, spit fire and sparks, fell apart, but in the end it made steel. Just unbelievable.
I had so much fun that I nearly fell asleep driving home from Tom Ferry's house. Did fall asleep in my big chair later in the evening. Went to the shop Monday morning, unloaded the truck. swept the floor for a few minutes and gave it up for the day at 10:30 AM just wore out from all the fun!
 
OH MY GOSH, some people mave all the fun. You guys come up here and have one, I will host it.:D:D:D
 
Sounds like a blast. Sorry I couldn't be there. I really wish I could have gone. Great group of people.
 
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Just got home glad you all enjoyed the pics this is the last shot that was taken be for hitting the road.
 

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Jon Walker said:
Here is a video not from the hammer in, but it shows a katana being quenched in a similar see though tank. You can see the down bend and then the up bend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4A2JJmWi6Y&feature=channel_page
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Thanks for the post. :thumbup: I'm sure Komiya Kuniharu has done this before more than a few times. Wondering whether the downward curving blade was drawn from the quench too quickly or if the forging or maybe clay layer had something to do with it? This video also makes me think that those fancy power hammers the western smiths have are worth at least two apprentices, so expensive as they may be, we are probably getting them cheap... :D
 
That must have been a lot of fun. I can't wait for the ABS hammer in later this year in Visalia. I plan to attend it for the first time...
 
Thanks Dave for posting all the pictures!
The reverse curve sword was mine. I forged it that way so that it
would have less curve when finished. When it was quenched the tip
went down, but only came back to where it started.
The hamon was very thin. Maybe that's why.
I plan on quenching it again this weekend.
 
Hey everybody, It was a good time. Things like this do not happen anymore. At one time I had 8 mastersmith's in my shop. No teaching, just having fun. Thanks to my friend Bill Burke for all the help. The picture of all the swords is deceiving, We had at least 50% failure.
 
gthouse said:
Hey everybody, It was a good time. Things like this do not happen anymore. At one time I had 8 mastersmith's in my shop. No teaching, just having fun. Thanks to my friend Bill Burke for all the help. The picture of all the swords is deceiving, We had at least 50% failure.
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Hi Gary,
I'm still kicking myself for not going but I was contagious. That would have been so interesting to see the hardening. Thanks for hosting such a fun event and pushing the makers there to their breaking point, literally. :D
 
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