Touzai Tanto - East Meets West...on East's Turf

Hi Dave,

I'm always impressed by your work and the seemingly 'simple' effort in creating these pieces. For me, it's SO complex and otherworldly.

Your website (and website design services) are outstanding. You are good at many things.

So am I. However, I feel small when I look at what your hands produce. I'll get over it.... ;)

Keep it up. I always enjoy such beauty and skills.

Good thread.

Coop
 
Coop, you are able to capture the beauty of the blades in a way not many of us blade-bashers could hope to. I know my own photography can only get a general idea across. So, don't feel at all lessened that your skill is in a different art; you've done a lot to help our art. :)
 
thanks very much, all...

@lycosa, it does, but prefers finding a chink between a dragon's scales...it is yoroidoshi, armour piercing.

@dawkind, so glad to hear it is enjoying a good home!

@kohai999, i wasn't really after anything, just keeping folks up with where i am on the path...but how can i resist inside info? from you, Sir, i will gladly take both please ^__^ email sent.

@Coop, thanks for the encouragement...we all gotta use all the tools we have, right? (^__^) ☆
 
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Dave- I hope Santa brought you a pile 'o truck springs.
Happy New Year.
rolf
 
@rolf, needs to be older for me...pre-industrial, shear steel type stuff...gotta be vintage carriage springs...or charcoal, need a big stocking full!
 
Here's some footage from several recent projects documenting the steps and sounds involved at many stages of the hundred-plus hour process, some extended and some previously unreleased clips, some from Japan and some from Canada, photos of the finished works appear at the end of the video.

[video=vimeo;150231863]https://vimeo.com/150231863[/video]

also on youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFmuIAZjhb0
 
Thank you, Dave.
Consider making a kata-kiri-ba.. Such a simple, practical edge.
And thanks for the vdo. Just fantastic!
rolf
 
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I really enjoyed that video and your other videos as well

Very interesting and satisfying work
 
encouraged by an ongoing discussion with @kohai999, i have adjusted the online shop pricing into USD for a time, we will see how it goes and hope that it helps the folks down south without aggravating the locals up here...i also bumped up my plans to reorganize some of the shop, consolidating a prototyping lab category to gather some of the items that i would like to move out quickly to make room for others: islandblacksmith.ca/product-category/prototyping-lab/

also, the next quarterly newsletter is coming out in a day or so...if you are interested in email updates, knifemaking tips, and inside info,
here is the sign up: http://eepurl.com/LPNqr
 
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Thank you for taking the time to post all the great photos.
I always enjoy your wip threads. Makes it feel like I get to watch over your shoulder.
Might sound dumb but I enjoy seeing the construction of the fittings as much or more than the blade.
Your projects always get my imagination going.
 
PM coming.
Guys; Read this from Dave, from the garden to the forest.^
Thanks, Dave.
rolf
 
Your work is both amazing and amusing Dave
I started to play with the saia-nomi and made a kiridashi for pratice. The olivewood handle fitting achieved with this technique is incredibly light and sound.
I want to try making a kotanto, but i have not very clear in my mind how do you set things up to have the machigane made so that the habaki would need stretching to fit.
 
@stezann, i think number one is to make sure the tang, junction, and blade geometry is correct...everything flows from there...

here is an ongoing series with a bit of insight into the points that evade: http://islandblacksmith.ca/tag/tanto-geometry/

the main thing is that everything (in three directions) tapers away from the munemachi area, but very slightly, flowingly and spine not "kinked" upwards as commonly done by westerners inspired by japan...there will be another article on this specific point when i get a chance...

as far as the actual fit, it should be pretty close, set up to fit just a little bit back of its final resting place (exactly how much depends on the taper of the tang) so that a little tapping on the top, bottom, and sides yields enough extra material to get it home but before total work-hardening occurs...here's a look at a couple of pro's techniques...

[video=youtube;DbCy_6hN2n8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbCy_6hN2n8&list=PLBJ5AOs7cMwDaK-B9Zyb_sIrM4kYlxAj3&index=3[/video]

[video=youtube;2sl5-PawPbY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sl5-PawPbY&index=8&list=PLBJ5AOs7cMwDaK-B9Zyb_sIrM4kYlxAj3[/video]

both from this playlist (and there's one more habaki-shi/shirogane-shi on there too): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbCy_6hN2n8&list=PLBJ5AOs7cMwDaK-B9Zyb_sIrM4kYlxAj3&index=3
 
You are a really skilled man!!! I discovered you in this forum and I'll start to follow you for sure since now!
 
Thank you very much Dave! Your website is amusing and your creations are amazing
As soon as i heal from my slipjoint addiction, and get to find some copper, i'll challenge myself in making a small tanto...trying to stick to the tradition/form as much as i can!!
I don't want to derail your thread, but be prepared because when i'll be on the works i may send you a couple more questions by e-mail ;)
 
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