Tsuba (hand filed)

Richard338

Richard338

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May 3, 2005
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My katana blade is still out for heat treat so I found a Tsuba (guard) design that I like and filed it out of a piece of A2. The piece online was $500 and for only $600 worth of sore fingers and aggravation I have my own. I just kept saying "don't think about waterjet..."
The bluing turned it nice and dark. My camera has misrepresented the color.
I haven't cut out the blade profile in the center yet since I don't have the blade here.
WjP98TO.jpg
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Hand filed?
You need a jeweler's saw!
Nice work, though.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I agree I should get a jeweler's saw. A guy at work does waterjet and that was in the back of my mind also.
I did drill as many 1/4" and 1/8" holes as possible before filing, but it was still pretty bad.
 
You could do that with one hole per opening, and in 10 minutes.
 
You definitly need to follow Bill DeShivs Bill DeShivs advice and get a jewlers saw.

You should have asked here first it would have saved you hours of work and frustration.

It does look good, but I can see the tear stains on it :)
 
Richard338 said:
My katana blade is still out for heat treat so I found a Tsuba (guard) design that I like and filed it out of a piece of A2. The piece online was $500 and for only $600 worth of sore fingers and aggravation I have my own. I just kept saying "don't think about waterjet..."
The bluing turned it nice and dark. My camera has misrepresented the color.
I haven't cut out the blade profile in the center yet since I don't have the blade here.
WjP98TO.jpg
Click to expand...

Outstanding work!
 
Thanks for the comments and advice. I just ordered a jeweler's saw since I have no plans to quit making knives...
 
Good quality saw blades make all the difference.
I use Hercules #2 blades
 
I fully agree with Bill and the others - get a jewelers saw. Put the blades in tight and saw in downward strokes (pulling down on the handle).
Use the best blades … never the cheapest. Hercules is a good brand. #2 and #3 are good ones to start on.

Make a cutting board. It is a 2" wide and 6" to 8" long piece of 1/4" to 1/2" thick wood with a long shallow "V" cut down the end of it. The "V" should be about 2" long and 1/2" wide at the open end. I drill a 1/4" hole at the apex of the "V". The board is screwed or clamped over the edge of the bench at a height so you can saw in a seated position.
Clamp the handle end of the blade tight, put the saw blade through one of the holes drilled in the workpiece ( tsuba) and tension the blade by pressing the handle against your chest while the other end is against the bench or cutting board. When the frame is bowed a bit, tighten the other blade clamp tight. The blade should "sing" when plucked if the tension is correct. Set the workpiece (tsuba) on the board and pull the saw handle from below. Cutting is a process of slow and full strokes with light pressure ( don't push hard or it will kill the blade). It is a combination of turning the saw a bit and turning the work a bit. Once you get it learned, you can cut out a piece like your tsuba pretty fast.
"Lubing" the blade with candle wax or beeswax helps the cutting and extends blade life.
 
When you find good blades in the sizes that you need-you buy them by the gross.
 
The first gross of blades to a new hobby user of a jewelers saw:
First day - 1 dozen - broke within two strokes … some before you even cut one stroke.
First week - 2 dozen more used - Lasted a bit longer, but the teeth were killed pretty fast. When removed, they were very curved.
First month - 3 dozen more used - Cutting straighter, but still killing the blade on cutting curves. Note to self - go slow and easy on curves. Learning to lube the blade regularly … especially on curves.
Six months later - Finally on the last of the gross. Cutting pretty good by now. Lubing regularly, taking it easy on curves.
Life of the first gross - approx. 6 months.

Second gross - lasts a year to two years, depending on use.

Guys like Bill and I use a saw every day, sometimes for hours on end, and it takes months to go through a gross of blades.
 
Remember to hold the saw vertical when cutting curves.
 
I just ordered a gross of Hercules #2.

I do a lot of hacksawing metal and coping sawing wood so I expect to pick it up quickly...
 
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The stroke is the opposite of a hack saw or coping saw. It will take some blades to learn.

One of the most important parts is the stroke must be straight down. Don't saw at an angle or "rock" the cut. What kills a blade faster than anything is "sawing" up and down. You have to slightly back off the pressure on the up-stroke or the teeth will be killed in only a few strokes.
 
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