TYRANT KATANA: MAGNUM OPUS, and BUSH WAKI ANNOUNCEMENT THREAD

Are you on board for the Tyrant Katana Magnum Opus or Bush Waki?

  • Count me in for the Tyrant Katana

    Votes: 10 27.8%

  • Nope, too expensive, go make something cheaper and stop being an idiot.

    Votes: 5 13.9%

  • Count me in for the Bush Waki

    Votes: 13 36.1%

  • Count me in for both!

    Votes: 8 22.2%
  • Total voters
    36
Huntsman Knife Co. LLC. said:
Making progress! We are slightly behind because the steel order took much longer than expected to get delivered, but I think we will still have these delivered close to schedule.


Ill have the options ready in a few weeks. It will be a pain but I might try my hand at making Kydex for the Wakis so you guys won't get sent a blade with no sheath.

Thanks so much to everyone for the patience! The Wakis are a big project but I'm confident I can get them turned around quickly. Ill have some photos for you guys soon as well!
Click to expand...
Yeah kydex would be awesome! Looking forward to seeing these beasts. I feel like they are going to function a lot like a K18 which is a phenomenally powerful chopper (although obviously very different in design).
 
Oh man! I just had my K18 out today and your post gave me goosebumps!

Was handling the K20 next to it and it feels like a pocket knife in comparison. If the Bush Waki has the same heft as the K18, it will certainly be a limb-lopper and likely able to bifricate a torso in the right hands (gelatin & pvc pipe of course, like Forged in Fire😉).
 
Threads are useless without pictures so I wanted to show you guys a water jet Waki blank. These are getting surface ground and tooled now. We are slightly behind because the surface grinding shop I used closed and the machine shop I'm using for the bevels got rid of their water jet so we lost a couple weeks getting that figured out, but I think we will still be on schedule overall for delivery.

These are just phenomenal to hold. Makes the Fell Beast and Tyrant Bowie feel like little toys. I think we are all going to be in for a treat.

(the tabs are for fixturing, they get cut off. I do most of my blades like this)

YIqB2q1.jpeg
 
Huntsman Knife Co. LLC. said:
TYRANT KATANA: MAGNUM OPUS.


I have a project, but I cant do it without you guys.

I'll have 3D renderings for you shortly and will announce a Pre-Order as soon as I have all the details finalized which will hopefully be before the end of the month. This is just to give everyone a heads up on this project and explain my though process behind everything. ​

I’ve been wanting to make a sword for well over a decade. After making hundreds of long, thin machetes, and getting a good grasp on straightening low temper tool steels, and with all the issues I faced with the Tyrant Bowie run, I've learned new techniques for fixing problems and better understand how to deal with large scale production of complex pieces. I feel that I have the knowledge, skillset, and most importantly the help from CNC to make this possible. I was going to make things easy for myself and launch a simple, affordable sword, but naturally, things spiraled out of control. So I'm going to (hopefully) launch TWO swords, the BUSH WAKI- a tough, elegant, inexpensive, fun sword you can beat on, and the TYRANT KATANA MAGNUM OPUS- a real @$$, full @$$ 40in Katana with a steel guard, carbon fiber coffin handle (fully enclosed tang), and weighted steel pommel + all the bells and whistles. This is the project where I hold nothing back and aim to make something truly special that will stand the test of time.

As it says in the name, I want this Katana to be my Magnum Opus, my great work, the thing that I will be remembered for. Pulling off a project this expensive and complex isn't something I can self finance. Heck, I don't even know if anyone will want one of these, so this is where you guys come in. This Katana is going to cost $2,200, $1,900 (terotuf only) and to bring this project to life, I'll need at least 20 pre-orders, so here's my pitch.

It hit me today that I have to face the reality of our rapidly deteriorating political and economic climate. I don’t know if this project will even be possible to pull off in the future, so I have to do this now, while steel is still available, while I have a gifted an competent machinist to help me, and things are still affordable enough that I can make this sword at a somewhat reasonable price point.

With that said, this project is not about making money, but I need money to do it. If I wanted to make money, it would be infinitely easier and more sensible to make a bunch of simple, low cost knives.

Money is just a way for me to bring this sword to life. It is not the end goal. I don’t want your money, I just need it to make this sword, my Magnum Opus, a reality. And it wont be easy.

While doing research for this project, I’ve been deeply inspired by the sheer number of 600+ year old Katanas that have been maintained for centuries and still look brand new. It’s the ultimate accomplishment to make a work that endures beyond you and is maintained and held in reverence by future generations. I hope that this sword is a work that can have a place in the company of the many great swords before it.

Lets talk the economics of this, I will be lucky if I break even. These are going to cost well over $1000 each just in outsourced costs to make, without any of my time factored in and without a failure rate. I’m guessing I will lose 40% of my parts. The blade is so big that, I had to go to an aerospace machine shop to find a mill large enough to fixture it. On top of that, even with CNC’d parts, these are going to need a ton of work done by hand to make everything fit perfectly. Add in getting the blade flat with a flawless finish, and It’s a big undertaking. I'll probably have to make 50 of these if I am going to deliver 30.

$2,200, $1,900 is the price at which I can do this and not worry about going bankrupt if I have to scrap half the run. Basically, This is the price of a very nice rifle. Its expensive, but hopefully reasonable.

This project will not be for the faint of heart. I’m going to give myself at least 6 months to start delivering these and up to a year to get them all completed.

Some details from the upcoming 3D drawings may change out of necessity but this will be a full @$$ real sword with a guard, coffin handle, and pommel. Every aspect of this blade will be given the highest level of fit and finish possible.

So here’s my promise to you, help me bring forth this project, and I will deliver to you the most incredible, elegant, balanced, flawless, sword you will ever see. One that will stand the test of time and isn't just for show. My singular goal is for this piece, is that it will be unmatched by anything out there in terms of its function, beauty, and fit and finish. My Magnum Opus.

BUSH WAKI- The everyman fun sword​

So that said, if you don’t have $2,200 to shell out, but still want a cool sword, I also have the BUSH WAKI which is going to be in the words of Brummie Brummie “Something we can go and play Aragorn in the woods with.”

This is an affordable, tough, and beautiful blade that you can just beat the absolute hell out of. Want to chop down that dead oak tree that’s about to fall on your house? Go for it. Angry at life and want to smash up some cinder blocks? YThis blade can take it. Going for a stroll on the property and want a fun tool to clear some brush with? Yep, thats the Bush Waki.

The Bush Waki will have an exceptional fit and finish, there may be a straightening mark or a few scratches through the stonewashed finish, but I’m aiming for the same level of fit and finish I delivered on the Tyrant Bowie. Its about the same surface area of steel so I'm pretty confident I can make these very, very nice.

Guys, I’ve seen some of the swords that are getting pumped out by even by well known manufacturers, and they are quite frankly embarrassing in terms of their fit and finish and they aren’t even cheap. The fit and finish on the Bush Waki will put 99% of the competition to shame. So this is the bush sword for the every man who wants to just go and smash some $h!+ and have fun on a budget and its going to look absolutely fantastic. Importantly, this will have a larger handle so you can have enough space between your fists for a ultra powerful cuts.

Here are the details, some of these things may change by the time I launch the pre- order, but should be pretty close. Ill get the renders up as soon as possible.



MAGNUM OPUS KATANA $2,200, $1,900, $1000 deposit.

  • 40in overall, extra long handle. 29in blade
  • Z Tuff .195in thick, 61RC, low temper + Cryo
  • stainless steel guard and pommel (hopefully heat treated and hardened), stainless steel spacers may be added to snug things up.
  • Full coffin scales in Fat Carbon SPACE Coral + extra user set in Grey Terotuf. Terotuf may not end up working out because of dimensional instability. Ill do my best here. I want to include a user handle thats a little bit grippier and shock absorbent.
  • Take down ready
  • Wooden Saya
  • Custom carrying case with fitted foam for parts.
  • Aiming for stonewashed finish but may have to do satin if the stonewashing affects the fitup of the parts
  • $2,200--> OR $1,900 with TeroTuff only.
BUSH WAKI $850 $950, $400 deposit.

  • 30in overall, Extra long handle, 20in bade
  • Z Tuff, .195 thick 61RC,, low temper + Cryo
  • Terotuf OR GRIPTEK Scales
  • Kydex sheath
  • Bomb proof
  • Steel Pommel.
  • Stone washed finish but may have a few scratches or straightening marks. Ill do my best.
  • Tyring to do a TYRANT version with full coffin scales, guard, and pommel just like the Katana, $1,300.

Ultra rough render of the coffin handle concept. We have an 11in + classic bow tie style handle with a front and rear flare for grip. The scales will be held together by small screws or corby bolts to create a fully enclosed tang. Ill probably change the placement of the screws.The handle will slide off as one piece. The pommel will be one piece and milled from a solid block. We are going to spice up the shape and texture of the pommel. Aiming to have a channel in the pommel so these can be wrapped.

TYRANT KATANA MAGNUM OPUS CONCEPTS. Full tang + Half tang.

9CA0yUT.png


BUSH WAKI + TYRANT WAKI

dAo6LvS.png
Click to expand...
Are you making the liberator bolo next?
 
510Whisper said:
Oh man! I just had my K18 out today and your post gave me goosebumps!

Was handling the K20 next to it and it feels like a pocket knife in comparison. If the Bush Waki has the same heft as the K18, it will certainly be a limb-lopper and likely able to bifricate a torso in the right hands (gelatin & pvc pipe of course, like Forged in Fire😉).
Click to expand...
I don’t this waki will feel like the k20. From the specs, it will be more blade heavy and the point of balance will feel different. More like a Busse kin short sword. It has very similar specs to the Busse butaniku
 
Huntsman Knife Co. LLC. said:
Threads are useless without pictures so I wanted to show you guys a water jet Waki blank. These are getting surface ground and tooled now. We are slightly behind because the surface grinding shop I used closed and the machine shop I'm using for the bevels got rid of their water jet so we lost a couple weeks getting that figured out, but I think we will still be on schedule overall for delivery.

These are just phenomenal to hold. Makes the Fell Beast and Tyrant Bowie feel like little toys. I think we are all going to be in for a treat.

(the tabs are for fixturing, they get cut off. I do most of my blades like this)

YIqB2q1.jpeg
Click to expand...
Omg this is epic. Now kinda want one. Why? No idea besides the shear awesomeness
 
Considering the experience with the Fell Beast, its thickness was sufficient.

What about the length of this blade — is 0.200 an optimal value?

Will this be with distal taper, or will the spine thickness be the same along the entire length?

Will the edge bevel be more aggressive?

Or will the grind of the cutting edge on the bevels (and closer to the edge) be done in such a way that 0.190" spine thickness is enough?
 
Last edited:
Moorik said:
Considering the experience with the Fell Beast, its thickness was sufficient.

What about the length of this blade — is 0.200 an optimal value?

Will this be with distal taper, or will the spine thickness be the same along the entire length?

Will the edge bevel be more aggressive?

Or will the grind of the cutting edge on the bevels (and closer to the edge) be done in such a way that 0.190" spine thickness is enough?
Click to expand...

.200 is the optimal thickness we came up with for balancing strength, weight, balance, and CoP. This blade is primarily getting its strength from being much taller than a traditional Katana or Wakizashi. Its 1.65in tall and maintains that blade height from ricasso to tip.

There is no distal taper. We wanted to keep as much steel as possible in the blade itself to maximize the CoP for hard chopping.

I'm going to have to play around with the edge thickness and sharpening angles, but it will be in line with the Fell Beast.

Basically, the Waki will be extremely durable. Its meant to be beaten on and blast through hardwoods. The Katana will be less durable but will perform much better on sword targets.
 
madcap_magician said:
Anything new in the katana realm, or are you wisely doing one focus at a time?
Click to expand...
I'm going to start on the Katana after the Waki's are done. There's a few details I want to get dialed in on the more straight forward and less painful to scrap Waki and take that knowledge and apply it for Katana production.

The Katana is about as complex as anything in the knife world gets.... gotta take my time and nail it.
 
510Whisper said:
I think I saw that post as well... "Buy one Katana at double the price, get one Waki for free!" Seems like a pretty good deal if you ask me... better jump on that before it expires!
Click to expand...

Everyone, meet the new head of marketing at Huntsman Knife Co.

Next special is the Buy 2 Get 1 Waki. Not get one free. Just get 1.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top