j. walters

Thanks for the kind words everyone Updated the price for emergency funds (don't run the tip of your thumb into the grinder--emergency rooms are spendy ) If you can make instant payment by paypal, I'm willing to haggle on the price! As always, thanks for looking!

..........sold........... thanks for looking

Email sent! Be sure to check your spam filter. Boot Knife #1 is sold.

There is a good discussion of it here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=324533

Thanks for the nice comments! Sam: You're pretty, but I have my doubts about your cooking and laundry skills...

Normalize at 1600F, then 1550 F, then 1500F. Spheroidal anneal at 1325F for an hour. When you harden, soak at temperature for at least 10 minutes.

This hand-forged blade features 'popcorn'-textured flats, a nice hamon with ashi, and a padauk handle. Blade comes with heavy leather cross-draw sheath. She has a warm, earthy feel and is also *scary sharp* Specs for Blade #1: Blade steel: 1095, water quenched Blade length: 3.75" Overall length: 8.5" Price: $150 OBO This next hand-forged blade features 'popcorn'-textured flats, a nice hamon with ashi, and a leather over-wrap handle. Blade comes with heavy leather cross-draw sheath. She has a fun, organic feel and is *scary sharp* Specs for blade #2: Blade steel: 1095, water quenched Blade length: 4" Overall length: 8.75" Price: $150 OBO Additional pictures are viewable by clicking here. I accept paypal, money order, or check. Shipping and handling will be $8 via priority mail (insured) for either knife. Please contact me at joetheknife@hotmail.com Thanks for looking!

This little knife was forged from a damascus mix of W-1 and 1080 steel. Unfortunately I got overzealous with the layer-count, so the pattern is nearly impossible to discern. It has a 'pear skin' appearance with a few areas showing a fold line or two, but looks mostly like straight carbon-steel barstock. The hamon is hitatsura with large diffuse nioi crystals, plenty of ashi, and is just gorgeous. The habaki and fittings are nickel silver. The handle is mineralized bone, and the saya is padauk. The blade is slim, being 3/16" at its thickest point, so this is not a blade for defense, or piercing [read: it has a tip ground for cutting]. The blade is 7" and the mounted knife is 12.25" overall. It is built with traditional take-down construction. Price for this piece is $600, and I will entertain reasonable offers. Shipping will be $8.50 via insured priority mail. I accept paypal, money order, or cleared personal checks. Please email me at joetheknife@hotmail.com if you're interested. Thanks for looking! More photos, including high-res are viewable by clicking here

Very cool design. Aluminum cast handles have been done for a looooong time. Sand casting works well, and a blade can be heat treated prior to casting the handle in place. I believe Eight Dollar Mountain Foundary uses this method.

I'd strongly recommend you try a brine solution using the same interrupted quench technique you've been using. Mix the brine at 1.25 lbs salt to 1 gallon water to start. If that doesn't put your hamon where you planned it, try a .75 lbs to 1 gallon brine solution. Temper immediately.

Really? What if the smith forged the blade thin right up through the section where the yokote begins and putting a bevel on it would shave off 1/16" from the boshi or possibly reveal core steel? Is it a poorly made sword because it's been forged like that? What if the hamon is a spectacular testament to skill, the hada is beautiful and a likewise testament, and the blade has an inscription cut in the nakago attributing excellent results in a cutting test? What if the polish reveals all of the activity in the blade, is refined, unscathed, and obviously the work of someone extremely skilled? Cause I know a guy who's got a sword that's not a fake, not badly polished, and not 'worn out' (tired), and the sword doesn't have a sharp geometric change where the yokote line is. Oh, by the way, shobu have markedly different boshi than shinogi-zukuri, generally speaking, of course. It's almost like there's a couple right answers here or something

Beautiful work! You have magnificent control of flow and lines!

just a quick note: if anyone needs photos of any specific aspect of this blade, lemme know and I'll grab some quick shots!

This blade is sold! Thanks! SPECIFICATIONS Blade Steel..........1080, hand forged, water-quenched Sapele wood shirasaya Habaki.................Antiqued copper, cat-scratch pattern Blade Thickness....7/32" Blade Width..........1.125" Nagasa.................6" Overall Length...... 10.75" Please email me at jw@moonlitforge.com if interested, and thanks for looking!

The 1090 is wire, the w1 is 1/16 drill rod. I don't think it would make much difference if I'd only used one. I didn't twist it up, rather I stuffed it into a steel tube and later ground the tube off. Cable makes nice hamon, just make sure you normalize very well and keep good control on your austenizing temp. This one is sold! Thanks everyone!