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(*opens workshop door, blinking and wondering where the summer went...*) Just wrapped this one, thought it would be a good walk through for those interested in hand tools and classical methods...the inspiration is a night out enjoying the bright orange moon of late Summer and early Autumn. Tsukimi means moon watching, and brings to mind a lovely harvest moon and the rustling sounds of the dry, frost coloured susuki grass as the evening breeze blows across the plateau. The blade is just under 11.5″ long, overall length is just under 17″, and the overall length when sheathed is just over 18.5″...no epoxy, no powertools, all hand tools start to finish. Materials: Reclaimed Caterpillar tractor pushrod steel, ocean-salvaged steel spike, silver and nickel-silver spoons, reclaimed souvenir buffalo horn, copper bus bar, copper water pipe, copper wire, Nootka Cypress, samegawa, red Bamboo chopstick, natural urushi first of all (for a change), this is where it is all headed: https://vimeo.com/107195848 Finished work: http://islandblacksmith.ca/2014/09/tsukimi-tanto/ Complete process photo essay: http://islandblacksmith.ca/process/making-the-tsukimi-tanto/ Nagasa: 9 sun 6 bu 5 rin (292mm) Motohaba: 9 bu 2 rin (28mm) Motokasane: 2 bu 4 rin (7.2mm) Nakago: 3 sun 7 bu (112mm) Sori: 5 rin (1.6mm) Construction: hira-zukuri, iori-mune Hamon: suguha hotsure, mizukage, utsuri Boshi: yakitsume Nakago: futsu, kuri-jiri, one mekugi-ana, signed near the tip Mei: hot stamped katabami-ken logo