Wes Detrick 487 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 (edited) This knife was a total pain in the ass to make. Everyone has a knife that fights being made, but this was something else. If I could have done something once, I actually did it at least three times. I had originally wanted to call this knife "The Black and White Tanto" because of the wood. Nope, not anymore. I started feeling like it was cursed. And that is what Norowareta Tanto means... "The Cursed Short Blade". I think this knife is malevolent and hates me. I give it the stank eye from time to time. The steel is Aldo's W2 with a hamon, which of course didn't want to be photogenic. Oh well. The main wood of the tsuka and saya is stabilized Black and White Ebony, with African Blackwood accents. The mekugi is also African Blackwood. The tsuka and saya were made from one continuous piece of wood, which you can see by how the grain of the wood flows. The tsuba is wrought iron that I got from Orien here on the forum. The habaki and seppa are orange peeled copper that I am letting patina naturally. Hope you like it. I think it hates us all. Blade Length (from mune-machi) : 7.25 inches Total Blade Length: 11.25 inches (I think, can't remember the exact length of the nakago) Total Length Sheathed: 13 inches Edited July 20, 2017 by Wes Detrick 6 Link to post Share on other sites
Chris C-S 148 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 This is just such a beautiful piece of work @Wes Detrick. And while i know it fought you hard, it is absolutely stunning. I love how the African black wood complements the two tone Ebony but doesn't not break up that grain flow from end to end. Skills. Clean lines, great craftsmanship. Thanks for sharing. Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Pierce 53 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Wes, beautiful work as always, that black and white wood is just amazing. Maybe it just wants to be remembered, I can't recall every acquaintance I have ever met but every fight I remember with clarity. Thanks for sharing. Link to post Share on other sites
Karim 62 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 clean and beautiful work especially the woodwork ! you must love the result evil eye or not n;) Link to post Share on other sites
Dan Bourlotos 26 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Wes, if I had a blade that fought me that hard but turned out that nice I would consider it a conquest Very well done. Link to post Share on other sites
Florian F Fortner 127 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 This knife exudes japanese style and culture! Maybe the process needed to be like that to manifest as this beautiful piece in the end... Link to post Share on other sites
Joshua States 1,717 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 That knife may have fought you the whole way Wes, but I think you kicked its butt. I have yet to try anything in this style. This one inspires me to try. That came out beautiful. Link to post Share on other sites
Timothy Artymko 39 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 For as much as it seemed cursed, you certainly didn't let that stop you! If I saw that and didn't know that it fought you I would be no less amazed by the workmanship! A simply amazing piece Wes! Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Dougherty 1,167 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I'm in a similar frame of mind to Joshua. Even though the fiddly nature of how all the parts go together is the sort of thing that usually lights my fire, the tanto form has never really spoken to me until I saw this one. Perhaps you had to wrestle all the demons keeping me (and others) away from tantos into this blade for us to see the light Link to post Share on other sites
jake cleland 437 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 yup - these wee bastards fight dirty. Beautiful result, though... Link to post Share on other sites
Salem Straub 168 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Wes, that's beautiful. I think everything looks straight and clean and right on it. The choice of saya wood was inspired, that black and white ebony is just so satisfying to look at. Link to post Share on other sites
Don Abbott 115 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 That one's like one of those Marvel comic villainesses... kinda mean but too pretty not to look at. Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Longmire 2,729 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 26 minutes ago, Don Abbott said: That one's like one of those Marvel comic villainesses... kinda mean but too pretty not to look at. Couldn't have said it better myself, so I'll just quote Don. That is a FINE pafkage Edit: package. For some reason my phone won't let me fix that... Link to post Share on other sites
grpaavola 30 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Damn... DAMN... That is slick! *thumbs up* -Gabriel Link to post Share on other sites
C Craft 177 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Wes, I am convinced you came out the winner!!! Very nice work! Link to post Share on other sites
Wes Detrick 487 Posted July 21, 2017 Author Share Posted July 21, 2017 Thank you everyone for the compliments and the encouragement. It made my day. Maybe it is as Florian suggested; that it needed to be a pain to be what it is. In the end, I am fine with that, and I think I get just a taste more satisfaction knowing that it ended well despite the challenge. Thanks again. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Stephens 424 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Nice work, Wes! Super clean. Those pieces with simple, clean lines are unforgiving in their presentation of your fit/finish. You pulled this off really well. Dave Link to post Share on other sites
Wes Detrick 487 Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 Thank you Dave, I really appreciate the kind words! There is something to be said for clean, lines, and dimensions. Link to post Share on other sites
Robert Carter 5 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Simply beautiful. Link to post Share on other sites
James Helm 119 Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Gorgeous simplicity! Link to post Share on other sites
Wes Detrick 487 Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 Thank you Robert and James! I am glad you like it! Here is a short video I made of the disassembly and reassembly of the knife. You get a better look at the hamon as well in the video. The little tool that I made for it is made from the same wrought that the guard is made from. The idea for the tool is not mine, but one I saw David Friesen use. He gets the credit (unless he got it from someone else of course) 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Wesley Alberson 138 Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 That's really nice! Link to post Share on other sites
Chris C-S 148 Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Beautiful @Wes Detrick. Nice short video. Such a gorgeous piece of artwork. Will there be a repeat or was this a one off for yourself? P.S. I was the first Sub, so when you get all famous and shit, don't forget who was there at the start Link to post Share on other sites
Wes Detrick 487 Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 23 hours ago, Chris C-S said: Beautiful @Wes Detrick. Nice short video. Such a gorgeous piece of artwork. Will there be a repeat or was this a one off for yourself? P.S. I was the first Sub, so when you get all famous and shit, don't forget who was there at the start A repeat as in making a heavily Japanese influenced knife? Definite repeat. It was a challenge and despite the knife being a pain in the ass, it was an educational one. I love the construction method, and how deceptively easy looking they are. I don't know when though I will make another. I am trying to work through my commission list, and there are no other Japanese blades on it. Maybe after that? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Gabriel James 90 Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 dangggg your w&b came out way sexier than mine. Im both Jelly, and excited 1 Link to post Share on other sites
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