stephanfowler Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Description: 9.875" Nagasa Tanto in W2 Steel: W2 Tool Steel Thickness: .312 at Machi .205 at Yokote Blade: 9.875" Nagasa (trying for Choji Hamon) Here are some Progress pictures of a Tanto that I am working on currently. This is my first piece out of W2 (from Don Hanson) and I am very excited about working with this steel Shown here is the original stock size, next to the broken down bar stock. I flattened it with a 12 Lb sledge with my brother holding the steel, took about two hours to get it down to 3/8" x 1 1/4". As you can see the original stock is 11" long, and the bar is 19" long, so flattening got my an extra 8 inches. Suprisingly the process of breaking down into bar stock was much easier than expected. Sunobe (rough shape) formed. at this point I will cut it off of the bar and form the Nakago Finished forging, did about 5 minutes drawfiling to check all the faces and shapes. I decided to move the machi up from what you see here. I originally had a 10 3/8" Nagasa but decided that the 9 7/8" balanced better with my intentions. Profile view showing the pretty much finished shape (all drawfiles and hand sanding, feel the burn baby) The other side Closeup of the Kissaki, starting to look good Ready to harden, I am hoping to get a basic Choji out of this clay layout. Thus far most of my experience with clay hardening ends up being rather Gunome shaped To Be Continued...... President - Georgia Knifemakers Guild ABS Journeyman Smith "Wisdom and experience are built of bricks made from the mud of failure." - Mike Blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.H.Graham Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 "Shown here is the original stock size, next to the broken down bar stock. I flattened it with a 12 Lb sledge with my brother holding the steel, took about two hours to get it down to 3/8" x 1 1/4". As you can see the original stock is 11" long, and the bar is 19" long, so flattening got my an extra 8 inches. Suprisingly the process of breaking down into bar stock was much easier than expected" Ya big ape.... Cool, I'm looking forward to seeing what you get after the quench. Randal www.rhgraham.simpl.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Hanson Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Looking good Stephan, can't wait to see the hamon. Your clay look a little too thick, make sure you soak it at temp for a few minutes or your hamon will be too low (I thinking oil quench here, you may be fine with water, as long as it dosn't crack ) Don Hanson lll My Webpage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanfowler Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 Actually Don I just sent you an Email about the quench, I might need to normalize and go again, didn't get much activity... I got Hamon everywhere, It just seems lazy to me (except right at the Kissaki, darn it's pretty at the kissaki, big beautiful habuchi) President - Georgia Knifemakers Guild ABS Journeyman Smith "Wisdom and experience are built of bricks made from the mud of failure." - Mike Blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Hanson Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Stephan, The more I look at your photo, I'm sure your prob is just too much clay. Don Hanson lll My Webpage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanfowler Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 Decided I'm definately gonna retry it tonight, worst case is I crack it and learn a valuable lesson.... lets hope I get the lesson w/out the failure President - Georgia Knifemakers Guild ABS Journeyman Smith "Wisdom and experience are built of bricks made from the mud of failure." - Mike Blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert washburn Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Decided I'm definately gonna retry it tonight, worst case is I crack it and learn a valuable lesson.... lets hope I get the lesson w/out the failure Stephen,Make sure and have your water or quinch warm. Later Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Sisters Forge Posted February 15, 2007 Share Posted February 15, 2007 I love to see that nice pile of filings next to the vise. Don't you just love to see some evidence of the labor, skin, etc. that went into shaping?? Looking good. You get quite a bit of advise on hamon, ya want some more? Jim Jim Allen Three Sisters Forge Bend, Oregon http://www.threesistersforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanfowler Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 (edited) JB - I am always open to a little more advice OK, so the first one cracked... SOOOOOO I made another one. this one is the same geometry but 11.5" Nagasa and 4.25" Nakago More pics at http://www.fowlerblades.com/w2tanto/w2tanto.html Clay: The Gratuitous Pipe smoking After a quick and dirty polish with a little bit of etch Edited February 20, 2007 by stephanfowler President - Georgia Knifemakers Guild ABS Journeyman Smith "Wisdom and experience are built of bricks made from the mud of failure." - Mike Blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Way to go, Stephan! Especially the gratuitous pipe-smoking shot, that was priceless... Seriously, that's some good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesus Hernandez Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Looks like you nailed that one Stephan. Enjoy life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 WOW, that hamon is looking stunning already!!!!!!!!!!!! Let not the swords of good and free men be reforged into plowshares, but may they rest in a place of honor; ready, well oiled and God willing unused. For if the price of peace becomes licking the boots of tyrants, then "To Arms!" I say, and may the fortunes of war smile upon patriots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Hanson Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Now we're smoking Don Hanson lll My Webpage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanfowler Posted February 21, 2007 Author Share Posted February 21, 2007 (edited) that's the second one made, and I quenched it 3 times before I got an even Habuchi all the way down I like it Thanks for the W2 Don, I'm havin a lot of fun working with this stuff Better Hamon Pics: Edited February 21, 2007 by stephanfowler President - Georgia Knifemakers Guild ABS Journeyman Smith "Wisdom and experience are built of bricks made from the mud of failure." - Mike Blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Bussey Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Rock On! Look'n Good.... "I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have." - Thomas Jefferson "The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanfowler Posted March 12, 2007 Author Share Posted March 12, 2007 Updates (yes, I have been working on this...) Full page Info: http://www.fowlerblades.com/w2tanto/w2tanto.html President - Georgia Knifemakers Guild ABS Journeyman Smith "Wisdom and experience are built of bricks made from the mud of failure." - Mike Blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymond Richard Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Looks real good! To bad you don't know someone with a power hammer. I cut off an 1 1/4" off of the same size round stock you have and gave up on it pretty fast. Raymond Richard www.hawknknives.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanfowler Posted March 12, 2007 Author Share Posted March 12, 2007 heheh, it's not for the faint of heart, and I actually do know several ppl locally with power hammers, just gotta get there hopefully when I get this piece finished I can afford a Grinder (hand filiing/sanding EVERYTHING atm) and start saving towards a hydraulic press President - Georgia Knifemakers Guild ABS Journeyman Smith "Wisdom and experience are built of bricks made from the mud of failure." - Mike Blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanfowler Posted March 13, 2007 Author Share Posted March 13, 2007 Got the Saya (scabbard) about finished up last night check it: (sorry for the crappy pics...) President - Georgia Knifemakers Guild ABS Journeyman Smith "Wisdom and experience are built of bricks made from the mud of failure." - Mike Blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Ouellette Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Looking good Stephen. I hear ya on the file/ hand sanding everything. I can't wait to see it with a handle. Bob O "When I raise my flashing sword, and my hand takes hold on judgment, I will take vengeance upon mine enemies, and I will repay those who haze me. Oh, Lord, raise me to Thy right hand and count me among Thy saints." My Website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanfowler Posted March 15, 2007 Author Share Posted March 15, 2007 More Pictures: President - Georgia Knifemakers Guild ABS Journeyman Smith "Wisdom and experience are built of bricks made from the mud of failure." - Mike Blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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