Tanto WIP

The place to talk about knives, swords, edged weapons, sticks and impact weapons, restraints, and and the techniques and tools for preparedness and survival without firearms.
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Highspeed
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Tanto WIP

Post by Highspeed »

Hello, it's me - the crazy Brit who lives in Spain but would prefer to be an American.

Looks like I have a new profession as I'm not even going to attempt to wade through the mountain of red tape involved in getting a gunsmiths licence here.

I've been making knives as a hobby since I was old enough to hold a file and hacksaw, and what could ever possibly go wrong with turning a hobby into a job ? ;)

I do like Japanese style blades ( even though I don't have much regard for their culture and all that bushido bullshit ) so I think I'm going to specialise in them. Here are some WIP pics.

Stock removal tanto

Image

Forged tanto

Image

Clay coating for differential hardening

Image

Into the fire

Image

About to quench

Image

The blades are both O-1 steel so they won't show much of a hamon, it's too deep hardening.

Trouble is that it's virtually impossible to buy carbon steel here ( I haven't even managed to find anyone who even knows what it is ) and UK steel suppliers won't sell anything less than a truckload of the stuff - with the exception of O-1 which comes as 'precision ground flat stock'
So I need to find some 1070 or 1085 from somewhere....

But anyway, that's the state of play for now, I'll update this post with pictures of the grinding, polishing and making the fittings if you like ?
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Catbird
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Re: Tanto WIP

Post by Catbird »

Highspeed wrote:Trouble is that it's virtually impossible to buy carbon steel here...
Scrap leaf springs?
"If at first you don't succeed, that's one data point." XKCD
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Highspeed
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Re: Tanto WIP

Post by Highspeed »

Catbird wrote:
Highspeed wrote:Trouble is that it's virtually impossible to buy carbon steel here...
Scrap leaf springs?
Yeah, that's a definite maybe - it's so different here in many ways though, they don't seem to have scrapyards like in the UK and the US

I can get some shipped from the UK though......
All my life I been in the dog house
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Do my dog house song
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Dub_James
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Re: Tanto WIP

Post by Dub_James »

Good to hear from you, and don't cut yerself :D
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Bullspit
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Re: Tanto WIP

Post by Bullspit »

Looking good! The tanto style is loved by some, hated by others. Your work looks very nicely done. Do you actually make money selling knives? It takes me too long to make one for me to think I make money, but it is a fun hobby!
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SeekHer
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Re: Tanto WIP

Post by SeekHer »

Bullspit wrote:Looking good! The tanto style is loved by some, hated by others. Your work looks very nicely done. Do you actually make money selling knives? It takes me too long to make one for me to think I make money, but it is a fun hobby!
It isn't the tanto that's hated but the mew style blade shape(s).

It isn’t the Tanto that’s hated but the modern interpretation of the Kissaki (point) and tsuba (guard)…Traditional tantos didn’t normally have that beefed up, squared off, katana sword point but rather a regular knife point as they were normally used as an EDC, eating, cutting ribbon knife then a fighting knife since the blades were usually under 6” in length…The longer blades would have tsuba even if not used for fighting but for protection of the hand in the swing’s follow through.and hitting something like bamboo.

The other point that gets hidden is that they weren’t just for samurai to use but just about everyone could and did have one

People like Lynn Thompson of Cold Steel and other early makers influenced the design change by finding sword ended tantos or wakizashi and pushing the cutlers to make them all that way and alas, it stuck

Image
very traditional Kris Cutlery AIKUCHI (Without tsuba) style 9.25” blade.

Image
Kris Cutlery HIRA-ZUKURI (Small tsuba)10.25" blade

Image
Kris Cutlery TANTO-OSORAKU ZUKURI (Large [small sword] tsuba) 11” blade
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Highspeed
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Re: Tanto WIP

Post by Highspeed »

Bullspit wrote: Do you actually make money selling knives?
I hope I will, or we are screwed :) - the olive and almond crop on the farm doesn't make anything like enough to live on...
I don't cost my time on anything, I never did when I was gunsmithing in the UK - it's too depressing. But then a low wage comes with the benefit of not having to answer to a boss and setting my own hours.

SeekHer has the tanto situation nailed exactly IMO, I personally kind of suspect that the modern 'tactical' style has arisen mainly because the ugly chisel grind they exhibit is very easy to make on machinery ( and therefore provides more profit to the manufacturer )
I've had a couple of those blades and they weren't much good for anything in my opinion. Except maybe stabbing people, which isn't something I do much of :D
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Aglifter
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Re: Tanto WIP

Post by Aglifter »

Highspeed wrote: I've had a couple of those blades and they weren't much good for anything in my opinion. Except maybe stabbing people, which isn't something I do [strike]much[/strike] nearly enough of :D
FIFY, and every other Englishman... :mrgreen:

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Highspeed
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Re: Tanto WIP

Post by Highspeed »

Aglifter wrote: Did you get my email?
I did and I've been trying to reply, but the boards PM system gives me the message "You are not authorized sending private messages" :(

The answer is Yes and Nothing :D but obviously we'll have to communicate more somehow to sort the details out...

I'm on free wifi in a bar and they are closing now, so it'll have to wait till next time I get online....
All my life I been in the dog house
I guess that just where I belong
That just the way the dice roll
Do my dog house song
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Highspeed
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Re: Tanto WIP

Post by Highspeed »

Dub_James wrote:Good to hear from you, and don't cut yerself :D
I have already :lol:
All my life I been in the dog house
I guess that just where I belong
That just the way the dice roll
Do my dog house song
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