15 Lb. Enough?

[Stephen]

to make a tanto?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Japanese-Iron-Nails-Edo-Wakugi-daiku-tool-VG03/273015942894?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D44040%26meid%3D930084945c8b46af8fc1aeaa5fe25895%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D253358349385&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

[Ed]

Kind of expensive though.  I just bought 40lbs of wrought iron nails from the 1800's for $60.

[Stephen]

Good to know Ed, no bid so maybe it will go down, kinda cool tho.

[Ed]

Definitely cool the way they are packaged and all.

Notice what a small package that is compared to the lighter, 2" x 4", less than 1 lb.  By the time you forged that into a billet, I doubt you would have enough for a tanto, maybe kogatana.

[Vermithrax16]

Super cool find!

[ROKUJURO]

Stephen,

if the package is indeed 15 lbs., then it's largely enough for a TANTO. You can calculate 4 - 5 times the weight of a blade. But the problem is that these nails are only wrought iron, so you would need either to carbonize them to make the steel quenchable to hardness, or you will have to add some high carbon steel to form a cutting edge (WARI-HA KITAE). You could use an old file for that. 

Many TANTO were made in KOBUSE, MUKU or MARU construction, so you would need a lot more high carbon steel than (soft) wrought iron for a blade. 

The whole forging process for a TANTO is not really difficult but you need some experience to get good results.

-------------------------

Just adding as I see that the package is less than a pound: Probably enough for a TANTO in KOBUSE KITAE if you use the nails as SHINGANE and add high-carbon steel to form the KAWAGANE.

[obiwanknabbe]

While cool the quality of the steel is a complete unknown... Id pass.  

[SAS]

Smiths use the oroshigane process to reconsolidate and increase the carbon levels in materials such as old temple nails and similar materials.

[Baka Gaijin]

An interesting object in itself.

 

Reminds me of "How to wrap five eggs":

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Wrap-Five-Eggs-Traditional/dp/1590306198