A Request for Translation ,but Please Don't Cry

[WillFalstaff]

@drac2k I want pics when this is finished. I'd love to see a seax, if you go that route. I'm a fan of all things Scandinavian, post-Roman to pre-Medieval. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Write up the full story so that curators in 100 years' time will know what they have. Maybe add some runes. "David's Showaseax" 

[drac2k]

Wow, the pressure is on; I hope that I don't disappoint too many people.

[Stephen]

Its a broken showato really nothing to get upset about.

The only thing that puzzled me was why I use the full nakago. Not like saving a important mei, and limits the possibilities.

By April I'll have completely forgotten about it LOL

[Shugyosha]

Thanks Jean!

 

[drac2k]

Well, I finally picked up my modified knife from the show and here it is; probably more people will disagree with what I did, but I will try to illustrate my line of thinking.

My 3 priorities were to keep the temper line, not to shorten the tang or make it inaccessible, and to keep it a weapon in the tradition it was originally constructed for as opposed to a workable knife.

I used an old tsuba that I had that someone had over-polished (sanded), which was worthless. The wooden handle is pinned and glued together but can be easily removed by taking out the dow; the tang has not been shortened. The blade hasn't been sharpened so as to insure that the temper line remains intact.

On a side note, the knife maker commented that the metal was extremely hard, very tight-grained, and without any flaws in the areas where he removed the metal. He was impressed by the quality of the blade.

[ROKUJURO]

To be honest, this is not to my taste!

It might have come out differently with a seax shape, but in the end, it remains a knife..

[drac2k]

I knew that some people would differ from my choices and I respect that. The handle is a bit bulky and long, however, it was necessary to maintain the tang length and to have it removable. The blade configuration is what I am happiest about and if I find another broken blade without a temper line, unsigned, I'll use the same configuration, with changes to the guard and handle and sharpening to make a workable knife.

[ROKUJURO]

David,

of course it is your knife and your choice! What could be improved in my eyes on this knife is the handle. If you let the NAKAGO protrude from the end of the handle (and this could easily loose some material), you could shape it as a glass-breaker or add a hole.

[John C]

David:

Was the back of the blade, which is now basically a modified Wharncliffe design, re-hardened or left as "soft" metal?

John C.

[drac2k]

Yes, the handle didn't come out like I expected it and I can see that the incorporation of the tsuba was like putting DC-10 wings on a paper glider. I like your idea for a handle.

The blade was not rehardened, but as noted the knifemaker commented on how hard the steel was to reshape. 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

I enjoy watching you have fun with this.  Hobbies are supposed to be fun!

[drac2k]

Thanks; several lessons were learned, lol.

[Bugyotsuji]

You definitely have something unique there! The grip sure stands out. Maybe darkening the wood with an oak stain or something might help a little. (?)

[John C]

  On 4/2/2023 at 11:47 AM, drac2k said:

The handle is a bit bulky and long, however, it was necessary to maintain the tang length and to have it removable.

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Personally, I would have difficulty indexing the blade without a reference on the handle. But it looks really nice and I hope you enjoy it. Any idea on a sheath yet? 

John C.

[DoTanuki yokai]

I would have done it in thr seax shape and even more in this one,
Moving the tip Up to the top of the Hamon. 
 

But to be honest I think I would have turned the Nakago in a mekuginuki and Saiha the blade in water 

I also though Seax first but I don’t like the broken back ones.

[drac2k]

Thanks to all.Some really great suggestions. Darkening the handle will be the next step, especially since the partial black scabbard that I have is too long, needs to be cut down, and has missing lacquer; I can either repaint it or sand it down and stain it the same color as the handle that I will darken.

Beautiful examples of your handle work DoTanuki yokai; were those removable?If not that was the limitation that I was faced with.

[DoTanuki yokai]

Thanks and yes all my handles are removable because that is what I’m used to. 
I don’t think this style of handle is a Limitation the chopping knife with the black red rayskin wrap survived some very hard abuse by one of my friends. 

Wood alone would be weak but rayskin is impressively strong and the  Fuchi and Kashira also make it stronger.
There are reasons they used this design for centuries.
 

But after thinking about this more I wouldn’t feel comfortable changing even a piece like this.