A2 Wakizashi Build along

Benr.t

Benr.t

Well-Known Member
Hey guys! In theme with some of the fullered fixed blades I have been making lately, I thought it would be fun to try something a bit...larger. ;)
I figured I would snap some pics along the way to share with those who are interested.


I decided to go with a 15" blade wakizashi. Oal will be just over 23". The steel is .250" A2 tool steel.
This is merely my interpretation of a hard use modern blade. It is heavily inspired by some of Dan Keffelers beastly blades.


At this point I am mostly done with it, so I will share all the pics I have up until now.


Laying out my design





Milling in the main fuller. I like to this before the blade is profiled, as it is easier to get everything lined up.





I also milled a false edge on the top of the blade.





Here I have the bevels roughed in.





Squaring up the shoulders for the Guard.





Truing up the bevels by hand. Since this is an air hardening steel, I can get the blade 95% before heat treat.





Had to pick up some new quench plates for this big guy. Not cheap!





So here is the blade post hardening. It was sealed in a high temp stainless pouch and clamped between the aluminum plates to cool.





A2 likes a nice soak in Liquid Nitrogen immediately after hardening, here it is after the soak, coming up to room temp.





Normally surprises during HT are bad. Much to my delight though I got a nice one.
The blade actually developed a bit of Sori during the quench. Pretty cool!


 
The blade all cleaned up and ready to mark.







Nice deep mark.







Another shot of the blade all cleaned up and marked.







I decided to go with a titanium Guard on this guy. Laying out for slotting.







Milling the slot in the guard.







Squaring up the opening on the slot. I like to use a file that I have smoothed the faces on. This way I only remove material where I want to.







Thanks to a collector kindly pestering me everytime I post a Japanese inspired piece without a habaki, I decided this would be a good piece to try my hand at making one. I wanted to do it a little different though. I decided to machine the habaki from a solid piece of copper.





Milling the slot in the top. This will slide over the ricasso and rest against the blade shoulders, just like a guard.







Here is the habaki and guard rough fitted.







Here is the guard all contoured and being Titanium, I decided to give it an orange peel finish.







Here is the copper habaki all shaped. I decided to give it a nice heat coloring.







So if you thought I was going to leave the blade all shiny, you don't know me very well. ;)
Here I am antiquing the blade.







While the blade was aging, I decided to make a couple titanium menuki's. I figured I would give them a hammered texture and a "diamond" shape reminiscent on of stingray skin.







Here are all of the fittings ready to install. The menuki and Guard are Titanium and heat colored.


 
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I just have to comment, mostly so I can subscribe to this thread and because this thing is so freakin awesome!
The way we ( I mean you, Ben) can take an anciient weapon that at one time could ONLY be made by the chosen few, can take full creative control, add in many technical ...or I guess Machining skills and then build a masterpiece!
Looking forward to seeing this one completed. I think it will be a beauty!
Rex
 
Thanks so much for all of the kind comments guys!
I just finished it up today. Here are some pics showing how I did the handle.




The fittings were a press fit, but it set them permanently with JB weld.





Here it is all ready for the handle





The handle is basically a hidden/full tang handle. I put leather pieces under the grip for extra thickness. I use contact cement to attach the leather.








Here is a simple little handle wrapping jig/hinge that lets me clamp the blade in place and flip it back and forth while wrapping. It is super handy.










Normally I would use sting ray skin under the Ito wrap. But I wanted a different look on this piece. So I did an under wrap with bamboo fiber cord.





Here is the Ito Wrap started and the first titanium menuki in place.





Finishing up the wrap. My fingers are pretty sore at this point!





All wrapped up. The Menukis are staggered for a right over left hand grip.





At this point, it is complete! I want to take better pics, tomorrow hopefully. I am also working on a special sheath for it, and I will post more pics when it is done.
I leave you with this teaser....


 
Ok guys I spent all day working on the sheath, and I just wrapped it up. I know some people would prefer a more traditional saya, and some people like leather, and others kydex. So I made a combo of all 3! : )


I decided to incorporate a traditional style Kurigata as the belt hanging feature. It also has a layer of kydex on the front side of the blade, so the blade draws quickly and smoothly from the sheath. These are both things I have never tried before and am quite happy with the results.


Anyway here are some pics from the sheath making process. Keep in mind it is entirely hand stitched.


Here are most of the sheath components cut out. The sheath will have a bison skin front.





The super nice Bison skin and cooper piece I will use for the Kurigata.





Drilling the backside of the Kurigata so I can tap it.





Tapping the holes.





All shaped and heat colored.





The sheath front all glued together before stitching.





The Kurigata mounted and holes for the initial stitching.





Hand stitching.





The back dyed and stamped with my mark.





Gluing the welt in.





Snug as a bug!





All ready to assemble.





It is heavy duty. ; )





All glued together.





Ready to stitch.





The next post will have finished pics of the complete package.......
 
Thanks Justin.

Ok Everyone, here are the final pics. Although not the most exotic or fancy blade I have done. This overall package is by far my most favorite I made since I started making knives a few years ago.
I stepped outside my box on several new things with it, and learned quite a bit from it.

















My little rainbow ninja model. :D


 
That looks fantastic!! Not usually a style I like but everything you put together sure does work. Great pic of your ninja too.
 
Ben,
Phenomenal JOB! I love everything you did with it. Have you done any cutting with it? Or Better, allowed your
"Rainbow Ninja" do any?!
I love the Buffalo hide, it has a look to it that is classic, almost elegant. (I'm pretty much a Redneck, elagance comes from different places in the South!)
One more thing I really can appreciate about it, is the sheath, with all the different materials used, absolutely GENIUS!!!!
thank you so much for sharing.
Rex
BTW, great model for it! She looks like a natural with a blade, must be genetic!
 
Very cool Ben. Lots of unique touches and details on this.

Do you have people fighting over it yet? :)
 
Excellent build! It really took me back to my martial arts days. I love the combination of traditional and contemporary; classic with a modern flair. Thanks for taking us along for the ride.
 
Ben,
I have a thought/ question, making the blade the way you did, could you have profiled it with the traditional curved blade, that Samurai swords are know for?
I know it's not necessary, since this steel will cut on contact and doesn't need then"pull cut" method they used at the time.
Its just one of the many questions ideas swirling around in my head!!!
Thanks for sharing, I was wrong about it turning out beautiful, because it turned out GORGEOUS!!!!!
Rex
 
J. Doyle said:
Very cool Ben. Lots of unique touches and details on this.

Do you have people fighting over it yet? :)
Click to expand...

Thanks John!
Yes, and it is now spoken for. : )
I am holding on to it, to bring to the NWKC show in Kelso on Oct 4th and 5th though.

McClellan Made Blades said:
Ben,
I have a thought/ question, making the blade the way you did, could you have profiled it with the traditional curved blade, that Samurai swords are know for?
I know it's not necessary, since this steel will cut on contact and doesn't need then"pull cut" method they used at the time.
Its just one of the many questions ideas swirling around in my head!!!
Thanks for sharing, I was wrong about it turning out beautiful, because it turned out GORGEOUS!!!!!
Rex
Click to expand...

I probably could have. This is just an interpretation of style.
Thanks for the kind words.
 
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