Blade pattern?

[N.D.]

to the Mods:
I'm not certain if this is the correct location for this thread; if it's not please move it and PM the new location to me please, Thank you!

Has anyone ever made a traditionally ground Hissatsu blade pattern?

How about any other (non biased blades only please) traditional Japanese blade grinds?

If so can you post up some pics?

Do you ever do Tameshigiri testing W them?

 

[Rock]

What is a non biased blade?

 

[N.D.]

What is a non biased blade?

It's a blade W/O pre formed opinions! JK :haha:

In Japan a number of blade styles are either only ground on 1 side or the blades edge center line is off set to 1 side or the other, I have a finely crafted Tanaka 6" Chef knife that is a Stainless 16 layer San Mai blade W a VG 110 SS cutting edge, it slices great, but biased, and holds a very good edge but, because it is biased is a pain to sharpen, and I find biased blades in general very unattractive, and somewhat annoying to use.

This is a really long winded way to say a non biased Blade is a blade ground W equal bevels on both sides, IE; the cutting edge dead on the blade center line.

 

[N.D.]

hello there

 

[James Terrio]

If I understand the terminology right...

(biased) Chisel grinds are for chisels or other specialized tools. (non-biased) Centered edges are for knives. For that matter, "serrations" are for saws and if they don't have a set/kerf, they're not going to saw very well. Just my opinion.

I have no further comment because I don't know doodly about traditional Japanese knives.

 

[N.D.]

If I understand the terminology right...

(biased) Chisel grinds are for chisels or other specialized tools. (non-biased) Centered edges are for knives. For that matter, "serrations" are for saws and if they don't have a set/kerf, they're not going to saw very well. Just my opinion.

Well Basically . . . You Got it Dude! 2thumbs

I have no further comment because I don't know doodly about traditional Japanese knives.

Yeppers!!!

Traditional centered edges = 2thumbs:bud:

Chisel grinds =

 

[EdCaffreyMS]

Here's a pic of a custom "Hissatu" that I built for a customer. This was the first, and since he has ordered 3 more. Together we took the traditional design and did what we felt were improvements for durability and cutting performance. The blade is fully distal tapered, differentially heat treated, the grind is convex, and the spine has a rounded profile. The handle was designed slimmer at the customer's request.

I've done a good deal of research on Japanese designs during my career, including visiting Japan and a few Japanese Bladesmiths while there. What I discovered is that for them, tradition in design, look, and feel is more important than the actual function of their cutlery. That's not to take anything away from them, or what they produce, but it was very obvious that the ritual of making the specific piece of cutlery was much more important than the performance of the finished product.

At the height of it's glory, Japanese cutlery was the best in the world, simply because when they were making and using "steel", the rest of the world was still using bronze and iron. That is essentially how the legends and myths of Japanese cutlery came to be, and many of those legends and myths still linger today.

 

[12345678910]

Ed

That is a nice knife.

Can you tell us how long it is ?
What kind of stock thickness would that be thin, or thick?

 

[N.D.]

Here's a pic of a custom "Hissatu" that I built for a customer. This was the first, and since he has ordered 3 more. Together we took the traditional design and did what we felt were improvements for durability and cutting performance. The blade is fully distal tapered, differentially heat treated, the grind is convex, and the spine has a rounded profile. The handle was designed slimmer at the customer's request.

I've done a good deal of research on Japanese designs during my career, including visiting Japan and a few Japanese Bladesmiths while there. What I discovered is that for them, tradition in design, look, and feel is more important than the actual function of their cutlery. Yep, stuck in a rut. . . That's not to take anything away from them, or what they produce, but it was very obvious that the ritual of making the specific piece of cutlery was much more important than the performance of the finished product.

At the height of it's glory, Japanese cutlery was the best in the world, simply because when they were making and using "steel", the rest of the world was still using bronze and iron. That is essentially how the legends and myths of Japanese cutlery came to be, and many of those legends and myths still linger today.

Thank you for posting that pic Sir.!2thumbs

A great looking knife Sir. really nice, I really like the safety of the Guard!

What type of steel did you choose for that blade?

:bud:

 

[N.D.]

Ed

That is a nice knife.

Can you tell us how long it is ?
What kind of stock thickness would that be thin, or thick?

As far as the Blade thickness goes I would hazard a guess that it is somewhere between 1/4"<>5/16ths thick in order to allow some distal taper of the blade and still leave enough strength, stiffness at the point to survive hard contact against bone or some other hard materiel/s relatively unscathed, also note the full Height Convex grind, which will really help make this (or any) blade a great cutter!

+1 Those are some very good questions Mr. Numbers, and you beat me to it too!

E.C.Also how does it test cut that green bamboo, or whatever material you used for test cutting?

Thank you again for posting everyone and especially for the pic!

 

[EdCaffreyMS]

The knife in the pic is of 1/4" thick 1084 steel, with a 7 1/4" blade, with a 4 1/2" handle. The two others that I produced for the same individual were essentially the same thing, but were created from 1/4" 5160 steel. The guard was a requested feature by the customer, as was the design and type of kydex sheath.

The cut testing that I do to ALL user type knives that leave the shop are on wood (generally old 2x4s or such) in a chopping format, and 1/2" hemp rope cutting (in a slicing format). My personal standard it that a blade must go through at least one 2x4 with no edge dullness or deflections occurring, and on the hemp rope the blade must achieve 20 cuts without any signs of dulling....if it can't do that, then it doesn't leave the shop.
Of course the there are exceptions....kinda tough to try to chop through a 2x4 with a folder blade or a 3 1/2" drop point hunter! In those instances I just test on the rope.
The point being that whatever tests a maker chooses to perform on their knives, those tests need to be practical and repeatable....and each maker must establish their own standards for pass/fail.

I have to laugh every time I see some outrageous claims that some knifemaker or company tests their knives by stabbing them into a car hood, 55 gallon drum, or slamming the blade into a concrete block....that is nothing more than stupid hype....personally I have never been attacked by a 55 gallon drum, nor have I ever felt the need to use a perfectly good knife as if it were a can opener, or like it's a pair of tin snips!
Knives are CUTTING TOOLS, not hammers, prybars, or anything else of the likes!

 

[N.D.]

The knife in the pic is of 1/4" thick 1084 steel, with a 7 1/4" blade, with a 4 1/2" handle. The two others that I produced for the same individual were essentially the same thing, but were created from 1/4" 5160 steel. The guard was a requested feature by the customer, as was the design and type of kydex sheath.

The cut testing that I do to ALL user type knives that leave the shop are on wood (generally old 2x4s or such) in a chopping format, and 1/2" hemp rope cutting (in a slicing format). My personal standard it that a blade must go through at least one 2x4 with no edge dullness or deflections occurring, and on the hemp rope the blade must achieve 20 cuts without any signs of dulling....if it can't do that, then it doesn't leave the shop.
Of course the there are exceptions....kinda tough to try to chop through a 2x4 with a folder blade or a 3 1/2" drop point hunter! In those instances I just test on the rope.
The point being that whatever tests a maker chooses to perform on their knives, those tests need to be practical and repeatable....and each maker must establish their own standards for pass/fail.

I have to laugh every time I see some outrageous claims that some knife maker or company tests their knives by stabbing them into a car hood, 55 gallon drum, or slamming the blade into a concrete block....that is nothing more than stupid hype....personally I have never been attacked by a 55 gallon drum, nor have I ever felt the need to use a perfectly good knife as if it were a can opener, or like it's a pair of tin snips!
Knives are CUTTING TOOLS, not hammers, pry bars, or anything else of the likes!

Very true!
ETA:
Thank you very much Mr. CaffreyMS.

 

[jmforge]

The knife in the pic is of 1/4" thick 1084 steel, with a 7 1/4" blade, with a 4 1/2" handle. The two others that I produced for the same individual were essentially the same thing, but were created from 1/4" 5160 steel. The guard was a requested feature by the customer, as was the design and type of kydex sheath.

The cut testing that I do to ALL user type knives that leave the shop are on wood (generally old 2x4s or such) in a chopping format, and 1/2" hemp rope cutting (in a slicing format). My personal standard it that a blade must go through at least one 2x4 with no edge dullness or deflections occurring, and on the hemp rope the blade must achieve 20 cuts without any signs of dulling....if it can't do that, then it doesn't leave the shop.
Of course the there are exceptions....kinda tough to try to chop through a 2x4 with a folder blade or a 3 1/2" drop point hunter! In those instances I just test on the rope.
The point being that whatever tests a maker chooses to perform on their knives, those tests need to be practical and repeatable....and each maker must establish their own standards for pass/fail.

I have to laugh every time I see some outrageous claims that some knifemaker or company tests their knives by stabbing them into a car hood, 55 gallon drum, or slamming the blade into a concrete block....that is nothing more than stupid hype....personally I have never been attacked by a 55 gallon drum, nor have I ever felt the need to use a perfectly good knife as if it were a can opener, or like it's a pair of tin snips!
Knives are CUTTING TOOLS, not hammers, prybars, or anything else of the likes!

I used to take a few random whacks at the pressure treated 4 x 4's that make up the legs of my workbench. I have stopped doing that for the most part for obvious reasons.

 

[N.D.]

I want to thank you all for posting all of these great knives in my thread/s, and I'd also like to add, JIC any one was wondering why I have not been around for a while; My absence has not been by choice my PC has been down, and I am still having trouble W my shared net connection as I don,t have 1 of my own just yet. computer smash 1 but . . still luvsite1.

 

[busted knuckles]

I did this one for a friend of mine. D-2 with ebony.
Ed, yours is a beauty.

 

[N.D.]

Very nice work, thank you very much for posting that 1 and, I really like the blade pattern! 2thumbs

 

[WoodFishN]

That is a really a nice looking knife. I like the differentially temper you used on your blade. The hamon, like a fingerprint will be different on every piece, making each blade truely unique. Beautiful work! I have a Hissatsu, and it is a really fast blade. It almosts feels alive.

 

[Frank Niro]

Lovely blade and the quality of the work is the very best as always, Ed !!! I also did like that bit of info you added on the approach taken by the Japanese makers. Frank