Viral Wakizashi build

[Chris Railey]

I decided to use my time to learn something new. Making a sword. I decided to make a Wakizashi because they are awesome (and shorter than a Katana). I started with a hunk of leaf spring from a 1979 Jeep CJ 5. Hold your fire please, this is an experiment and its for me, so recycled steel is great for that project because I am sure I will ruin it. Take a look so far:


I plan to make my Wakizashi with a 20 inch blade and a 8.8 inch handle. I will not need the entire leaf spring so I cut a piece roughly 13 inches long X 2.5 inches wide and its about 3/8 of an inch thick.

Profile is rough forged, like me, it is fat and heavy but its a decent starting point.

This brings us to today. Profile is cleaned up some. Now I need to forge in some curve not a lot but more than is has now. Gonna roll Kevin Cashen style: heat it up and smack it over my anvil horn till I am happy. Its still fat too I think.

 

[Bruce McLeish]

It's still too fat I think.
Hafta see a better picture of you for an accurate comment on fatness.!

 

[Chris Railey]

Cleaned up and curve added. Ready to grind bevels tomorrow. It is 29 inches overall length 1/4 inch thick tapering to 3/16 of an inch at the tip. Its about 1 1/4 inches wide. It weighs right at 2 pounds but I am going to try for 1.5 pounds when finished.

 

[Chris Railey]

This is why I do not make swords. Nothing big enough to HT the dang things. So, introducing frakenforge...

 

[Johan Nel]

This is why I do not make swords. Nothing big enough to HT the dang things. So, introducing frakenforge...

A man with a plan! I like that.

 

[Chris Railey]

Still have a long way to go but not too many people can get here with just a chunk of leaf spring. I have to get better at this the habaki looks like its been through a car wreck. I made it from a .50 cal. Shell casing so at least that is cool.