Island Forge: Part 3 – Roof

This series of photo essays will document the preparation, construction, and set up of a simple swordsmith style kajiba (鍛冶場, forge building) from the ground up. The main inspiration for aesthetic, form, and technique is the humble Japanese inaka farm building style… Continue reading →

Island Forge: Part 2 – Timber Frame

Island Forge: Part 1 – Foundation

Eyes on the Spine: say No to the kink, and Yes to the flow

One of the most common mistakes when attempting to recreate a Japanese classical style tanto is to caricature or over exaggerate certain design elements while entirely missing others. The Japanese aesthetic is subtle and nuanced, millimeter differences can make or break the… Continue reading →

Building Simple Charcoal Forges

Building two examples of quick and simple sideblast charcoal forges with found and reclaimed materials to demonstrate that lack of equipment and materials should not be a major obstacle.

Ways to improve and expand on these concepts include: mixing copious amounts of chopped straw or charcoal powder (6:2) into the clay to make it refractory, using high temperature kiln bricks, making the walls higher and longer, using the clay to narrow the tuyere to about 1sun/3cm right where it enters at the bottom side of the forge, putting a barrier up to protect the fuigo (and allowing a shorter pipe), allowing the clay to dry before lighting the forge, etc.

Learn more about fuigo, a full traditional swordsmith forge build, or a smaller tanto forge design.

Yoroidoshi in Shirasaya

This blade began as a segment of reclaimed horse-drawn carriage spring and was hand forged in a charcoal fire, smoothed with files and a sen scraper, hardened using traditional water quench yaki-ire, and polished by hand with natural Japanese water stones. Crafted… Continue reading →

Film: Study the Old to Know the New

In a forge on Vancouver Island, reclaimed steel is turned into tanto.

Directed, Photographed, and Edited by Trevor Komori
Location Sound: Sean Brouwer
B Camera Operator: Liam Leyland
Music Composed by Kurtis So
Production Assistants: Vivian Hu & Judy Zheng

still images | behind the scenes | making this tanto | view on youtube

Glass Top Fuigo – Inside View of Box Bellows

A look at the inside operation of a prototype fuigo (鞴) box bellows…four wooden flap valves (called ben / は弁), two for intake and two for the manifold, control the direction and location of the airflow on each stroke of the piston to provide double action to the single output into the fire.

more about fuigo | making valves | fuigo archives

Short film release: 温故知新

Last summer Komori~san and a talented crew came to the island and spent a couple of days getting footage in the forge and of the final assembly of a tanto. Take a look at these beautiful stills, his latest creation is set… Continue reading →

Crossed Heart Forge

Charcoal forged classical tanto & fusion style takedown knives crafted by hand from reclaimed steel and natural materials using traditional techniques.