Itten (一転, “eat..ten”) means a turning point or turn of events, as in a story or set of circumstances. It carries the idea of a sudden or unexpected shift, return, or change, and often means a complete turn around, in skateboard terminology… Continue reading
The core of this project is a charcoal-forged blade, water quenched with clay and sharpened with waterstones, an outdoor knife that has the foundation of the Japanese sword. The aikuchi mounting is in the rustic kura style and includes antique fittings made… Continue reading
The core of this project is a charcoal-forged blade, water quenched with clay and sharpened with waterstones, an outdoor knife that has the foundation of the Japanese sword but is finished in the simple and humble style of farming and foresting tools… Continue reading
Nata come in various sizes and shapes, but most do the work of a light brush hatchet or heavy camp knife. Common characteristics include thick spines and heavy blades, often with single beveled edges similar to Japanese wood chisels. The hand forged… Continue reading
The core of this project is a charcoal-forged blade, water quenched with clay and sharpened with waterstones, an outdoor knife that has the foundation of the Japanese sword. The aikuchi mounting is in the rustic kura style and includes antique fittings from… Continue reading
The forging of this blade was documented both in photography and video by Jordan Wende. The wakishinobe stage of lengthening and preparing the sunobe were done on the last day of forging at the island kajiba, and the hizukuri was finished and yaki-ire performed at the museum forge.
See the photo essay of the wakashinobe and sunobe stages and photos of the finished work.
This newly released documentary book project is the result of many weeks of editing and design work and can be enjoyed by the collector, enthusiast, and craftsman alike. It contains over 200 photos and highlights more than 30 knives spanning the past… Continue reading
Traditional Japanese swordsmithing anvils are simple in form and can be made from readily available materials. This article will present a photographic overview of the process of removing and replacing the swordsmith’s anvil at the museum forge on Vancouver Island. Most of… Continue reading
Nagatsuki (長月, pronounced “nah-gah-tsoo-key”) translates literally as “long moon”. In the ancient calendar it is a poetic name for the time around late September, possibly abbreviated from yonagatsuki meaning “night of the long moon”, or “month of the long night” depending on… Continue reading
Traditional Japanese swordsmithing forges can be constructed with simple materials and natural ingredients. This article will present a photographic overview of the process of refurbishing the swordsmith’s forge at a museum on Vancouver Island. Most of history was forged with very simple… Continue reading
It is with some hesitation and a great degree of uncertainty that I interrupt the usual flow of news to bring you this official announcement of the end of an era. While we were blessed to have a workspace on the same… Continue reading
An interesting opportunity to study the internal workings of tsuchikabe wall construction as the island kajiba series of photo essays comes to a conclusion, documenting the preparation, construction, and set up of a simple swordsmith style kajiba (鍛冶場, forge building) from the… Continue reading