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Hatsu Yari
This project began as a personal challenge and an exploration of the beauty and symmetry that can be found in the sankaku style yari (三角槍). The cross section of the blade is triangular in this style, the spine quite thick and strong, and the tip is centered on both axis. The basic form is fairly…
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Kuromon Aikuchi Tanto
Kuromon can be translated as “the black gate”. Designed around the concept of textural exploration as a companion project to Kuromatsu Aikuchi Tanto, this tanto with koshirae is a bold yet restrained piece that has the austere simplicity that appealed to the refined tastes of working samurai centuries before the Edo period. This tanto is…
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Tsukimi Tanto
The bright orange moon of late Summer and early Autumn is the inspiration for this work. Tsukimi means moon watching, and brings to mind a lovely harvest moon and the rustling sounds of the dry, frost coloured susuki grass as the evening breeze blows across the plateau. The unusual ring and plate style kurikata is…
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Uzumaki Kotanto
Uzumaki means a spiral or whirlpool shape and refers to both the triple wave whirlpool shape of the bronze accent around the mekugi and the spiraling wrap of the gangi-maki handle. It also alludes to the cyclical nature of the history and journey of usefulness of the many materials reclaimed for its creation. This tanto…
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The Bone Dagger
A piece that was in process for almost a year and a half from the time the blade was forged until the final mounting, this has become an interesting fusion piece and much more technical than originally envisioned as the project developed. Mounted with the same technique as a traditional Japanese sword, the parts of…
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Ulu Skinner Blade
This knife was a collaboration with Coastal Carvings artist Jeremy Humpherville who designed the unique shape based on a traditional ulu pattern. Jeremy has been saving a very special piece of walrus tusk which will be used for the handle. See more photos of the finished work. Forged from a reclaimed antique Model T leaf…