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Sounds of the Workshop: Tanto Overview
The tools are simple and few, but the work is long and hard. A collection of clips documenting the steps and sounds involved at many stages of the process of crafting charcoal forged classical tanto and mountings from reclaimed materials. Footage from several recent projects is included, some extended and some previously unreleased, some from…
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Soul of Steel Documentary
Here are some excerpts of my segment from Soul of Steel which includes footage from the forge as well as an interview. Thanks to Rolfe and the Todd who came all the way out to the forest and did a great job of sharing the process and vibe of the workshop with folks in Calgary.…
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Japanese TV Profile
turn on CC for english subtitles… Thanks very much to the guys who came all the way to the workshop to film for TV Tokyo. Here is most of my segment which includes footage from the visit as well as some of our own footage shot of charcoal making. Editing 5 hours of footage down…
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Sounds of the Workshop: Night Session
Though it is a wonderful and peaceful time to be in the workshop enjoying the cool night air as well as a good time for doing yaki-ire, I don’t often forge at night. This night I had the camera on a tripod whilst working on the beginnings of a small shear steel bushcraft knife in…
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Sounds of the Workshop: Finishing a Hon-Yaki Nata
Read more about the process of making a nata here: islandblacksmith.ca/2015/06/making-a-hon-yaki-nata/
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Louie Mills – Full Process: Yakiire
Filmed by Tony Mann, edited by davej. Read more about the Louie Mills here. Thanks to Tony for inviting me to be part of this project, and to Louie for allowing us to publish the footage and for being one of the pioneers of traditional Japanese swordsmithing in North America…ありがとう、康友 さん！
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Louie Mills – Full Process: Forging a Tanto
Louie Mills began creating traditional Japanese swords in the early 1980’s. Working with top Japanese swordsmiths to refine his techniques, he became known for the finest traditionally crafted Japanese swords made in North America. This project is the first after his recovery from a heart attack three years earlier. oroshigane – 0:33 (making steel from…
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Sounds of the Workshop: Aikuchi Tanto Urushi Lacquer
…a.k.a.: the *even* quieter edition. The final stages of finishing the aikuchi tanto. This is a collection of clips documenting the steps and sounds involved at most every stage of the process of hand lacquering a traditional aikuchi tanto mount made from reclaimed driftwood. Several of the layers have been omitted from the video when…
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Sounds of the Workshop: Aikuchi Tanto Koshirae
…Sounds of the woodshop, that is…a.k.a.: the quiet edition. Sit back and chill to the sounds of sharp blades and smooth wood. This is a collection of clips documenting the steps and sounds involved at most every stage of the process of hand making a traditional aikuchi tanto mount from reclaimed driftwood. The project began…
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Tsukimi Tanto – Final Assembly
A quick clip of the final assembly of the Tsukimi Tanto. All parts of traditionally constructed tanto and koshirae fit together tightly and the assembly is locked together with a single bamboo peg. Each part fits only one way, even the bamboo peg has a specific alignment for maximum strength. Tsukimi means “moon watching” (in…
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Sounds of the Workshop: Creating a Tanto Blade
Just for fun! This is a collection of clips documenting the sounds involved at each stage of the process of making a traditional tanto blade from reclaimed steel. A little slower the second time in case you missed anything in the intro! The blade is based on design elements of the 13th century Aizu Shintogo…
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Yaki-Ire – How a Tanto Blade is Born
Until it survives the hardening process, a tanto is only a piece of steel, not yet a blade…read more about this transformational stage: Yaki-Ire (Clay Tempering)
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Forging a Tanto from a Carriage Leaf Spring
Full Length Version **The heating time has been edited out and some of the tang work is missing due to battery issues. The blade shape is based on the Aizu Shintogo kata: islandblacksmith.ca/2014/04/aizu-shintogo-kunimitsu-tanto-kata/ Making the most of the fire, hammer, and anvil to prepare the steel to be refined and smoothed…read more about this foundational…
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Opening Shirasaya
1. Never pull or jerk the blade out with the power of your arms or you will lose control of the blade and possibly damage the saya (scabbard), yourself, or others. Use only small hand muscle movements to loosen it before drawing. 2. When unsheathing, make sure the edge is up, then pull just enough…
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Testing Blacksmithing Charcoal
More about making softwood charcoal: How Charcoal is Made