Thats bad ass Kevin. Now you need to replicate in in steel! 
Wooden Katana
- Thread starter Kevin
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- #82
Thanks Jack, but I dont think I can get calender-worthy pics in time for you in time. When do you need them by?
we are still in the process of gathering so you have time
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- #85
I'm on my 3rd attempt trying to wrap the tsuba with the ito. Anyone thinks this is easy guess again. Looks easy. AIN'T!!!
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- #87
C'mon Kevin, that's like falling off a log man!
I thought it would be too but try it - it's very hard to do and make it look like a pro did it. It's easy to do if you don't care how crappy it looks.
I thought it would be too but try it - it's very hard to do and make it look like a pro did it. It's easy to do if you don't care how crappy it looks.
Just watch that video, that guy probably has his eyes closed! I'm sure it is easy to do....... the 4000th time! Tony
Looking at it seems easy, yes.
So do the wet hickory logs, cut down, seem easy to split. Broke my back and made the maul cry. Or was it me? Not sure. Better use a landmine and roll the log on top of it.
If I were you, I would get a nice piece of white oak, steambend it because of the grain and strength, start planing the back and buy a wooden bokken because I failed miserably and cried some more.
So do the wet hickory logs, cut down, seem easy to split. Broke my back and made the maul cry. Or was it me? Not sure. Better use a landmine and roll the log on top of it.
If I were you, I would get a nice piece of white oak, steambend it because of the grain and strength, start planing the back and buy a wooden bokken because I failed miserably and cried some more.
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- #90
I'm gonna go with this attempt but it's so far from good a Japanese master would beat me with a bamboo staff and force me to climb an icy rock mountain on my knees.
Now after a few more wraps all I gotta do is learn how to tie the end knot without a slot at the butt, because I elected not to use one and confine the end knot to within just the ito itself. I now think it was a bad decision.
Now after a few more wraps all I gotta do is learn how to tie the end knot without a slot at the butt, because I elected not to use one and confine the end knot to within just the ito itself. I now think it was a bad decision.
No climbing icy rock mountains on your knees until the knee is healed! 
Looking good Kevin! Regardless of what Japanese masters might think.
Looking good Kevin! Regardless of what Japanese masters might think.
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Looks pretty dam good to me, but I'm not a Japanese master......
That is looking better and better each time Kevin. Nicely done....
I think you deserve the "Pit Bull Award" for sticking with this the way you have Kevin.
I admire your dogged determination.
What you are making is not an easy thing to do.
よくできました
Yoku dekimashita
I admire your dogged determination.
What you are making is not an easy thing to do.
よくできました
Yoku dekimashita
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- #95
どうもありがとうございました
I finished the tsukamaki - it turned out okay for the first time. I thought my broke finger was healed up but doing this made it feel broken again pretty quick - I honestly had to do most of this wrap without the use of my right index finger. That made it doubly difficult.
I'm going with a very basic sageo - probably just a safety knot. I made a very unconventional elongated kurigata so no fancy butterfly knots forthcoming. Hopefully I can get the stand built tomorrow and finish everything up and be done and take final pictures no later than Friday. After that I'm gonna box it up and send it to its new owner.
Do it like the fishing rod builders do and you want have a knot at all.I'm gonna go with this attempt but it's so far from good a Japanese master would beat me with a bamboo staff and force me to climb an icy rock mountain on my knees.
View attachment 114532
View attachment 114533
Now after a few more wraps all I gotta do is learn how to tie the end knot without a slot at the butt, because I elected not to use one and confine the end knot to within just the ito itself. I now think it was a bad decision.
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- #97
I've departed from traditional katana making a little but I wasn't willing to completely abandon tradition and not have the knot at all - I completed the knot and it is close enough for a Texan . . . the handle wrap (tsukamaki) is complete.
これは素晴らしい出ています
