Wally Hayes – Katana: A Modern Craftsman’s Guide To Make A Japanese Sword

Wally Hayes – Katana: A Modern Craftsman’s Guide To Make A Japanese Sword

Course Detail

Salepage: Wally Hayes – Katana: A Modern Craftsman’s Guide To Make A Japanese Sword

In this DVD, Master Bladesmith Wally Hayes will teach you how to build his tactical katana, which he sells for $2900 USD, with the absolute minimum of equipment and stock-reduction (grinding) procedures.
As he describes it, this katana is “a contemporary take of a traditional Japanese sword.” That is, his methods and the intricacies of the sword and fittings are not traditional, yet they will result in a very practical Japanese style sword.
This DVD explains how to design and cut the blade.
How to Sharpen the Blade
How to differentially heat treat and temper the blade utilizing Japanese clay-hardening procedures.
Straightening the blade after heat treatment
How to Polish and Etch a Knife
Making and attaching the guard
How to wrap a semi-traditional handle.
How to build an unconventional sheath.
Sharpening.
Minor criticisms: At the start, Wally specifies the materials that will be used to make the sword, but he does not specify the equipment required to construct it.
If you don’t have a metal working shop, you’ll have to follow along and write a list.
He is largely detailed, however he does leave out some small facts.
His directions for creating the blade were a tad too minimal for me.
He does not explain how to sand the plunge line, which might be tough for novices to figure out.
He doesn’t explain how to attach the guard and washer to the tang.
Again, novices may struggle to understand this.
Despite these small quibbles, I considered this to be an excellent introduction to stock-reduction procedures for manufacturing swords, appropriate for an intermediate knifemaker.

More From : Fighting