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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2009 14:37:24 GMT
Hi,
Recently I purchased a Tenchi in Shirasaya, just to see if I could customize it.. The project is going good, I've finished the saya, and I'm looking for fuchi kashira and tsubas... I have the rayskin, and am ordering the silk, plus seppas...
Anyway, everything's fine, however the tenchi isn't sharp. I tried cutting paper, it didn't work. I was told the tenchi was a heavy cutter so I tried a few water bottles, they just batted away.. My sword feels like it's more of a baseball bat then a sword.
So with that said, I want to sharpen it. I would just send it back to Paul, but the cost of shipping mixed with the cost of importation adds up to be almost the cost of the blade in the end.
So I figure sharpening is a better option. And it's good I learn how now anyway, as in the future I plan on making my own blade, and it'll need to be sharpened.
So first off, since the blade is pretty much dull, not rolled, or chipped but just has a flat surface where the cutting edge should be. What is the best starting grit?
Should I start with 1000 and move onto 6000 for finishing, then a wheat stone? Will two grits do, or should I get more grits...
I have no idea, and I've read about sharpening, but none of the tutorials really match my problem enough for me to take grit recommendations.
Best, Adam
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2009 15:22:44 GMT
/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=9724&page=1
Secondly, why didn't it come sharpened?
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Sept 11, 2009 1:23:55 GMT
/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=403&page=3#155365
in case he wants to do it by hand
you can start at any grit you want but the finer the grit the longer it will take and the more paper you will go through.
if there is a visible flat spot I reccomend something in the 200-300 grit range. once the edges start to meet go 400 then polish up to 2000. if the flat spot is really big you could start at 100 or 150 but I wouldn't go that route unless it's about the thickness of a dime at least
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 10:35:00 GMT
I have no idea why it didn't come sharpened.. I think maybe QC... I talked to Paul he was very nice and offered to sharpen it... But since I'm currently living in Singapore, it's not feasible with shipping charges and sword import taxes.. I might as well just buy another sword or something...
Thanks for the links guys, it's good for me to learn to sharpen anyway...
So in terms of japanese sharpening stones, it's the same grit number? I was thinking of getting a 1000/6000 and a wheatstone.. I'm guessing that I need to start off with something like a 300/600 then a 1000/6000 followed by the wheat stone?
I'll take a look at the links, but thanks for the help!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 21:17:53 GMT
i have a 250/1000 stone and thats all u will need. if the sword is as dull as u say then trying to bring the edge together will take an hour with the 1000 grit so u want a low grit to do the stock removal and then the 1000 to make it a fine edge. anything higher is kinda not worth it because you will just make your edge too fine and it will more likely to roll and chip. also if u are a knife guy the 250/1000 will be your new favorite sharpener i promise...just make sure u get a water stone not an oil stone.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2009 7:31:44 GMT
Ok, I'll get a waterstone not an oil stone.
But I have one more question about sharpening my katana... If I only use 250/1000 won't the sword look like crap? I mean I still want it to look nice and smooth.. Is there a way to smooth it, without making to fine of an edge that it'll roll?
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Sept 15, 2009 8:13:22 GMT
polish it with fine sand paper as in my link above, it's a lot of work but it works.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2009 22:53:53 GMT
well what i do with my blades is i sharpen it then go back over it with sandpaper to make it look smooth and consistant
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2009 13:39:05 GMT
Ah, good tip.... I'll try that..
Ok quick question... Hope people are still reading this post.
I have a stereotypical "indian chief" head logo on my sharpening stone, that was made in brazil out of carborundum, one side is rough and dark blue, the other side is smoother and greyblue... What grit are these, and I'm guessing they're oil stones?
Also I have a whet stone from china, any good for my needs?
Or should I pick up a 250/1000 and a 6000
Best, ADam
P.S. The sandpaper used in the linked tutorial looks like a good idea, and I may use that but the stones seem easier to work with then paper that shifts around..
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2009 21:16:39 GMT
well what u can do is wrap the sandpaper around a block of wood or something to give it shape support. and it sounds like u already have stones so i wouldnt even bother purchasing a waterstone just use the stones to bring the edge together then use the paper wraped around something to smooth it out and make the edge finer. remember a sword shouldnt have a super fine edge so dont go crazy with the stone.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2009 0:08:24 GMT
Secondly, why didn't it come sharpened? Because Cheness's QC sucks very badly.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2009 3:47:18 GMT
master293 - I've been all over China, and honestly there are some really amazing and talented crafts men and women there who really do beautiful work, and they have the knowledge to do quality work. The probably usually arises when they're pushed to do the work to meet target deadlines... Since the working conditions aren't always ideal, they get disgruntled and just do whatever.. This causes QC issues, because the workers will ban together and help each other out.. Rather then making more trouble for one another. So yes sometimes things go unchecked.
As long as there's no safety issues, like poorly treated blades that will snap on you, then I think that the saying "you get what you pay for" should just be applied to the fact that for $200 sometimes you'll get a dull blade, sometimes you won't.
It would have been nice to get the blade in perfect condition, with a nice edge, but sometimes things just don't work out.
Best, Adam
P.S. It's ok anyway, I get to tinker with my blade... Hopefully all my finger remain intact.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2009 3:49:52 GMT
Alright, I sharpened the blade, it took a few hours, and my arms hurt, but it worked.
I first pulled it towards me, then on an angle, then almost along the edge with a slight slight angle. It's sharper, but I didn't want to go overboard because I don't want the edge to roll so easily.
The only problem, there are some scratches in the blade that I've polished out, but you can still see them, oh that and I've taken away the hamon, which honestly looked good, but wasn't real soo...
Anyway, maybe a kaze would have been better, at least it would have kept it's hamon.
Best, Adam
P.S. Thanks again for all your help. I'll post photos of the blade when it's all complete
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2009 4:27:29 GMT
if u can still see scratches u need to keep polishing it with the sandpaper until they are gone.
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Sept 20, 2009 4:35:14 GMT
darkslyde is exactly right, unless you like to see the lines and want a rougher polish. the trick is to make sure that the lowest grit sand paper you use removes all the coarser scratches from the stones and leaves only its own scratches, the next higher snad paper needs to remove all the scratches of the previous sandpaper leaving only its own. this is why each grit should be worked in a different but consistant direction. continue this process of removing all the previous scratches until you are up to a very high grit like 2000 and you will barely be able to see the scratches at all anymore. it'll be like a cloudy mirror. if you really want a hamon back on then spread heavy grease or tape on the Shinogi ji and the ji and then remove the masking in the area you want your hamon. following that you etch the blade with some sort of acid/corrosive solutiong (pc board etchant or lemon juice, etc.) until you get that hamon back. it was never a real hamon to begin with and I personally think your blade will be more attractive without a fake but that's up to you. you can also give the whole blade a high glossy polish then mask off the hamon are and then rough up the rest of the sword just a little. basically any trick you can do to make the hamon area look different will produce something like the fake hamon you had. the exact technique will determine the exact look. some folks like one look better than another. you can experiment and see what you like.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2009 19:03:37 GMT
Nah, I don't want a fake hamon... I'll pickup a Kaze, or perhaps a more expensive blade in the future that has a hamon..
I think I need to start off on a lower grit, the scratches seem to be from something low... OR maybe I'm not going high enough, I only have up to 1000 grit. And frankly it feels coarser then my 600, so maybe I'm not buying the right stuff...
Best, ADam
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2009 1:39:58 GMT
u want the 3m automotive sandpaper located in the automotive section at any walmart. id get 400-1500 if i were u.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2009 9:00:55 GMT
400, 500, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500
OR just a 400 and 1500?
I have 1000 grit and a bunch below that, but I don't know if it's automotive grade..
But honestly I'm kinda liking the little scratches, they catch the light and look pretty!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2009 1:15:23 GMT
400,600,800,1000,1500 progress through all of those.
lol i was just like u when i first started making blades and i thought that the uneven scratches looked pretty but u will eventually want it to look even and strait....or not thats just my experience.
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