addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Aug 10, 2015 14:41:45 GMT
Keep in mind Swordsmith668 is essentially Hanbon. This is the Gyaku Kobuse sword ordered last night from him. The bids were low, and I could not resist. The seller claims it is hazuya polish. Gyaku Kobuse It was ordered with the following free options (hishigami cost an extra twenty bucks) Blade length: standard with a well defined yakote Bo Hi: no Sharpness: very sharp Engraving: no Ray skin: R004 Black Ito: Silk Dark Green (C13) Sageo: G02 (green) Tsuka-Maki: Hinerimaki Hishigami: YES (extra $20.00) Saya: S26 Black with green ray skin and horn Saya Engraving: no Tsuba: HT029 flowers
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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Aug 10, 2015 16:56:08 GMT
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Post by Cottontail Customs on Aug 10, 2015 17:21:11 GMT
I might be wrong but I thought the only reason L6 steel was considered special was because of the heat treat and only then if it's done properly, which I've heard isn't the easiest thing to master. So if this is the case, I feel the L6 offering from the Longquan forge might be nothing more than another selling gimmick. I've read about a few issues with Hanwei's L6 blades not living up to expectations and they probably have substantially better equipment to work with as well as more experience with this steel than most ebay forges. Anyone have more info on the use of L6 steel from these sellers?
-Josh
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Post by Vue on Aug 10, 2015 17:29:29 GMT
That's my understanding as well, I think most people just get confused about plain L6 and L6 Bianite.... They're very different things.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Aug 10, 2015 18:58:24 GMT
I think the same. If I got an l6 from an eBay seller it would be with the understanding that I was not getting a Howard Clark or anything even remotely similar. I like the look of their l6 swords but I can't justify buying one over t10, regardless of how I like the contrast of the steel.
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Post by aussie-rabbit on Aug 11, 2015 1:44:27 GMT
Keep in mind Swordsmith668 is essentially Hanbon. This is the Gyaku Kobuse sword ordered last night from him. The bids were low, and I could not resist. The seller claims it is hazuya polish. Gyaku Kobuse It was ordered with the following free options (hishigami cost an extra twenty bucks) Blade length: standard with a well defined yakote Bo Hi: no Sharpness: very sharp Engraving: no Ray skin: R004 Black Ito: Silk Dark Green (C13) Sageo: G02 (green) Tsuka-Maki: Hinerimaki Hishigami: YES (extra $20.00) Saya: S26 Black with green ray skin and horn Saya Engraving: no Tsuba: HT029 flowers
I will be following this one with great interest, I think I'm going to message Yao, the giraffe pattern habaki drives me nuts!
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Mikeeman
Member
Small Business Operator
Posts: 2,904
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Post by Mikeeman on Aug 11, 2015 1:48:15 GMT
That makes two of us.
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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Aug 11, 2015 1:53:06 GMT
Yeah - not my favorite habaki design either. (lol) Should look quite nice with it replaced though!
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Post by aussie-rabbit on Aug 11, 2015 1:58:29 GMT
I think the same. If I got an l6 from an eBay seller it would be with the understanding that I was not getting a Howard Clark or anything even remotely similar. I like the look of their l6 swords but I can't justify buying one over t10, regardless of how I like the contrast of the steel. The make-up of L6 is very different from that of Chinese T10 - L6 Carbon 0.65 - 0.75 Chromium 0.6 - 1.2 Manganese 0.25 - 0.8 Molybdenum 0.5 max Nickel 1.25 - 2 Phosphorus 0.03 max Silicon 0.5 max Sulphur 0.03 max Heat slowly to 1500 F and hold at temperature for 10 to 30 minutes. Oil or water quench. Tempering is done in the range of 350 F to 1000 F for Rockwell C 62 to 45 range. Bainite forms as part of the quenching process and is labour and time intensive. L6 is still considered an excellent spring grade steel.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Aug 11, 2015 2:36:04 GMT
I'm not saying that it is. What I am saying is that I don't find Chinese l6 to be worth the extra money for what I consider to be aesthetics. T10 is something that I find to be worth it.
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Aug 11, 2015 3:09:04 GMT
Thank you all for reminding me. I usually specify a smooth habaki. I dropped the seller a note, with this picture. I asked if I could get it instead. I find the giraffe pattern (faux pebbles), somewhat loathsome. Now the classic "rain" pattern is attractive too. Attachments:![habaki.jpg](//storage.forums.net/1694914/thumbnailer/zT0_6_f3FB5WRgVzIour.jpg)
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Aug 11, 2015 3:27:42 GMT
St-Nihonto is still going to get an order. I am trying something a bit different with him. I will ship him two ray skins which measure 27 by 13 inches (after I sand some of the deep navy color off the nodes). Partially it is to rough up the nodes to make sure the Ito stays in place. He is willing to do a full wrap with the skins I send. I really like it when a vendor steps out of their comfort zone.
Attachments:![13 inch wide.jpg](//storage.forums.net/1694914/thumbnailer/zfUTvs7hlOlfIRuf2K6Z.jpg)
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Post by Kiyoshi on Aug 11, 2015 3:32:29 GMT
St-Nihonto is still going to get an order. I am trying something a bit different with him. I will ship him two ray skins which measure 27 by 13 inches (after I sand some of the deep navy color off the nodes). Partially it is to rough up the nodes to make sure the Ito stays in place. He is willing to do a full wrap with the skins I send. I really like it when a vendor steps out of their comfort zone.
What is the news on the fittings you wanted? Nice same though.
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Aug 11, 2015 3:44:42 GMT
He (St-Nihonto) has the fittings I want. What makes them appealing is they don't appear on every bloody Longquan sword. There is something appealing to having a sword which looks a bit different from the pack. Attachments:![fittings.png](//storage.forums.net/1694914/thumbnailer/TaaK9JEKxlWvCfbWp1ZI.png)
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Post by Kiyoshi on Aug 11, 2015 3:47:03 GMT
Those are pretty neat. The fittings he is using on my daisho aren't on any of his swords or in his selection. I asked him if he could make some plain iron fittings for me and sent a picture and he said he already had some that he could use and sent a picture of them and they were what I wanted. So I'm not exactly sure what all he has. He might have some higher quality ones (or access to them) but only uses them on higher dollar customs (mine are going to be $850).
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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Aug 11, 2015 3:55:51 GMT
Yeah - mine's going to be high 500s, possibly just over $600 all said and done - I decided to keep the fuchi, kashira and tsuba as they were because, like adder, they seemed un-factory~ish and relatively unique - plus I have a weakness for Maru tsuba. ^_^ He definitely has access to some better quality fuchi kashira than most of the cast alloy crap on most china-based seller's blades, I think: ![](http://www.even-sword.com/evensword/L6pishen109.jpg) ![](http://www.even-sword.com/evensword/L6pishen104.jpg) ![](http://www.even-sword.com/evensword/L6pishen103.jpg) Here's hoping that both your St-Nihonto katana come out well!
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Aug 11, 2015 4:01:00 GMT
I like most of the swords to have some bling, I realize 99.9 percent of the time they will rest on the stand. That said, it hasn't kept me from collecting some Edo fittings to put something together. The fittings most people think show too much age to have value are strangely appealing to me. I harbor a fantasy about finding an estate sale where some WWII vet came back with a restorable blade.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Aug 11, 2015 4:01:29 GMT
Thanks, and your guys' too of course. I also asked for some really specific things. I named my hada style, a non-standard hamon, my own blade measurements with pictures for the profile, the boshi style, hishigami, lacquered full wrap same, cotton ito (largely irrelevant though, since i'm going to get it rewrapped in tsunamimaki. I'm mainly wanting to see what their high quality cotton is like), custom habaki filing mark pattern, etc. So mine are custom top to bottom. I wanted to specify everything so no shortcuts could be made.
I share your sentiment on aged fittings. I like them a lot too. The problem is finding a set of matching aging without breaking the bank. I also would want a blade and saya worthy.
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Aug 11, 2015 4:02:40 GMT
Nice set of fittings there Messenger.
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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Aug 11, 2015 4:07:16 GMT
I like most of the swords to have some bling, I realize 99.9 percent of the time they will rest on the stand. That said, it hasn't kept me from collecting some Edo fittings to put something together. The fittings most people think show too much age to have value are strangely appealing to me. I harbor a fantasy about finding an estate sale where some WWII vet came back with a restorable blade. I agree with you, and even if the fuchi kashira are poor quality, what is most important to me will ALWAYS be the fit quality and overall tolerances - I'd rather have a safe, snugly fit sword with poorer fittings than a glamed up sword with beautiful fittings that could break and injure someone. And that's actually happened to me before - I bought three katana from a WWII vet in a garage sale down the street - he had three katana that frankly were in horrible condition. (I think they were stored in his garage or something) The fittings entirely were unsalvageable, but two blades were mumei nihontos, the other was a WWII era shinken, signed. (Unknown smith, all are bare blades) Although I'm still working on polishing them in my spare time, it just goes to show you that good finds are still out there - just keep an open mind and put yourself out there. :))
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