Howard Clark -- the name attached to many of those blades -- IS, and I doubt
I over state it, a " legend " with regards to forging Japanese style blades. Could
be, if he's still alive, he's now a Saint, and if there is a sword making Heaven ?
he'll be there ...
When I started collecting -- maybe 20 years ago now, I sometimes lose track of time
and space after a few trips in my wayback machine -- Mr. Clark was considered the
uppity uppity crust of the uppity crust of Japanese style sword making craftsmen
who were NOT actually Japanese. I seem to recall -- without immediately googling
or wikipediaing his name -- he received training, education, and eventually papers
entitling him to the same or similar respect a TRUE Japanese Swordmaker would
receive ...
Howard Clark is alive and well on his farm in Iowa still forging Japanese style swords as well as knives and what ever else suits his fancy. He and I are friends from my JSA training days. I own four of his blades, a daisho of both L6 bainite and 1086 blades. I have bee fortunate enough to have been invited to his home and his forge and he has been a guest in my home as well. I believe he is JSA taking commissions again. He is a true gentleman, warrior/poet kind of man whom I have the highest respect for. Keith Larman, if I recollect correctly, probably around that same time frame, was
someone you could send your blades to and see them beautifully transitioned into
fully mounted katana. I'll stand beautifully if not perfectly corrected if someone in
facts corrects me on this fact ...
Kieth Larman and Ted Tenold we're two of the best known and accomplished craftsmen for polishing and mounting Howard's blades, esp the super difficult to polish (L6 burns thru polishing stones) L6 bainite steel.Patrick Hastings, as I also recollect, did not just " make " fittings for Japanese style
blades. He was / is considered as much an artist as craftsman.
Patrick Hastings is very much a skilled artisans when working with metal. It is through his collaboration and friendship with Ted Tenold (www.legacyswords.com) that he moved from making fittings for fantasy pieces into the world of traditional Japanese fittings. It is through my close friendship with Ted that I was able to get custom Patrick Hastings fittings For my HC blades. For someone like myself ? WAY the heck out of my price range. Technically, financially,
spiritually, and realistically ...