steveboy
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Measure twice, cut once.
Posts: 367
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Post by steveboy on Jan 15, 2022 19:47:56 GMT
I wanted a stand to go with my hot rod katana, so I ordered a cheap vertical stand from an ebay seller for about $20, sanded it down, and primered it gray: Another flame job would have competed with the sword, when the goal was to highlight it. So tried it out a lot of designs on paper before deciding what I wanted to do: I used Rustoleum 2x rattlecans in white, yellow, orange, and red to do the fades: I used 1/8" and 1/16" vinyl fineline tape to freehand a pinstripe design on each side of the can-faded neck. I tapered the ends with an X-acto: I tried out different flame designs for the top piece to be sure. I think I have commitment issues. I traced the design onto adhesive vinyl, cut it out, and applied it to the top piece. Then I sprayed all the stand pieces with Rustoleum 2x gloss black. As you can see, the cheap stand surface is a bit orange-rindy. (That can also happen to the paint, if you spray too hard and/or too close, but I don't think that was the case here.) Nowadays I'd coat it with watered-down PVA before primering and sand it smooth. Live & learn, yah? I pulled the tape from the top and the neck. (Things I Learned the Hard Way: pull by sort of folding the tape back on itself and keeping close to the surface, rather than pulling up): Another reason to try for a super-smooth paint foundation: The orange-rind surface made it hard to get crisp, clean edges with the striping tape. Live & Learn again! I cleaned up the edges with an X-acto: I clearcoated with three layers of Rustoleum 2x gloss and it smoothed out the orange rind pretty ok (that was lucky, really). I let it cure for a week, then waxed with Turtle Wax, buffed it, and put it together. I didn't like the idea of the top piece & bottom divot's bare wood rubbing against the saya, so I glued soft rubber lining meant for instrument cases to the cutaways. Moment of truth with the hot rod katana on it! It's now beside a wardrobe at the entrance to my home office, and I usually grin when I walk by it. It makes me happy.
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tera
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Post by tera on Jan 15, 2022 20:07:29 GMT
You should be happy, that is work to be proud of. Do you do much painting in general? The designs you've shown so far are very well executed.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2022 20:39:22 GMT
I love that man, I love the matching stand. It's cool as hell (ignore the oxymoron), I love how it looks
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steveboy
Member
Measure twice, cut once.
Posts: 367
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Post by steveboy on Jan 15, 2022 22:50:19 GMT
I love that man, I love the matching stand. It's cool as hell (ignore the oxymoron), I love how it looks Thank you very much! My only misgiving is that I don't want it to be a wallhanger, but I'm afraid to use it and mess it up.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2022 22:54:15 GMT
I love that man, I love the matching stand. It's cool as hell (ignore the oxymoron), I love how it looks Thank you very much! My only misgiving is that I don't want it to be a wallhanger, but I'm afraid to use it and mess it up. That's what I did with my complex hilt katana lol I love the aesthetic so much I never use it for cutting. I have less pretty swords I use for cutting anyway đ
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steveboy
Member
Measure twice, cut once.
Posts: 367
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Post by steveboy on Jan 15, 2022 23:45:24 GMT
That's what I did with my complex hilt katana lol I love the aesthetic so much I never use it for cutting. I have less pretty swords I use for cutting anyway đ "nothing is really beautiful unless it is useless." --Oscar Wilde.
What's a "complex hilt katana"? It sounds ... well, complex.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2022 23:48:28 GMT
That's what I did with my complex hilt katana lol I love the aesthetic so much I never use it for cutting. I have less pretty swords I use for cutting anyway đ "nothing is really beautiful unless it is useless." --Oscar Wilde.
What's a "complex hilt katana"? It sounds ... well, complex.
It is quite complex. But so is my need to shill this sword for no reason I suppose you can see why your designs also appeal to me haha. I too am fond of "out there" sword customization
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steveboy
Member
Measure twice, cut once.
Posts: 367
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Post by steveboy on Jan 16, 2022 0:38:19 GMT
"nothing is really beautiful unless it is useless." --Oscar Wilde.
What's a "complex hilt katana"? It sounds ... well, complex.
It is quite complex. But so is my need to shill this sword for no reason I suppose you can see why your designs also appeal to me haha. I too am fond of "out there" sword customization Wow, a hybrid like that never even occurred to me! I did a doubletake, where the purist in me went That ain't right, and that got pushed aside by Whoah, that looks really cool. Which is even funnier because I've wondered if purists might think I'm desecrating katana.
That saya looks amazing.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2022 0:39:53 GMT
It is quite complex. But so is my need to shill this sword for no reason I suppose you can see why your designs also appeal to me haha. I too am fond of "out there" sword customization Wow, a hybrid like that never even occurred to me! I did a doubletake, where the purist in me went That ain't right, and that got pushed aside by Whoah, that looks really cool. Which is even funnier because I've wondered if purists might think I'm desecrating katana.
That saya looks amazing.
Yea first time I made it I wondered if I sinned and would have to live a cursed life, but it was function over form at first. But it grew on me and now I think it's my prettiest sword. This one and my leaf blade. And I wish I could take credit for the saya, but I'm a terrible painter. But I did add the "brass" end cap thing to it tho to make it match the sword more đ The fuchi and kashira even have feather patterns, which match the saya, and the wavy hamon reminds me of fire almost, much like a phoenix I dubbed this sword, phoenix King
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Post by eastman on Jan 16, 2022 2:37:07 GMT
"nothing is really beautiful unless it is useless." --Oscar Wilde.
What's a "complex hilt katana"? It sounds ... well, complex.
It is quite complex. But so is my need to shill this sword for no reason I suppose you can see why your designs also appeal to me haha. I too am fond of "out there" sword customization
I would call it a swept-hilt katana (more descriptive than just using "Complex" IMO)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2022 3:00:24 GMT
It is quite complex. But so is my need to shill this sword for no reason I suppose you can see why your designs also appeal to me haha. I too am fond of "out there" sword customization
I would call it a swept-hilt katana (more descriptive than just using "Complex" IMO)
Thank you, from now on I shall use that term. It sounds a lot better too.
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Post by eastman on Jan 16, 2022 4:50:22 GMT
many years ago I bought the Windlass "Modern Katana" blade. Not really any longer than a traditional katana but wider and heavier. I was planning a cavalry saber inspired hilt for it. Guess I need to work on it this year since I won't be the only non-traditionalist.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2022 5:47:47 GMT
many years ago I bought the Windlass "Modern Katana" blade. Not really any longer than a traditional katana but wider and heavier. I was planning a cavalry saber inspired hilt for it. Guess I need to work on it this year since I won't be the only non-traditionalist. Would love to see it, I bet Andi, Zen Hydra, and many others would love to see it. We have a small frankenweapon fanclub going on here
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steveboy
Member
Measure twice, cut once.
Posts: 367
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Post by steveboy on Jan 16, 2022 7:19:39 GMT
many years ago I bought the Windlass "Modern Katana" blade. Not really any longer than a traditional katana but wider and heavier. I was planning a cavalry saber inspired hilt for it. Guess I need to work on it this year since I won't be the only non-traditionalist. frankenweapon I am so stealing this.
I really haven't altered the form of any of my katana, just theme/paint scheme. Partially because I couldn't use them in batto class, but also because I'm not much of a fabricator and it never even occurred to me. I really like seeing these, though.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2022 7:48:16 GMT
I am so stealing this.
I really haven't altered the form of any of my katana, just theme/paint scheme. Partially because I couldn't use them in batto class, but also because I'm not much of a fabricator and it never even occurred to me. I really like seeing these, though.
Next I wanna try a more plain looking katana but with a plain cross guard and a leather wrap maybe. I still been conceptualizing it
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Post by MatthewGMK on Jan 16, 2022 12:31:08 GMT
Nicely imagined and executed ...
Now, what about the ... car ?
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pgandy
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Senior Forumite
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Post by pgandy on Jan 16, 2022 13:41:16 GMT
The stand and katana make a good match. One might say they go together like a horse and carriage.
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steveboy
Member
Measure twice, cut once.
Posts: 367
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Post by steveboy on Jan 16, 2022 19:24:00 GMT
Nicely imagined and executed ... Now, what about the ... car ? Oh, I'd never desecrate a car like that!
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Scott
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Post by Scott on Jan 17, 2022 4:10:28 GMT
Awesome work. But how fast can you draw it?
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steveboy
Member
Measure twice, cut once.
Posts: 367
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Post by steveboy on Jan 17, 2022 10:36:51 GMT
Awesome work. But how fast can you draw it? I can't draw it at all -- I had to use stencils.
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