How to make a wood katana: simple tips - easy crafts. The process of creating a katana How to make a katana handle

The production of a katana consists of many stages and can take up to several months. At the beginning, pieces of tamahagane steel are stacked together, poured with a clay solution and sprinkled with ash. This is necessary to remove slag from the metal, which, during melting, comes out of it and is absorbed by clay and ash. After that, the pieces of steel are heated to let them connect with each other. Then the resulting block is forged with a hammer: it is flattened and folded, then flattened again and folded again - and so the number of layers is doubled (with 10 folding 1024 layers, with 20 - 1048576) Thus, carbon is distributed evenly in the workpiece, due to which the hardness of the blade in each of its area will be the same. Further, softer steel must be added to the tamahagane block so that the blade does not break under high dynamic loads. During the forging process, which lasts for several days, the block is stretched in length and the structure of the blade and its original shape are created by composing strips with different hardness. After that, a layer of liquid clay is applied to the future blade - to prevent overheating and oxidation. During the hardening process, while observing the technological process, jamon is formed between the yakiba (hard part with a cutting edge) and hiraji (softer and more flexible part). This pattern takes its final form at the moment of tempering the sword and appears in the process of polishing. Jamon, unlike the zone hardening line, is a material at the junction of two steels, from which the blade is forged, showing how well the creator of the katana is skilled. This is followed by hardening: the blade is heated to a temperature strictly dependent on the metal that is used for forging and cools quickly, as a result of which the atomic structure of one of the composites passes into the state of martensite, and the cutting edge acquires extreme hardness. After that, a long process of giving the blade its final shape, sharpening and polishing is carried out, which the polisher carries out using stones of various grain sizes (up to 9 steps). At the same time, the master pays special attention to achieving perfectly flat surfaces and strict angles of the edges between the mating surfaces. At the end of the sharpening, the master works with very small plate stones, which he holds with one or two fingers, or with special boards. With special care, the manifestation of all the details and features of the hud is carried out. In some cases, especially by modern craftsmen, the non-hardened parts of the blade are engraved with a decorative character, mainly of a Buddhist theme. After polishing and decorating the handle, which takes a few more days, the katana is ready.

Steel

By tradition, Japanese swords are made from refined steel. The process of their manufacture is unique in its "tradition" (according to Pseudo-Aristotle, it was with such raw materials that the inventors of iron metallurgy - Khalibs dealt) and is due to the use of ferruginous sand, which is cleaned under the influence high temperatures to obtain iron with higher purity. Steel is mined from iron sand. Previously, the process took place in the Tatara oven (rectangular cheese oven). The composition of the crack obtained from the sands is heterogeneous, the proportion of carbon in it varies from 0.6 to 1.5%. For a sword, steel with a constant percentage of carbon is required (approximately 0.6-0.7%). In order to completely clean the metal and achieve the required and uniform carbon content in it, a special equipment folding, the high efficiency of which is comparable to its labor intensity. A feature of iron sand is the low content of sulfur and phosphorus, which contribute to segregation (violation of the crystal structure of steel) and therefore are undesirable. For the same reason, low-sulfur charcoal is used during forging.

First, the steel fragments are forged into ingots, which in turn are heated, folded in length and width, and again returned to their previous shape by forging.

During forging, steel burns out, as a result of which the metal loses weight. At the same time, the share of carbon decreases due to oxidation. To control these processes, ingots with different carbon content are combined during forging. After repeated addition of steel, numerous thinnest layers are formed, which, after special polishing and sharpening, become noticeable on the surface of the blade.

This technique serves exclusively to clean the steel, to achieve a uniform structure and to control the carbon content. The opinion that a good katana should consist of as many layers of steel as possible is erroneous. Depending on the quality of the tamahagane and the desired percentage of carbon, the ingot is reforged 10 to 20 times. The blacksmith (like Kanenobu or someone of his kind) repeats the cycle as many times as necessary to obtain a homogeneous ingot with the required characteristics. Excessive stretching of this process softens the steel and leads to further loss of metal due to waste.

Factory-made Japanese swords from World War II typically contain 95.22 to 98.12% iron and 1.5% carbon, making the steel very hard. Additionally, it contains a certain amount of silicon, which gives the blade high flexibility and high impact strength. Copper, manganese, tungsten, molybdenum, and occasional inclusions of titanium may be present in moderate amounts (depending on where the raw material is mined).

Not all steel is suitable for making a sword. The original forged sword is made, unlike cheap copies, not from 440A stainless steel, that is, tool steel obtained by rolling, having a Rockwell hardness of 56 HRC and unsuitable as a material for katana. In addition, a genuine sword does not have a wave-like sharpening, engraving or etching that imitates jamon. The degree of hardness inherent in the originals is achieved only through special processing of the metal. During forging, the crystal structure of the steel is also formed. Hardening of the cutting side to 62 HRC together with elasticity guarantees the high quality of Japanese blades. Due to its high hardness (60-62 HRC), the sword for a long time retains its sharpness. Exceptional cutting ability in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the blade (as opposed to cutting in the longitudinal direction - like a saw that moves along its longitudinal axis), the principle of which is also involved in the shaving process, that is, when the blade moves at a right angle strictly perpendicular to its plane , is due to the use of pure iron carbide, due to which, when sharpening, a very thin blade is achieved without notches. Iron carbide is usually formed in rusting steel, while high-tech stainless steel does not give such a smooth blade without serrations. However, these microscopic serrations make the blade look like a miniature saw, which is an advantage for such a weapon, provided that the appropriate fighting technique is used. Already the Vikings in the early Middle Ages skillfully mastered the technique of multilayer forging of steel for swords; in use were very spectacular Damascus blades, which in shape had nothing to do with Japanese ones. The Franks also produced good steel that did not need to be folded to achieve uniformity. In terms of the technological steelmaking and forging process, aimed at the required properties of the material, and the features of surface treatment, Japanese steel products did not resemble European ones, which was due to fundamentally different combat techniques and differences in the design of armor.

hardening

Just like the Western blacksmiths of the Middle Ages, who used zone hardening, Japanese masters harden their blades not evenly, but differentially. Quite often, the blade is initially straight and gets a characteristic curve as a result of hardening, giving the blade a hardness of 60 HRC, and the back of the sword - only 40 HRC. Hardening is based on a change in the crystal structure of steel: due to the rapid cooling of the hot metal (usually in a water bath), austenite turns into martensite, which has a larger volume. Because of this, the cutting part of the sword is stretched and the sword is bent. A curved sword has the advantage that it cuts better and delivers a more effective strike. Therefore, this type has become widespread.

Before hardening, the sword is covered with a mixture of clay and coal powder (other ingredients may be contained). A thinner layer is applied to the cutting edge than to other parts of the blade. For hardening, the blade heats up more than the back. At the same time, it is important that, despite the temperature difference (for example, 750-850 degrees C), the sword in cross section and the reverse side are heated evenly. During cooling in warm water a blade that is hotter than the rest of the blade cools faster and has a higher martensite content than the rest of the blade. The boundary of this narrow zone (hamon) is clearly visible after the sword has been hardened and polished. It is not a line, but a rather wide zone (here the yakiba (“burnt blade”) is confused - the actually hardened part of the blade, and the jamon - a narrow line separating the hardened part from the unhardened part).

Some master blacksmiths give the jamon a more intricate shape by applying the clay in waves, irregularly, or in narrow oblique lines. The drawing of the jamon obtained in this way serves to identify the belonging of the sword blade to a particular blacksmithing school, but, as a rule, is not an indicator of quality. You can find blades of very high quality with a straight, no more than a millimeter wide jamon, as well as specimens with a very wavy pattern, which are considered rough work, and vice versa. Jamon with many narrow "waves" forms narrow elastic areas (ashi) in the sword that prevent the spread of cracks in the metal. However, in the event of a transverse crack, the sword becomes unusable.

By changing the duration and temperature of heating prior to cooling, the blacksmith can also achieve other effects on the surface of the sword (for example, nie and nioi - characteristic martensite formations of various sizes).

Hardening (heating and cooling) is followed by tempering - heating the hardened product in a furnace, followed by slow cooling. At a temperature of about 200 degrees C, the removal internal stresses in metal, due to this, the necessary balance of hardness and viscosity is achieved.

Heat treatment is a very delicate step in the production of katana, and even an experienced master blacksmith can fail here. In this case, the sword is re-tempered and released. However, the process can only be repeated a limited number of times: if all attempts fail, the blade is considered defective.

Polishing

After completing his part of the work, which also includes surface treatment with a sen tool that looks like a metal scraper, the blacksmith passes the sword to the polisher - togishi. His task is to sharpen and polish the blade - first with rough stones, then with finer ones. Work on one blade at this stage lasts approximately 120 hours. Togishi not only sharpens the sword, but also uses various techniques to highlight the metal structure on the surface of the blade, jamon, and hada, which are the “skin” of the product and give an idea of ​​the forging technique. At the same time, it is possible to eliminate minor flaws that have arisen during the manufacturing process.

Above the fighting qualities of the sword today, the quality of steel and aesthetic properties are valued, which are achieved only through technologically correct polishing. At the same time, the shape and geometry of the sword, which the blacksmith gave it, must be completely preserved. Therefore, the craft of a polisher also implies an exact knowledge of the style of a particular blacksmith, as well as blacksmith schools of past centuries.

Katana crafting is divided into a large number of stages and can take several months. First, steel pieces of the tamahagane grade are placed next to each other, covered with a clay solution and covered with ash. This allows you to remove slag from the steel, which during melting will be removed from the metal and will be absorbed by the clay and

ash. Next, the metal pieces are heated to combine them. After that, hammer forging takes place: the created rod is flattened and folded, then again flattened and folded again - thus, the number of layers is doubled (with 10 folding, 1024 layers are obtained, with 20 - 1048576) As a result, carbon is evenly located in the rod, which allows make sure that the strength of the blade is the same over the entire surface.

Katana manufacturing technology

Then, softer steel must be placed in the workpiece so that the blade does not break under severe dynamic loads. During forging, which takes several days, the workpiece lengthens and by joining strips with different hardness, the structure of the blade and its original shape are formed. Next, a series of liquid clay is applied - to prevent oxidation and overheating. A pattern is formed on the cutting edge - the jamon hardening line.

This line becomes visible during the polishing of the sword. Jamon is hallmark master, from it it is possible to find out who created the katana. Then the sword is hardened: it is heated to a temperature of approximately 840-850 ° C and immediately cooled, as a result of which the katana takes on extraordinary hardness. In addition, during the hardening process, the blade bends on its own, while the magnitude and shape of the deflection are specific and depend on the cooling method. Then the blade is given a finished look, sharpened and polished using stones of different grain sizes. Moreover, the master strives to achieve completely flat surfaces and clear angles of the faces between the planes. Sometimes on parts of the katana that have not been hardened, a decorative engraving is created, usually on the theme of Buddhism. After polishing and decorating the handle, the katana can be used.

Let's briefly define the well-known facts regarding the manufacturing technology of the Japanese sword. The Japanese katana sword is the world's most famous type of full-sized melee weapon. Far East. This is a two-handed, slightly curved, single-edged sword in a lacquered wooden scabbard, with a blade length of about 70-80 cm, equipped with a flat, removable guard and a handle braided with cord.

The technique of making katana, as we know it, has existed in Japan for about a thousand years. The five main schools of Japanese gunsmiths (which still exist today) determined the canonical proportions, internal structures, features of the metal structure of the blades, as well as methods for their zone hardening. All this has been tested by practical fencing for many centuries, which, in the end, turned this sword into one of the most advanced types of bladed weapons in the world.

Here it is necessary to note the fact that in Japan the polished blade itself is called a sword, rather than the entire sword assembly. This, at first glance, strange attitude may be due to the fact that the katana assembly technology provides for a quick replacement of not only the handle assembly, but also its individual parts. But the main factor that determined the indisputable priority of the blade, without a doubt, is the amazing complexity and accuracy of the art of its manufacture.

Sword decoration details mowing"koshirae" (guard - tsuba, elements of the handle - fushi, kashira, menuki) exist as collectibles, almost independently of the blade. These are completely independent works. applied arts, which can decorate almost any sword (assembly technology allows you to fit almost any part of the koshirae to any blade).

Exploring the technological features of making a katana, delving into the contemplation of this beauty, it is necessary to immediately outline the level of quality of swords, starting from which one could speak of a katana as a true work of weapon art. It's no secret that today in any Moscow souvenir shop you will be offered for US$100-300 a "real" katana made in knife factories in Spain or China. The seller will expertly explain that the blade is made of fine stainless steel, and the dangling scabbard, plastic handle and stamped frame are created in full accordance with classical Japanese techniques and belong to such and such a century, such and such a style ... Well, I think, " Spanish Japan" does not need to comment. However, the market for "hack-work" does not end there. Many, so to speak, "katan" are made by prisoners (specialized Russian enterprises) and gunsmiths who do not adhere to any traditional Japanese technologies and rules at all. Roughly crafted stainless steel blades, with a painted or etched quench line, threaded or epoxy-glued handles, saber scabbards with hanging rings. All this greatly disorients the public and, often, repels novice collectors of modern author's weapons from the topic of the Japanese sword.

A real sword of "high analysis", first of all, does not tolerate influence high technology. It should not contain any innovations, any inventions, a minimum of deviations from the canon. A real sword is made by a master not only at the level of knowledge of technology. It is very important to observe the atmosphere, the spirit of the process itself, the inner mood. Katana is not a souvenir, and not a ceremonial decoration, it is formidable weapon a true warrior of the spirit. All masters working on the creation of a high-class sword put their soul, experience and a piece of their own destiny into it, or, in oriental terms, karma. We note for ourselves that a real katana is created by several professional masters (independently of each other), each of which lays its future level.

There are no minor details in a real sword. It is important from what, how, by whom, for what and for whom it was made, what features are embedded in its design and decoration. Set distinctive features of such a sword is made up of the level of masters and the level of technology applied by them.

Mandatory attributes of a high-class, real katana are, of course,:

* "patterned" (composite) steel of the blade, obtained by hand forging (with a possible lined design of elements along the section: the butt, facings and blade can be made of composite steels of different chemical composition and structure);

* zone water hardening on the blade, obtained by coating part of the blade with a special composition based on clay, sand and charcoal with many visual effects in the transition zones between hard and soft areas);

* ultra-fine manual polishing of the blade on stones, without the formation of an edge (chamfer) of the blade and without the effect of rounding the edges of the edges (in addition, such polishing should provide a high degree of sharpness of the blade, and also show the macrostructure of composite steel and the hardening line jamon"hamon" on a perfectly mirrored surface);

* original design and assembly technology of the sword (sealing ring habaki"habaki", guard tsuba"tsuba" and handle tsuka"tsuka" are put on the blade through the shank and are fastened "tight" with one pin mekugi"mekugi");

* the artistically decorated koshirae finishing device and the scabbard, made according to the classical rules, in full accordance with the traditional assembly technology, must carry a deep philosophical idea and the special Charm of Shinto and Zen aesthetics.

On this topic, dear readers, we can talk, without exaggeration, forever. I will only note that katana hardening is, of course, the most responsible, risky and complex operation performed in the manufacture of a sword, which lays not only half of all the physical and mechanical properties of the blade, but also, in fact, determines its aesthetics. Nothing draws attention to a katana blade quite like jamon"hamon".

Katana blade polishing

Polishing Japanese swords is a separate and highly respected profession. For several centuries, this, in general, utilitarian operation has existed in Japan as a high art. The goal of the polisher is to achieve absolutely correct blade shapes, a mirror-like, clean steel surface with a “pattern” (hada) and a hardening line (hamon) visible on it, as well as the ultimate sharpness of the blade.

All operations are performed on special stones in six to seven main phases (from coarser to finer stones). In the process of polishing, the stones are constantly washed with water, and abrasive pastes are formed on their surface from friction against the metal.

Recent detection operations hada"hada" and jamon"hamon" (hazui, jizui) are made with small, thin stones held on a polished surface. thumb. For a more vivid manifestation of the structure of the metal, the polisher can, at his discretion, carry out the operation hadori"hadori" (weak chemical exposure on the blade metal), which emphasizes the beauty of the metal and the hardening line, but does not lead to the loss of the effect of a deep, translucent mirror.

On average, it takes ten to fifteen business days for a professional to polish a new katana blade. After the completion of his work, specialists and connoisseurs can see all his strengths and weak sides. Hidden defects will appear in the same way as deep subtle virtues. Before the final polishing, it is almost impossible to truly appreciate the sword.

A high-class katana blade, after a good professional polishing, carries a lot of information in ce6ie. Hada and hamon are definitely visible on it. Moreover, it is impossible to fake such effects by acid etching. A picture full of drama and mystery of “freezing” or, in other words, “stopping” the blade will open before your eyes. The hamon line is not a static picture. This is a kind of photograph of the rapid breathing of metal.

It is generally impossible to see the small, moiré “pattern” on hada steel in all its bewitching beauty without a professional polisher. Neither acid etching nor electrolysis will let you see this hologram of the Universe in the mirror. Describing the beauty of hada on katana is pointless. Photographing this fleeting elusive effect is also almost impossible. That is why it is still customary in Japan not only to photograph blades for registration and evaluation, but also to sketch them on paper. The human eye sees disproportionately more in the mirror of a blade than the most accurate photographic equipment in the world.

Assembling a katana

The assembly of a katana can be divided into three large stages:

1. Production of unique parts that are made for one strictly defined blade:

* sealing ring habaki (habaki) serves to ensure that the blade fits tightly into the sheath and is fixed in them due to friction (it is forged from copper, silver or gold directly on the blade to ensure maximum fit of the ring to the blade, after punching the ring is sawn off and soldered; habaki ( habaki) can be decorated with engraving, inlay and appliqué with precious metals);

* wooden scabbard saya"saya" (glued together from two halves, each of which is adjusted to the blade and to the habaki in profile and thickness with virtually no backlash, in subsequent operations they are varnished and equipped with various elements and details)

* wooden base of the handle tsuka"tsuka", the manufacturing technology of which is similar to the manufacturing technology of the scabbard, only in this case, the shank of the sword cuts between two planks (in subsequent operations it is pasted over with the skin of a stingray or shark and tied with a special cord tsukaito"tsukaito" made of cotton, silk or leather);

* metal rings that tightly fix the guard between the habaki and the handle seppa(seppa) and eliminating backlash, can be made of copper, bronze, silver or gold.

* guard (tsuba) - the most significant and complex element of the sword device, can be decorated with engravings, inlays, taushing, varnishes, enamels, patination and many other techniques (the material for tsuba can be wrought iron or steel, cast bronze, shakudo (bronze with the addition of silver and gold), silver, copper and combinations of these materials);

* ring adjacent to the guard footy"fushi", pommel cashier"kashira" and paired elements woven under the braided cord (menuki) are made according to the same principles as tsuba, complementing and expanding its figurative range.

3. Assembly, fitting and varnishing of the scabbard:

* handle assembly operation includes the following actions: gluing the skin of a stingray or shark (same), fitting and installing elements of koshirae, tsuba and sepra, tying knots tsukamaki"tsukamak" i cord with fixation on the handle menuki"menuki" and kasira;

* installation of reinforcing and functional elements on the scabbard (can be made of various metals, black horn or hard wood);

* making special grooves in the sheath and installing a miniature knife in them ( kozuka kozuka, for cutting and straightening armor cords) and hairpins ( kogai"kogai", for tying and untying tight knots on armor);

* lacquering of the scabbard (lacquer can include a wide variety of fillers, such as plant seeds, metal dust, powders from eggshells, colored stone, etc., in addition, skin can be used between layers of lacquer as an application element slope, inserts valuable breeds wood, pieces of fabric and leather).

Manufacture of katana handle frame elements

As already mentioned, the elements of the katana frame can exist as independent works of art. They are made, as a rule, separately from the blades, by individual craftsmen belonging to their schools and creative workshops.

There are many techniques for making koshirae. In ancient times, the fittings, especially the tsuba, were often made of wrought iron. Such details were decorated very sparingly, mainly with perforation, but the symbols and compositions on these old decoration details are striking in their conciseness and originality.

At a later time, approximately from the end of the 16th century, the method of bronze casting became very common, followed by complex refinement by engraving, taushing, and appliqué. various metals and alloys, etching and varnishing.

There are many antique decoration devices made by casting silver, soldering elements precious metals on steel, appliqué polished stingray skin. As well as all sorts of combined techniques, using not only metals, but also bones, leather, wood, enamel...

But let's not dwell on the technique of performing koshirae in more detail. The fact is that even the most superficial coverage of this topic will take, without exaggeration, 200-300 pages of printed text (excluding illustrations).

For those who want to seriously study this topic (and in general all topics related to katana), I highly recommend reading the books of A.G. Bazhenov "History of the Japanese Sword" and "Examination of the Japanese Sword", as well as the sixth issue of the Chevron series called "Japanese Sword" (author K.S. Nosov).

Japanese sword metallurgy

After a brief acquaintance with the manufacturing technology and design of the katana, allow me, dear readers, to bring to your attention some of my assumptions regarding the metallurgy of the Japanese sword.

My colleagues and I from the “TeG-zide” (“Iron Fang”, Sergey Lunev's Japanese sword workshop) tried to understand the reason for the appearance of a peculiarly finely moire “pattern” hada on classical ancient blades.

Study: "moire of Japanese steel"

Studying over the past five years samples of ancient Japanese katanas (XIV - XVI centuries), I had to pay attention to the special fibrous-moiré structure of the steel of their blades. On the surface of the blades, at 4.5-10-fold magnification, the finest traces of forge welding are clearly visible. It would seem that everything is clear: we are dealing with the classical technology of the so-called "Damascus steel".

However, it is impossible to obtain such a hada pattern by layer-by-layer welding of dissimilar steel. Completely different nature of the structure.

A more detailed study of ancient Japanese swords (from private collections) in metallographic laboratories revealed that the structure of their blades is fragmentary fibrous, i.e. formed by forge welding a plurality of fragments that originally had a fibrous structure.

These fibers consist of differently carburized and differently alloyed steel fragments. Traces of welding seams are periodically traced between the fibers themselves. The fiber density is amazing: in some parts of the blade (at the edge of the blade), apparently, it can reach from 100 to 300 fibers per square millimeter of cut (i.e. up to 500,000 fibers per blade cut)! Unfortunately, no one allowed us to cut the blade and accurately count the fibers, however, museum workers and collectors can be understood. Further research revealed the following:

* the fibers themselves have an intermittent structure, with a color change when etched with nitric acid from light gray to almost black (i.e., the fibers are heterogeneous in chemical composition);

The fibers are grouped into groups of two levels, i.e. on the one hand, small fibers are collected in the likeness of bundles or bundles (1st level), on the other hand, these bundles form strongly deformed (flattened) groups lined up in layers (2nd level);

It was found that the boundaries between the fibers at the microscopic level have two main types: a forge welding seam, with remnants of non-metallic inclusions (type 1), and diffusion welding at the molecular level without visible traces of non-metal inclusions (type 2);

Each fiber is heterogeneous in chemical composition, and can repeatedly change color during etching from light to dark along its entire length.

Get more detailed information about the structure and chemical composition of the investigated fibrous steel will become possible only by applying the methods of studying the material, allowing mechanical and electroerosive destruction of samples (blades).

So, after a while, it became clear to us that moire pattern is a fiber built in layers. Naturally, questions immediately arose. Do they make such blades in Japan today? What kind of technology or method makes it possible to obtain such a macro- and microstructure of steel? How does such a structure affect the quality characteristics of the blade?

Let's start in order

In Japan, the best modern blacksmiths still achieve the same effect today. This is confirmed by many detailed photographs of modern swords forged by such giants as, for example, Yoshindo Yoshihara. Not on all, but on many of his swords is clearly visible fibrous-moire metal structure. So the first question can safely be answered in the affirmative. I repeat once again, such blades can only be found in the best Japanese masters of our time. This is an important point that will help us deal with the “mystery” of moiré fiber more thoroughly.

Now about the method of obtaining fibrous steel in Japanese. The goal is to obtain not just a fibrous, but an ultra-thin structure with an intermittent (non-uniform) fiber, built in two levels (longitudinal and layer-by-layer), interconnected simultaneously by forge and diffusion welding.

The creation of fibrous structures in steel has been solved (and very successfully) for many centuries, by many craftsmen in many countries. The most famous today has become the method of the so-called mosaic Damascus. The essence of this technology is that a package assembled from steel strips (square in cross section) is forged, welded and pulled again into a square section. Then the beam is chopped or cut into equal segments, from which a square-sectional package is again recruited (2 by 2 or 3 by 3 or more). After that, these operations are repeated cyclically. Having thus collected the required number of fibers, the blacksmith twists the package and cuts it across with grooves of 3-8 mm. Further forging into the strip and grinding “raises” to the surface the mosaic pattern of steel formed by the transverse sections of the fibers.

The cross section of a bar of mosaic Damascus is a fiber lined up in a certain way. Eight welds of a 2 by 2 pack using this method will produce a bar containing about 65,000 fibers. A 10 splices - already more than 1 million fibers!

On the basis of this method, we created several katana blades, in which famous blacksmiths-gunsmiths of Moscow and Tula took part.

The absence of the effect of intermittent fiber structure can be considered as a significant difference from the Japanese version. The pattern came out small, clear, very beautiful and dense, but without the famous Japanese moiré. The blades turned out to be quite strong and tough, but the classic zone hardening revealed hamon without a clearly defined nioi transition zone, and moreover, the hardened zone showed a hada contrast, which is undesirable from an aesthetic point of view. In short, it turned out very well, but not quite what they were looking for.

There are many methods for obtaining fibrous steel. For fun, I can offer another, just came to mind, a very irrational method. When welding a Damascus package (after a set of 100 layers), cut grooves on it along the broach before each subsequent welding. Longitudinal cuts will “raise” to the surface the transverse sections of the layers, which, when these operations are repeated cyclically, form a fiber. The loss of metal with this method will be huge, and the fiber will turn out to be “different-sized” and, of course, completely homogeneous. But why not a method? It is a pity that in Russia things are not very good with intellectual property, otherwise it could be patented. However, jokes aside.

And yet, how is the classic moire fiber made in Japanese? Let's turn to the primary sources: books about the art of making a Japanese sword, published in Japan and the USA. The whole process is described in many books from beginning to end. For us, the most interesting, no doubt, will be the materials from the book of the most authoritative blacksmith-gunsmith of modern Japan, Mr. Yoshindo Yoshihara "Craft of the Japanese Sword".

I must say that the Japanese craftsmen very skillfully hide the most important technological nuances in the abundance of very spectacular and colorful, but still secondary or well-known facts. Many important points are missing altogether. It is understandable, the secrets of mastery exist in order to protect them. I will not dissemble, I would also not want to reveal absolutely everything that I managed to understand and what I was able to learn, but, in my opinion, the technology of Japanese moire deserves to slightly open this veil of mystery. I think that many Japanese sword lovers and collectors will be more respectful of katana if they learn more about such "secrets of antiquity".

So, the most interesting was “hidden” literally in the most visible place. Let's start with forging (forge welding) steel blade.

Describing the process of folding the package, master Eshindo in his book gives a diagram, where, however, without any special comments, one very curious and significant technique is shown, with the help of which the longitudinal fibrous structure of steel is obtained. This is a package turn by 90° around the broach axis, and further welding and folding in a perpendicular plane. The package is rotated, gaining at least 200-500 layers in the primary plane. After turning and a further set of layers, the package begins to be crushed according to the checkerboard principle and collects fibers formed at the intersections of the primary and secondary layers.

I must say that, like all technologies of antiquity, this method of obtaining fiber turned out to be much more efficient and simpler than the later inventions of blacksmiths. Unfortunately, I, too, had to first, so to speak, “reinvent the wheel”, i.e. "rediscover" this method, before I realized that it had long been published in many books on the Japanese sword, and all this time literally loomed before my eyes. So once again we have to make sure that the most important (and simple) secrets are kept in the most visible place, but are not revealed to us until we ourselves understand their meaning.

However, one technique described above is not enough to obtain Japanese moiré. Remember? We agreed that we would find a way to get an intermittent (not homogeneous) fiber. Now we come to the most interesting, and, at the same time, the most controversial. In order not to bother you with a description of my numerous experiments and experiments, I will only state the essence of those methods, the results of which turned out to be very similar to the “Japanese moire” of the Koto period.

Method one (traditional, described in detail by Japanese masters)

Having received raw steel, we will break it into a flat, porous pancake. We will harden it into water, after which we will break the brittle overheated steel into small fragments (from half to a third of a matchbox). Let us assemble a package from these pieces (let's call it the primary package), built on a low-carbon blade. To do this, lay out flat fragments in 5-7 layers. After forging, welding and broaching, we obtain a strip of square section with a side of 15-20 mm.

Having cut bars 50–60 mm long from this strip, we lay out a secondary package from them in order to then weld it into fiber (according to the method described above). The whole "secret" in this method lies in the fact that the bars must be placed across the line of the package broach. What for? Then, during further welding and drawing into the fiber, the welding seams of the primary package, formed by welded pores and welding fragments to each other, will strongly stretch across (and introduce chaos of the welding seam along the entire length of each of the fibers!), thus making our fiber strong heterogeneous.

If you use steel melted in a charcoal furnace (U7, U8, steel 45 and 65G), the result will satisfy most collectors and fencing masters. However, until the best examples of the XIV-XVI centuries. this method is clearly not reachable. Apparently, the authors of numerous books on the manufacture of Japanese swords "declassified" for us the technology of obtaining steel for ordinary, albeit very high-quality traditional blades.

Method two (more modern and less traditional)

Let's weld the primary package of 9 plates of standard rolled steel (U 10 and steel 45). We will collect 54 layers (9x2x3) using the forge welding method and stretch it into a strip of square section. Further, everything is according to the first method (bars, secondary package, fiber). The “secret” of this method lies in the fact that the bars (lined across the package) must be oriented so that their planes with welds are turned perpendicular (towards) the plane of the hammer heads. The result will be practically the same as in the first method, except that due to the clearer contrast of the metal, the number of fibers in the secondary package should be large. In addition, the steel turns out to be more capricious when quenched and welded, but using this method, the blacksmith can get by with ordinary grade steels without performing the operation. orishigane"orishigane" (remelting steel in a furnace).

Method three (an attempt to reveal the next layer of the secret of Japanese moiré)

For the next method of obtaining Japanese moiré, we will need. ” bulat! A few words about what does damask steel have to do with it and what are the next layers of mystery. The fact is that the traditional Japanese tamahagane steel, welded in a large (not home) tatara furnace, due to the long cooling of a large mass of melt, contains a significant part of dendritic crystals. Strictly speaking, the dendritic structure is the main factor that determines damask steel. Therefore, we can safely assume that in the core of the ingot tamahagane"tamahagane", called kera"kera", contains a significant amount of cast damask steel. Many Japanese and American books on Japanese sword technology show pictures of the kera. Large dendrites are clearly visible in these pictures. So this "secret" is also from the category of publicly available.

Apparently, Japan should be considered the only country that traditionally manufactures damask steel without the use of a crucible. Here, the mass of peripheral metal itself, mixed with coal and slag, acts as a crucible. It's very Japanese: practical, efficient, and deceptively simple.

With this method, we will be able to accomplish another point in the technology of the ancient blacksmiths: diffusion welding between individual groups of fibers. Damask fibers formed due to deformation (broaching) of dendritic crystals do not have forge welding seams between them. It is this picture that we observed in the study of the metal of ancient Japanese blades.

So, let's take porous ingots of cast damask steel with a carbon content of 0.8-1.3% without special alloying additives (unless some kind of catalyst would not interfere: molybdenum, vanadium, tantalum, etc. no more than 0.5% ). Let's weld them into a coarse fiber (12 by 4) and ... be amazed at the result! The nature of the pattern, color, contrast, and when hardened and hamon - will turn out to be very similar to Japanese moire, but still somewhat large. Gaining more fibers will lose the moiré and turn our steel into a beautiful, dense and, unfortunately, too uniform fiber.

One thing is certain: the presence of dendritic structures in the original package brought us closer to the solution. In many respects (oxidation processes during heating, the purity of the weld, the welding temperature, and much more), it was damask steel that showed what the legendary blacksmiths of Japan wrote about in their treatises and books.

An important point for understanding the value of the damask component in tamahagane is the fact that after the completion of melting in Tatar"tatara" (in Japan today there is only one such furnace) representatives of the five main Japanese schools of blacksmiths carefully select and distribute pieces from kera among themselves. This process is surrounded by a veil of secrecy and takes place without the presence of outsiders. What are the patriarchs looking for in this heap of metal? I dare to suggest, and my opinion on this issue is only strengthened by our many years of practice and scientific research that they are looking for damask steel, individual fragments of which are hidden in tons of porous steel.

Needless to say, the best metal goes only to the best masters of schools, among which belongs the Yoshindo Yoshihara (Bizen school) we mentioned.

Method Four (Key to Understanding or Unfinished Experiment)

The reason for the disappearance of the moire effect with an increase in the number of fibers according to the third method lies, apparently, in the fact that the dendrites stretch along the package and become thinner (become invisible to the eye), while relatively bright and thick welds come to the fore. In the first two methods described above, we aimed to stretch the welds across the package. Let's do the same with damask crystals.

Let's start: we upset the damask ingot vertically and stretch it in a perpendicular plane so that its bottom and top become the left and right sides of the strip. We stretch a strip of square section, chop it into bars and fold the primary package out of them. After boiling the primary package, we collect up to 20 layers, and after turning by 90, another 16-32 layers.

So what have we got?

* layered fiber;

* diffusion and forge welding in one package;

* intermittent fibres.

Outwardly, the metal turned out to be even more similar to Japanese moire, it heats up beautifully, allowing you to achieve many old effects on hamon, it perfectly holds a blow and is generally very good and very close to the classics, but still something gives out a remake in it. It is necessary to conduct experiments on the selection of the chemical composition of the initial steel (damask steel). Apparently, we will have to add all kinds of metallurgical "garbage", play with the ligature, flux, etc., but this experiment has not yet been completed.

At the beginning of the conversation about the study of Japanese moiré, we asked ourselves the question: how does the fibrous structure of steel affect the quality of the katana blade? Based on the experience of practical operation of the fiber blades of the workshop, Tetsuge in Russian clubs laido (Japanese swordsmanship), it can be said with confidence that the fiber provides significantly greater strength and reliability of the blade compared to layered and homogeneous steels. The cutting characteristics of non-homogeneous fiber are generally unrivaled. In this example, once again you can admire the Japanese ability to combine beauty and practice.

The practice and beauty of damask steel in katana (continuation of the search in pure damask steel)

For about fifteen years now I have been studying damask steel. True, over the years of work in this area, one thought has come to me more and more often: the more I learn about damask steel, the less I know about it. Well, it all started for the sake of the process. I think that any results will always remain intermediate phases of some endless experiment. Bulat has long been for me not a goal, not an idea and not a dream, but rather a special atmosphere in which I am used to working and thinking.

Japan is my old love, which arose in my soul much earlier than other attachments. Many precious days of youth were given to this first love in the dodzo (martial arts hall), the library and in the forest during the Japanese simple and youthfully categorical “contemplation” of nature. Passion for Japan "infected" me with the aesthetics and practice of Zen, later with Indian philosophy and culture of India, having fallen in love with which, I adopted European philosophy, hermeticism and alchemy .... But no matter how life develops further, Japan, probably, will forever remain for my favorite, calling fairy tale.

Sooner or later, these two paths were bound to cross. This is how katana blades appeared, forged from cast damask steel, on the shanks of which the hieroglyphs Tetsu (iron, iron) Ge (in combination - fang) are neatly displayed.

I came up with this name by analogy with my favorite childhood cartoon "Mowgli". Do you remember with what admiration and awe Mowgli takes an old dagger in his hands? How reverently pronounces his name: "Iron Tooth"? The calligraphic writing of these hieroglyphs, which became our signature, belongs to the brush of our friend and my colleague at the Institute of Hard Alloys (VNIITS) Boris Anatolyevich Ustyuzhanin, who knows Chinese perfectly, and in general is an extraordinary and knowledgeable person. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him again.

Over the years, my attitude towards damask steel, swords and Japan has not changed. I, like the hero of my favorite cartoon, am in awe of the blade. I hope this feeling never goes away. In this regard, I would very much not want to become a “cynical professional”, it is better to always remain a sincere amateur.

Three or four years before the founding of the Tetsuge workshop, I repeatedly made attempts to create a katana blade from damask steel. Learning along the way the intricacies of hardening and encouraging my father to study Japanese polishing, I understood very well that a katana needs a special, specially welded damask steel.

Water hardening has become a real obstacle on this path. The classic Iranian type damask with 1.5-2% carbon could not withstand such a tough operation. Too much and too quickly precipitated martensite. When hardened, the blades bent almost into a wheel, and they broke into almost a thousand pieces. Tempering into oil, firstly, did not meet my inner needs (not in Japanese, that is, not really), and secondly, the hamon line turned out to be devoid of the beauty that so tempts connoisseurs of the whole world.

On the way to the "Japanese damask steel" I tried a lot of tricky tricks and methods, including such fundamental ones as thermodynamic shock in steel (hardening with an abruptly changed cooling rate). Very beautiful and high-quality things turned out in their own way, but you can’t deceive yourself, it was not what you dreamed about.

So, in 2001, due to the resumption of work on alloying damask steel with molybdenum with a simultaneous decrease in the carbon content to 0.6-0.8%, it was possible to obtain anew damask steel, which received the "proprietary" designation M-05 or at home - "Emka" . Why did you have to reopen it? The fact is that at one time, due to a stupid, in general, mistake at the stage of polishing and acid etching, a similar alloy was “written off” by us as a marriage.

The essential difference between Emka and everything that I have done before can be considered three of its important properties:

* the ability to withstand hardening with the first water phase, then oil (in the first phase, all the famous hamon effects are formed, while the second, oil phase will protect the blade from excessive mechanical stress);

* the ability to forge welding (moreover, weldability occurs on a fairly low temperatures 900-1100°C);

* preservation of the damask "pattern" even with repeated heating to welding temperatures and above (up to 1200 ° C).

Material was received, from which, in fact, “our Japan” from Tetsuge began. "Emka" can act in different roles: as a tamahagane (if the smelting was carried out with a large amount of flux and slags specially introduced into the crucible); as an interlayer between layers of raw steel; and, finally, the most important - as a natural, natural fiber from which the blade is forged.

A one-piece forged katana blade made of M-05 damask steel, using some tricky (readers forgive me, secret) forging techniques that make it possible to obtain a semblance of welding seams throughout the entire depth of the strip, is certainly the best, to date, that we have managed to achieve in the “Japanese theme” ".

The main reason why the experiment, previously described as "method four", was suspended, was a breakthrough in the M-05 forging, which opened up much more tempting prospects than all the methods listed above.

The strength of the damask blade has always amazed the imagination, however, if this blade is a zone-hardened katana, then some miracles begin! Having received the first successful samples of solid damask "Japanese" blades, my colleagues and I quickly became convinced that traditional methods strength tests are no longer suitable, you need to invent something tougher.

Using this new technology for us, several swords were made, which at one time made up an integral collection and were shown to the general public in November 2004 at the Central House of Artists at the exhibition "Blade - Traditions and Modernity". Now some of them are being tested by experienced laido and Kendo masters. So far, we have received only positive feedback from them.

One of the blades has already begun to give rise to legends (given by us in 2004 to the Japanese fencing master Fyodor Alekseevsky). In his short life, he has already managed to be in the hands of kidnappers and at the assessment of Japanese professionals, and at receptions at embassies ... And recently, some not too delicate visitor to an exhibition in Voronezh took and cut them (without asking) in half duralumin profile showcases along with glass, without causing any damage to the blade. So, it seems that in the case of katana, damask tends to take a leading, if not dominant position. The legends accumulate and the tests continue.

The latest samples of blades suggest that in the near future we can “submit” to water (without an oil phase) hardening of cast damask steel. Who would have thought this five years ago! The structure of hada steel, with each experiment, approaches the famous "Japanese moire". However, despite all these, perhaps very conditional, successes, I am sure that this result will not be the last. As already mentioned, the process for us, nevertheless, is more important than any results, and there are only more mysteries along this long path. Well, the more interesting.

Instead of a conclusion

In the research, or reporting, part of this article, we got acquainted with just one, very narrow (albeit important) aspect of the katana blade manufacturing technology. Fiber steel is far from the only "mystery" of top-tier Japanese blades.

Think how many topics for the study of a real collector! Rigid, polished by time, the canon not only did not turn the katana into a dead art, but rather, on the contrary, opened the way through it to the knowledge of the infinity of the depths of perfection.

Frankly, we are now more busy with other topics. Working on katanas, we rather simply rest our souls from exhausting searches and experiments. But one day, quite recently, fellow comrades-in-arms from the Guild of Gunsmiths called and asked to write about Japanese swords. Alluring, beautiful and incomprehensible, Japan again reminded of itself. Could she refuse?

In any case, I tried to show the inexhaustibility of this wise, ancient, but at the same time eternally young and modern beauty. As Zen teaches us, we tried to look closely at a grain of sand on the shore, so that through this fleeting contemplation we could mentally look into the depths of the ocean.

Against the background of this abyss, I would like my, not always successful, modest experiments to inspire novice gunsmiths to independent creative search. A search based not only on curiosity and pride, but also on a reverent, respectful attitude towards ancient cultures and their knowledge.

Katana is inexhaustible. So many features and wisdom combined this amazing sword! We completely omitted the topic of the blade design, which, according to the classics, should consist of dissimilar parts (blade, butt, side plates), did not consider the hardening process. We passed by the secrets of preparing protective fluxes, preparing the hardening medium and methods of straightening the blade, as well as its tempering and polishing. The topic of making a katana frame, the art of lacquer painting of scabbards, the symbolism and mysticism of the Japanese sword, the inner philosophy of the koshirae figurative series, and much more require a separate detailed discussion.

Maybe next time...

. Born in 1968. In 1989-1991. studied the structure of cast damask steel at the Department of Metal Science of the MATI. In 1991 -1995 - private studies of the technology for producing cast damask steel of the "Iranian" type. In 1995-2001 - practical experiments and production of cast damask steel on industrial equipment of hard alloy industry enterprises. 8 2001-2004 in the rank of Deputy Director of VNIITS (All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Hard Alloys and Refractory Metals) was engaged in the study of physical, mechanical, chemical and electromagnetic properties cast damask.

Participation in exhibitions:

- "Our names" in the State Historical Museum in Moscow, 1998;

- "Blades of Russia-2000" in the Armory of the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve "Moscow Kremlin";

- "Masterpieces and rarities of blade weapons" in the Naval Museum in St. Petersburg, 2004;

Hello dear kenshi!

Today I would like to tell you how to make a handle yourself ( tsuka) for katana ( iaito, shinken). I was prompted to prepare this review by the need to restore my old iaito, which, for a number of reasons, lacked a handle. Making a handle to order in Russia or Japan is quite expensive and takes a lot of time and resources. So I decided to save time and money, plus check out the place where the hands grow from. 😂😂😂

In this review, I will tell you how to carve a wooden handle and prepare it for winding ( tsukamaki), which I will talk about in the next review.

Any budoka dealing iaido or battodo at least once faced with a situation where the handle katana for one reason or another fell into disrepair. Usually handle katana has two flaws - tsukamaki(winding tsukaito) and the shank attachment point katana. If rewind tsukaito- this is not quite a difficult and costly task that anyone can handle, all you need is a new cord and skill. Then with a loose shank, things are more complicated. Depending on the situation (if there is no critical damage to the integrity of the handle), this problem can also be solved by mixing sawdust with wood glue and pouring it into the hole for the shank. After that, you will need to insert the shank itself into the hole with the substance so that the substance fills all the extra cavities, and pull it out before it sticks tightly. However, this method does not always work. If the handle is cracked due to a dangling shank, then for your own safety and the safety of others, such a handle must be replaced.

Well, either someone wanted to have a front or vice versa “working” handle, then this review will also be useful for making it. And how to do it right - will be discussed further. 😏

To get started, you will need katana(unassembled). Part koshirae for tsuka, namely: habaki, seppa(2 pcs.), tsuba, footy and kashira .

The last two positions are very important, since the handle is usually machined under footy and kashira certain size. The choice of material depends on this, and specifically - its dimensions.

Of the tools you will need: a vice, a clamp, a hacksaw, a set of files and sandpaper of different grain sizes, chisel(if you have a wood cutter, this will make it easier), a knife, a diamond sharpener (needed to sharpen the chisel in the process, because a dull chisel is a pain!), mallet, a set of rulers, a marker and epoxy glue.

For the preparation of the handle, it is best to use hardwood. You can use the "traditional" tree - magnolia or paulownia, however, they are quite difficult to find in Russia, and the prices bite. If the origin of your handle does not matter to you, then the most common and affordable option is Russian oak. There are several online stores that offer craft bars of various lengths and widths for sale. On average, prices range from ₽500.00 to ₽1,500.00 per bar. Personally, I saved money and used the remains of solid Italian oak parquet as a blank. 😎

N.B. A parquet board or any other puff wood is not suitable as a blank! And, probably, it is not worth mentioning that the tree must be dry!

So everything necessary materials and we have the tools. We proceed directly to the process of manufacturing the handle. Estimated production time is two days.

Before that, we need to determine the size of the handle. Dimensions are an individual thing. I can only offer to measure your "working" tsuka which is convenient to use.

I'll tell you with my own example. The length of my tsuka(together with footy and kashira) — 280 mm. Width at widest point (together with tsukaito) — 45 mm. Thickness (together with tsukaito) — 25 mm. Length tsukamaki(between footy and kashira) — 260 mm. Width tsukaito — 8 mm.

N.B. Here you need to be very careful! Since, depending on the material (cotton or silk) and tension, as well as the method of winding, the cord can be of different widths, and the number of steps (diamonds) that can be wound on the handle between futi and kashira, as well as space for the bottom node. So that there are no gaps and the knot “fits”, I advise you to look at how your “working” handle is wound, and estimate (taking into account the material) how long the handle will be required.

Having decided on the final dimensions of the future handle, we now need to determine the dimensions of the workpiece. Of course, the wooden handle itself is under samegawa(stingray skin) and tsukamaki much smaller sizes, which I indicated (except for the length). But, it seems to me, you should not take the workpiece completely back to back, since working with solid wood requires a certain level of skill. Therefore, in the absence of it, production flaws often occur (somewhere they planed too much). If you take the workpiece slightly larger than the dimensions of the handle assembly, then in case of errors there will be more room for maneuver.

For my handle, I took two bars as a blank, each of which is long ~300 mm, height ~50 mm, width ~25 mm(see photo above).

Now you need to choose the most even sides (this will be needed later). Collecting katana for measurements. Tightly put on the shank habaki, seppu, tsuba and then another seppu. We place the assembled structure on one of the bars (see photo below) in the center. Draw as accurately as possible with a marker. Since usually the shank katana not quite flat, wide on one side and narrow on the other, then on the other bar we do the same mirror(turning katana). This is important, when we glue the blanks, we should get a hole for a specific shank.

N.B. I circled the shank with a thick marker (see photo above), I will cut a cavity for it inside this line. It is very important that the shank fits perfectly in the cut, otherwise it will dangle. The depth of the hole is not very important, since then it can be removed with a file.

We take a chisel in our hands and begin to plan out the groove for the shank. Make sure that at one end the gutter should be deeper than at the other. Constantly check the depth and width by applying the shank. In the end, the shank should fit perfectly into the gutter and not “walk” in it.

The end of the gutter can be made 3-5 mm longer than the length of the shank. This is necessary in case you will be adjusting the futi by grinding down the top of the handle so that the shank does not stick out of it too much when assembled and you do not have to use spacers.

N.B. I specifically do not show in the photo that it is necessary to drill holes for the mekugi, since in my case I will make a new hole (mekugi-ana) during the final assembly. If you are satisfied with the existing hole for the mekugi, then before gluing it is necessary to drill a hole in each half of the future handle. Please note that on the shank it goes at an angle. Accordingly, first mark with a drill with a smaller diameter, and after gluing it will be possible to drill to size.

When both shank grooves are ready, clamp them together in a vise to check how the shank sits in this hole.

Slide the shank in and out of the workpiece. If he enters tightly enough, but at the same time without any extra effort, and if he does not walk, then you can proceed to the next stage. If it does not enter to the end, then you should still grind the excess. If the shank walks a little, then this problem can be solved by gluing the workpiece.

The next step is preparing for gluing. Earlier I indicated that it is necessary to select the most even parts of the workpiece. This will shorten our work with the file. Now you need to first grind both halves of the future handle with a file, and then with sandpaper so that they fit evenly and tightly against each other.

So, both halves are perfectly in contact with each other. Now we are ready for gluing. I had experience gluing the handle with special wood glue. However, I think epoxy is stronger and more durable, and most importantly, easier to use. I used epoxy glue in a special package (like a syringe), which, when pressed, immediately mixes the components, giving out the substance we need at the output.

N.B. Unfortunately, according to the instructions, we were given 5 minutes for the next stage, so there was no time for photos. Remove the koshirae from the katana in advance!

We take a "syringe" with glue and squeeze out the line " U» around the liner groove. Do not squeeze too much glue into this place, as the excess will flow inside. The part remaining below the gutter is smeared with glue abundantly.

Carefully insert the shank into the half smeared with glue, then cover with the other half.

We strongly clamp this structure in a vice in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe beginning of the gutter. The end of the workpiece is strongly compressed with a clamp. We have approximately 5 minutes to pull out the shank.

Now back to the moment "if your shank is walking". After we clamped the glued workpiece in a vice, some of the glue fell into the groove for the shank. This is fine! To avoid backlash in the future, do not immediately pull out the shank for at least a minute. When you feel that it is pulled out with difficulty, pull it out halfway and insert it back. Repeat this procedure several times within the allotted minutes. Now all the extra cavities are filled with epoxy glue. When it hardens, the shank play will disappear.

N.B. The shank must be cleaned immediately!

We leave our design to dry according to the instructions for 8 hours. This is quite enough for the workpiece to stick together “tightly”. 👌

So eight hours have passed. Our workpiece is securely seated and ready for further processing.

As you can see in the photo above, in fact, our workpiece is a bar. This bar needs to be given an oval shape. We have an axial line - this is the line for gluing the halves. it should be adhered to. We begin to grind all sides evenly, but not too much (see photo below).

In my experience, it will be more convenient to decide on the form if you attach footy to the top of the handle.

And circle footy marker. In further processing of the workpiece, it is worth adhering to this form.

At this stage, it is necessary to determine the direction of the handle, as well as adjust footy. Therefore, with the help of a chisel and a file, we grind the rim under footy.

After we fit footy and mount katana on the handle, it will be easier for us to decide on the direction where to remove excess wood.

Now the handle begins to emerge from the workpiece. It's time to think about the shape of the future tsuka. It can be straight from start to finish; it can be wider at the beginning and narrower at the end; it can be tapered in the middle, like an hourglass (I personally prefer this shape). Having decided on the form, we should outline this form on the workpiece. In the photo below you can see a slight bend at the top of the handle. Having done the same from below, we get the shape we need.

The handle should not be thicker (wider) than the edge footy and kashira. Since stripes will be located on the sides in the future samegawa, and then tsukamaki. All this will give us the thickness we need, so feel free to cut off all the excess.

N.B. Tsukamaki should be on par with futi and kashira!

Before moving on to finishing the handle, we need to place kashira at the end of the handle. Fitting the tip of the handle kashira. At kashira there are two holes for the final node tsukamaki. However, these openings are currently unavailable. Our job is to make them accessible. To do this, we need a round file and a little patience. Clamp the handle vertically in a vise. We put on kashira on her. We mark the place for the hole on both sides. And we make a hole, as shown in the photo below.

As a result, we should get something like this (see photo below), when kashira put on the handle.

Having collected footy and kashira, we bring our handle with a file and sandpaper to finishing. It is imperative that the sides of the handle are flat enough to accommodate samegawa.

As a result, we got tsuka according to our sizes for our katana, which is ready for finishing winding ( tsukamaki), which I will tell you in the next review.

Stay tuned! 😎

This review (text and photos) was prepared by Bragin Andrey Evgenievich, specially for Moscow kendo and iaido club Shogun.

They have survived to this day and do not lose popularity. Since ancient times, katana has been made from damask steel - "Anosov" steel, but it is dangerous to fight with such a tool, so we will put aside the original samurai weapon for the time being, let it decorate the interior.

If you decide to study the ancient art of the samurai, then the bokken, a wooden analogue of the blade, is perfect as a training weapon. "How to make a katana out of wood?" - many people asked themselves such a question, but only a small number of samurai mastered the technique of wooden bokken.

Features of a wooden katana

Japanese culture is rich in traditions. For hundreds of years, training swords have been used in samurai art. In the East, there are many schools that study martial arts. Depending on belonging to a particular school, the bokken sword has its own parameters and name. For example, for the manufacture of Bokuto bokken, a white tree is used or The length of such a blade is 102 cm, and the weight varies within 580-620 grams. As for the Casey-Ryu bokken, such a weapon is more weighty and, with its length of 102 cm, weighs 730 grams.

Bokken is a replica of a katana made of wood, which has been used since time immemorial to learn the samurai craft. When you learn how to make a katana out of wood, you will be surprised, because this process is not laborious.

The shape of the bokken completely duplicates the shape of the katana, but due to the material used to manufacture the weapon, it weighs less. How to make a do-it-yourself katana from wood and get a quality product? Choose the right material. For the manufacture of bokken, wood of such species is mainly used:

• oak: white, red, black, brown;
• hornbeam.

The blade of a wooden bokken, like a real katana, is beveled at an angle of 45 ° at the end, and the blade profile has a flattened oval or round shape. It depends on the type of weapon.

A distinctive feature of the samurai bokken is the absence of a guard, a transverse lining that protects the hand from the enemy's weapon sliding along the blade. A shallow cut is made along everything - “hi”, due to which the bokken makes a characteristic whistling sound when struck.

How to make a wooden katana

Today you will learn how to make a katana out of wood by following a simple instruction.

Possession training takes place with the bokken, which is why the need to make or buy this instrument is so common.

Walkthrough

1. To get started, you need a drawing. You can draw an approximate drawing of a katana or download ready template from the Internet.
2. Having made the workpiece, proceed to processing, starting with the handle. Process the place under it with a file and a planer.
3. Give the blade a shape by removing excess wood according to the template with the help of tools.
4. Round the tip and smooth the corners of the handle.
5. Sand the handle and blade with sandpaper.

If desired, you can cut out and attach the guard, but most bokken are made without this element.

Now you know how to make a wood katana. It turns out that this is not as difficult as it might seem. Even a beginner in this business can cope with such a task.