# WIP - Not a Gyuto



## jessf (Oct 23, 2016)

[video=youtube;_asvZ2X8ErQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_asvZ2X8ErQ&feature=share[/video]


----------



## jessf (Oct 27, 2016)

When I first made this blade I left it in the coal too long and melted a big bite about 2" away from the tip. Luckily I had enough material to draw out a decent length and I completed the blade and move on. Shortly after I wished I had kept the melty part and just made the blade around it. 

A few months went by and I decided I wanted to try and quench a hot blade in black powder and this is when the two ideas merged. I didn't really want to make a new blade just for the purpose of melting the back, seemed too contrived an idea. Without the risk of ruining a good blade, the concept had no teeth and the finished product would lack some depth. It had to be an already finished blade that I would destroy in an effort to improve its aesthetic. Sort of a creation through destruction ideology.

The black powder idea was just an experiment to see what would happen to soft melty steel when it interacts with an explosive. I might try thermite next time. Here's what happened.










after some normalizing and a polish with steel wool.







I will likely make a Santoku shape out of this and make it my travel knife.


----------



## jessf (Oct 27, 2016)

this is after heat treating. Can't quite see the hamon as it's behind a layer of scale, but it's there and I may bring it out over time. I've already re-profiled the choil and brought the shoulder up 4mm.


----------



## cheflivengood (Oct 27, 2016)

You're a mad man...I like it irate1:


----------



## daveb (Oct 27, 2016)

Is that how Moritakas are made?


----------



## Godslayer (Oct 27, 2016)

daveb said:


> Is that how Moritakas are made?



You think moritaka can make a honyaki lol. As usual good work.


----------



## merlijny2k (Oct 27, 2016)

That beautifull burlwood handle!!!!!


----------



## jessf (Nov 8, 2016)

Small update. Got the mokume and the hande rough shapped.


----------



## milkbaby (Nov 9, 2016)

jessf said:


> Small update. Got the mokume and the hande rough shapped.



BOOM there it is! :cheffry:

Can't wait to see the finished knife...


----------



## jessf (Nov 9, 2016)

Put a concave grind on the bolster


----------



## jessf (Nov 10, 2016)

I glued the thinner mokume to the handle then ground it flush. Ive been shaping the concaved upper portion separately. The two will be separated by a african blackwood spacer. Ive never used jb weld before but i did on this one. Really impressed by how well it holds up to heat.


----------



## Matus (Nov 11, 2016)

Very cool project. Keep the photos coming


----------



## bryan03 (Nov 11, 2016)

I'm not sure I understand what you do here, but the steel looks like "burnt" ....


----------



## jessf (Nov 11, 2016)

Yeah that's the idea.



bryan03 said:


> I'm not sure I understand what you do here, but the steel looks like "burnt" ....


----------



## jessf (Nov 15, 2016)




----------



## xsmx13 (Nov 16, 2016)

Very nice work! That looks awesome!!!


----------



## xsmx13 (Nov 16, 2016)

I love the exposed knot on the handle. I have a piece of knotty cocobolo that I can't wait to use for a handle!


----------



## milkbaby (Nov 16, 2016)

Extra crispy! That's cool...

Its the handle new wood on top glued to a piece of the old handle on the bottom?


----------



## jessf (Nov 16, 2016)

It's a new piece of amboyna burl with a natural inclusion i wanted left in to mirror the blade. It looks burnt, but it's just the colour of the wood.


----------



## jessf (Nov 16, 2016)

The other side.


----------



## Beau Nidle (Nov 16, 2016)

Very nice man. Love the finish on the blade, not so much the big chunk missing from the handle. Little too severe for me but then it's not my blade!


----------



## jessf (Nov 18, 2016)

She got some chubby gams but she tapers nice to the tips if you know what i mean. More of an all purpose veggie prepper


----------



## Matus (Nov 18, 2016)

You are surely not shy to experiment. That is the best way to learn and to have fun  This is another very cool project of yours.


----------



## jessf (Nov 18, 2016)

Thanks matus. Little details like this where the spine is rounded from when the knife was previously finished but reheating has left a nice texture which is both soft but offers grip.


----------

