# Announcement for 2016 and A Catcheside Christmas Sparkles WIP



## WillC (Dec 17, 2015)

A festive WIP for you, and a fun one because I have no idea how its going to look, its freeform man, Im going off off piste, smoke me a kipper.....I may be some time.

This could be for a customer, a very patient one who we have not managed to decide exactly what he would like yet....so this could be his See how it turns out. You know who you are 


*Working process and availability for 2016*
This also brings me to a brief synopsis and demonstration of how I am going to work and sell my high end pieces in 2016. Basically Im not taking commissions. I'm going to make it up as I go along, document the work and it will find a customer as I go. This makes everything more exciting to me, it puts it back into a direct live interaction with the Public on the Forum and work that is actually live and available. Having tried the very long waiting list thing, I will try it this way instead.

The super high end damascus stuff does not suit everyone, nor should it. Rarely but occasionally you see someone who has missed the point with this type of work, so feel it best to clarify one more time should there be no doubt.

I use my best grind and best steels or so close you would not notice in my everyday knives. If you buy a Catcheside Mono or San mai, you get the very best of my knowledge and accumulated experience in Grind, heat treatment, the feel of the knife the way it handles, everything related to performance in that knife. Its Just not as pretty to look at, this high end damascus stuff is just because we can, for the art of doing it and because I am fortunate enough to have found a Market for this purely extravagant line of work and I mean extravagant in time which of course makes them costly. No bubbles here  its all worked out on an hourly workshop rate.

So San mai and mono's will be made weekly for direct sale and i will continue to strive for performance and consistency in these. 

Please interact and comment on my WIP posts, its so important for feedback and energy, if you think it stinks say so, please don't put us makers on a pedestal, Its lonely, I love to hear good things and compliments buts its really important to get pure honest critique without fear of upsetting or ruining anything. Fear be gone and that is from me as well, I think a constant weight of commitments has kind of worn me into a slightly guilty silence on here but Im nearly caught up, I have some loose ends and some unfulfilled promises still and will be able to finally get all these tied up 

So thats my brief rant bit and really quite important news on how my work will now be available.

To sum up, no commissions, no waiting lists, everything will be live and direct. The high end stuff will be an interactive blog and san mai and mono's will be made weekly. All News and availabilities will be made Here and via my mailing list.

I would like to hear any thoughts on this, I realise that its important for some to choose custom details and I will likely still offer custom handle options on some finished blades as I get into a rhythm .....but don't think I am closing myself off from feedback, it just makes direct feedback more important. I want to make enough stock to do as many Shows as possible next year and that means Live interaction and examples to actually try.
Shows
These will at the Gatherings........Blade Show.......and Gembeux in Belgium for a start in 2016 and introduce some more U.S. based ones the following year. Any suggestions welcome...

don't be worried about butting into the WIP with thoughts on anything Ive written here, I just felt like putting it all in one as a case in point, I realise now it could get a bit confusing but ultimately I can put stuff into something properly worded in a proper announcement thread here on my website and on via my newsletter for 2016, in the mean time I look forward to feedback opinions and comment on all the above and we can have the WIP as a kind of light entertainment to all the above.

In the mean time let the Damazacasamza commence!


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## skiajl6297 (Dec 17, 2015)

Like this very much. Gives everyone an equal shot at your work. Downside is funding these off-the-cuff purchases. I love to squirrel away some cash for purchases whenever possible, but for truly top notch high-end work, it will be tough to move knives and gather funds quickly enough! That speaks more to my financial limits than to your model, however. I am sure quite a few of us will be following closely with paypal accounts pre-loaded for quick clicking when you post something new and drool worthy.


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## WillC (Dec 17, 2015)

I see your point there. But I think I can often be a little flexible as I find some rhythm for it. Say for example I can make a batch of damascus once a month, (alongside my weekly mono's and san mai). Enough damascus for say 3 knives, One I can make and offer it for sale outright handle and all. The other could be offered as semi custom, i.e. custom handle, a few subtle profile tweaks, keeping some damascus in reserve for the occasional whoops I broke your blade! or show pieces to take on the road.
A big part of it for me with the damascus is I have found a certain damascus end product lends itself to a certain blade shape, or idea. This and if you want to experiment and develop new-ish patterns it becomes impossible to offer a fixed menu. But I can see scope within this for saying I have this blade profiled in this pattern, here is a finished blade of what the material looks like, I'm open to custom/ semi custom order from the this whatever blank with a few minor profile tweaks and custom handle. That means payment could at least be split into two. As long as I could work that in with no accumulated waiting list.


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## WillC (Dec 17, 2015)

Here is the light entertainment part of the post...... Maybe I should have done two post but oh well, lets make it work could be fun or unique at least


We start a rather strange shaped bar. I have been fiddling with it a while, it is a micro basket weave, which I forged into some special shaped fullered dies before grinding parts to develop the pattern in different ways when forged out. I also have a simple high layer laminate 1000 ish layers for the edge, and another bar of basket weave from a different perspective...... Im forging all these materials down as accurately as possible to 10mm square bars. 













With all the bars forged out I can start to lay them out to get the lengths and work out which will be twisted which way.





Next everything gets cleaned in acid, before twisting as tight and even as can be.:viking:


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## Smurfmacaw (Dec 17, 2015)

What would be really nice is for the GBP to take it on the chin vs the USD.....Say about 1.25 GBP per USD...THAT would be awesome lol.


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## WillC (Dec 17, 2015)

Well if you don't ask..... other than move to the states,,, Cant do much about that, (I hate the weather here but that might be a bit of an extreme move)maybe I could move to a tax haven for knife makers, or start one, lol
One thing this might open up for me is the possibility of doing batches of certain things, like group buys at a reduced rate to get more people in at an entry level.
Will have to see how my time plays out on that though.


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## malexthekid (Dec 17, 2015)

Smurfmacaw said:


> What would be really nice is for the GBP to take it on the chin vs the USD.....Say about 1.25 GBP per USD...THAT would be awesome lol.



How about you move down to sunny old aus before whinging about that &#128540;

Almost every knife i am interested has riseb in price by 20-30% for us aussies over the past 12-18 months.


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## Cheeks1989 (Dec 17, 2015)

I like the sound of a group buy. I have never gotten a chance to try one of your blades.


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## malexthekid (Dec 17, 2015)

I think it is a great move Will. Frees you up to make what you want to make. Some people may have to adjust in how they purchase. But ultimately it is how we buy most expensive things. Save the money and wait/find its availibility.

Though i would throw at the idea of at least offering handle upgrades for those that can't afford one of your top knives but want a little extra blong on their monosteel or san mai


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## WillC (Dec 17, 2015)

Thanks you Sir.
Great idea that, certainly doable on handle upgrades.


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## mark76 (Dec 17, 2015)

Yeah, I also like the idea a lot. It allows you to make what you want. And even though it's a different purchase model, it gives everybody great insight in what there is. And I like WIPs anyways. I'd say: do. (And moving to a tax haven... Well... luckily I live in the EU.) I must say I also like the idea on handle upgrades.

Good ideas, Will! Please move ahead.


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## alterwisser (Dec 17, 2015)

Cheeks1989 said:


> I like the sound of a group buy. I have never gotten a chance to try one of your blades.



+1 ... I'm in!!!! Never tried one either


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## chinacats (Dec 17, 2015)

I think this is a great idea...looking forward to it!


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## toddnmd (Dec 17, 2015)

I like the idea of making what you want, when you want it. I'm pretty sure you will find the market for your knives. You can always tweak things as you find interests shift toward different types of knives.
I very much like the idea of having some choice in the handles--makes the whole experience more personal, and I think gives the buyer a more personal connection with both the maker and finished knife.


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## MontezumaBoy (Dec 18, 2015)

Hey Will - If you see the need, desire or opportunity please feel free to make some stainless varieties as well ... I know you have in the past but it is certainly something I am looking for ... just saying (eh begging?) ... love me some CPM3v or other crucible yumminess :wink: ... also like many others have said already I am looking forward to trying one of your fine wares in the (not to distant) future!


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## WillC (Dec 18, 2015)

Thanks all for the comments and hints  Lol......Niolox is the next one I want to try stainless wise when the time arrises to give it a proper run of ht testing. I already have some 3v, so can try it alongside that for comparison.


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## alterwisser (Dec 18, 2015)

WillC said:


> Thanks all for the comments and hints  Lol......Niolox is the next one I want to try stainless wise when the time arrises to give it a proper run of ht testing. I already have some 3v, so can try it alongside that for comparison.



Niolox seems to be out of favor with a lot of makers, curious to see what you think about it and do with it. I'm waiting for Tilman to finish my 240 in Niolox and heard great things about that one. I think @chinacats is a big fan...


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## Admin (Dec 18, 2015)

I have used photos from this thread as cover photo on Facebook KKF Page.

https://www.facebook.com/kitchenknifeforums/


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## chinacats (Dec 18, 2015)

alterwisser said:


> Niolox seems to be out of favor with a lot of makers, curious to see what you think about it and do with it. I'm waiting for Tilman to finish my 240 in Niolox and heard great things about that one. I think @chinacats is a big fan...



Not to sidetrack the thread, but I'm actually a big fan of 1.2442 (I got from Tilman that Will has been using as well), I think it is fantastic steel. As to Niolox, I would've tried it (from Tilman at the time) but I'm mainly a carbon guy

Cheers


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## alterwisser (Dec 18, 2015)

chinacats said:


> Not to sidetrack the thread, but I'm actually a big fan of 1.2442 (I got from Tilman that Will has been using as well), I think it is fantastic steel. As to Niolox, I would've tried it (from Tilman at the time) but I'm mainly a carbon guy
> 
> Cheers



My bad [emoji12]


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## WillC (Dec 18, 2015)

Thats my main issue is finding a stainless I like as much as something like carbon 1.2442. You can get the hard stainlesses but horrible to sharpen. But then it is a compromise. Anyway I'll leave that for another thread when I get to some more testing


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## WillC (Dec 18, 2015)

Admin said:


> I have used photos from this thread as cover photo on Facebook KKF Page.
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/kitchenknifeforums/




Thanks Austin


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## Smurfmacaw (Dec 18, 2015)

Haha, I've got one of your ladder sanmai knives that I really like.....looked up just in time to see my helpful bride about to take a scotchbrite pad to it in a fit of cleaning :bigeek:

Luckily disaster averted. Love your work...gotta score one of the cool damascus knives this coming year.


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## WillC (Dec 18, 2015)

Some progress on the Nakiri!
Close up on the bars making up the composite after a long soak in acid to remove all the scale, kind of deep etches the work too.





Surface of the top bars look very wood grained at the moment you can see where the ground fullers weave the pattern.









For the top of the spine using a basket weave from the usual aspect, this will look more random than the end perspective basket weave I think, 





Here the ends of the bars revel the work in the material, this is the bars that appear wood grain on the faces.





This is 900 layer double carbon for the edge, can nearly see the flow of the layers.... but you can see it.





So to the twisting....





Heres where I ran into a few issues, and it reminded me of a conversation I had with Owen once about twisting nickel mosaic damascus, the crux is it doesn't like it very much  Twisting is about the harshest thing you can do to damascus, guaranteed layers will slip, they have to, but in a flat laminate as long as you work carefully and hot the slipped layers re-weld as you work. However in mosaic you have layers going all over the place and its very hard to feel when a layer sheering will become an issue. Forgetting all this I took the first bar just a little too far and with no warning sheered it! Doh













Pressing on its best to keep track of the bar numbers and twist directions as you go....













Sheered bar is fortunately the top bar with the basket weave on the surface, I have a feeling it will be very random in form so will chance a repair, will be interesting to see if this shows up or not in the end result!

No further issues with the other bars but hot and a little at a time was the way forward and I didn't take the twists as tight as with flat layered damascus, it just doesn't take as much, but I think this pattern will work well a bit more open.











This will be welded up at the end when I flatten the bars for assembly.













All the bars done, flatted one side only as I want to leave the twist texture on the edges and grind it off after welding, should make the diamonds and shapes in the twists a bit sharper I think.





Before that lot goes into the acid for an overnight pickle the bolster parts can come out and assembled for welding.

















Looks exciting, Hope it works, I have an inkling what the pattern on the blade will look like, but I could be completely underwhelmed...its all part of the mystery!

Have a great weekend folks


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## WillC (Dec 19, 2015)

Exciting times today  Anything that gets you in work on a Saturday with a head full of cold must be considered FUN!

So to the welding......First stacking all the pieces.....Im leaving all the untwisted ends in place, makes more sense to trim after. Im Fluxing so no need to grind everything, the lateral twist grooves will help the flux run out clear as the parts become closely acquainted.













Fluxed up and ready to rock!





I spend a long time welding by hand on the anvil, It just works better to slowly bring everything together driving out the flux through all the parts before a good forging on the power hammer.

So I spend a long careful time welding these, about 3 runs up and down both sides braking each run into 2 heats all by hand, then a couple of runs under the hammer, no work on the sides as of yet.













Now for the bolster, the parts are pretty wonky and there are still twist marks in there etc, so consolidation must be gentle! You could say its best to gently persuade the pieces together.





Came together a treat, I know this material will look good as its all the cores of twisted bars around the outside, therefore it will be forged nice and close to the bolster size in the end.... Currently a 30mm bar 





Thats all for today folks


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## mikedtran (Dec 21, 2015)

Really curious to see how this damascus looks on the finished blade!


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## WillC (Dec 21, 2015)

Me too Mike! although I took a sneaky peak of an end cut off section today and its looking good!

Here is the last couple of days progress......

Ha ha I decided to turn it into a blunt bread knife






Only kidding, after taking a peak at the pattern on an end cutoff I decided two things, that there was not enough edge material and that the pattern on the edge will just be too fine/grey looking to go with the bling and madness of the twisted basket weave. Therefore I decided to use a very ancient saxon bordering technique, like rounded dog teeth, wavey......interlocking sections to broaden up the double high carbon material on the edge and up the stakes even further on the complexity of the piece!













Quick dirty etch on the cut end......

























All ready to weld again....





Here is the quick etch of the slice, and the first time I have seen the side aspect of this as the basket weave exposes and disappears in the twists, looks very promising thus far!!!


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## Adrian (Dec 21, 2015)

very interesting thread Will. I did wonder if you would pursue this direction as it was a big topic of conversation at our last visit to your workshop. The basket weave / twisting looks amazing (and I have a pretty good inkling of just how much work is involved in this). My very best wishes for 2016. Adrian


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## WillC (Dec 21, 2015)

Thanks Adrian, yes I started playing with one of these pieces when you and Gary were here, so its been a long time in making pieces here and there  Thanks mate


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## Bill13 (Dec 21, 2015)

Will,

thanks so much for taking the time to show us such a detailed WIP, it's pretty damn cool.


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## toddnmd (Dec 21, 2015)

This is an AMAZING process! Thanks for sharing!


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## WillC (Dec 22, 2015)

Thanks Bill and Todd for the encouragement  This has to be the best time of year for making Damascus because the weather is grim, can shut away the world and forge away in comparative tropical bliss, Only downside is trying to stay warn during all the grinding and polishing. I find it harder to do fiddly tasks when layered up like a snowman


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## Matus (Dec 22, 2015)

Will, that looks sooper cool - I very curios what it is that you have in mind here. I though for a minute that it is going to be a bread knife


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## WillC (Dec 23, 2015)

Ha ha glad I got someone going with that  .... Its a tallish nakiri..... currently about 60mm x 180-190 ish.....


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## WillC (Dec 23, 2015)

The blade is all prepped for HT, profiled ground clean and taper. I also gave it a partial polish just with belts so we can see the pattern, I will do the pattern reveal on xmas eve 

In the mean time here is the slice I took off the end before adding the laddered edge/dog tooth section.

I have polished and etched on three surfaces and left the twist texture on one side. I think it shows really well the level of detail and complexity of this pattern and how twisting effects the pattern through the bar. As you can imagine within the spiral the pattern will also change allot as you take cross sections from the outer of the twists to the core of the twists. Though this does not show that, it shows the outer twisted face and the end section.

Dirty thumb for scale....


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## Matus (Dec 23, 2015)

That little piece of metal could maybe be turned into some really cool bottle opener or finger knife ... just saying ...


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## WillC (Dec 23, 2015)

You are quite right, I have not done my xmas shopping yet or plan to as this and a few other little offcuts are getting turned into little things for my xmas presents. I like to cut it fine, so have tomorrow to do that .... Anything to avoid the last day panic buying scenario


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## WildBoar (Dec 23, 2015)

Matus said:


> That little piece of metal could maybe be turned into some really cool bottle opener or finger knife ... just saying ...


Beat me to it. I was going to request a bottle opener or key chain


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## WillC (Dec 23, 2015)

Ha ha, well I have a fair lot of bits and pieces in the saw bed..... So definitely one for the new year...... a what can I make this piece into thread....... But first things first I have one day left to make all my presents!!!


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## WillC (Dec 25, 2015)

Happy Christmas everyone.. 

Here are a few shots of a sneaky peak of the pattern quick rough finish and etch before heat treatment.


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## Mucho Bocho (Dec 25, 2015)

So much work, OMG. It's an amazing pattern Will


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## WillC (Dec 25, 2015)

Thanks Dennis, yes couldn't be happier at this stage, it reminds me a little of Mc Escher never-ending staircases , worth the effort...Have a great day


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## F-Flash (Dec 26, 2015)

That is truly amazing piece of work Will! I really enjoy your WIPs! Thank You.

-H


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## WillC (Dec 29, 2015)

Thanks F-Flash, glad your enjoying it


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## erikz (Jan 3, 2016)

Will, this was an amazing read up for me. Thanks for showing your work and your passion in this amount of detail. That Nakiri is going to be an absolute stunner of a blade!


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## WillC (Jan 7, 2016)

Thanks very much Erikz, looking forward to finishing this, it will be a Wa with ebony/sterling silver and split damascus ferrule/endcap. Happy 2016 everyone


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## HHH Knives (Jan 7, 2016)

Will, That looks fantastic. Im in awe!!! Your mind works in CRAZY ways and I like it!


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## WillC (Jan 7, 2016)

Ah Thanks Randy, that means allot , love your work too! best to you and family for 2016


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## Matus (Jan 7, 2016)

That is a stunning knife Will.

But back to the original question - how about that bottle opener (combined with little pry point on the other end)?


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## WillC (Jan 7, 2016)

Thanks Matus, well no promises, must stay focused to my tasks in hand at the moment, but it would be nice to make use of some more little offcuts sometimes and thats a good idea for them


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## SuperSharp (Jan 8, 2016)

Such a neat project. I can't wait to see it finished. Amazing work!


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## WillC (Jan 8, 2016)

Thanks SuperSharp


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## WillC (Feb 6, 2016)

Well bit of a pause there but have her all ground and figured out the handle materials with the customer....

We have something very dark, I forget the name, similar to bog oak but with different light shading, very very dense, will be going split ferrule and endcap with x2 silver sterling spacers soldered to the damascus parts....gona be rather nice I think 

Polishing polishing now, before the etch....... I can see all the details as I polish, with out a doubt the most involved and detailed damascus I have undertaken to date. Will have to wait till next week for the blade reveal. Thanks All


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## HHH Knives (Feb 6, 2016)

Im looking forward to seeing this one Will. Nice choice of handle materials sounds like a SOLID plan!

Blessings to you and yours
Randy


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## WillC (Feb 6, 2016)

Cheers Randy!, this is one of those ones, I definitely don't want to drop into the buffer! I would cry and so would my bank manager , You know the feeling well I'm sure


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## WillC (Feb 29, 2016)

Couldn't resist a little preview of the finished article during final fit up.......will be shooting full gallery shots today or tomorrow light dependent...

This one feels rather special, makes my knees wobble a bit like the pattern Hope the customer feels the same, thats what its all about!


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## Mrmnms (Feb 29, 2016)

makes me dizzy... in a good way.


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## WillC (Feb 29, 2016)

Thank you Mike


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## WillC (Feb 29, 2016)

A few quick crops of those....


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## malexthekid (Feb 29, 2016)

Holy moly


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## mikedtran (Feb 29, 2016)

The damascus in the lower portion of that cleaver is so understated yet so vibrant at the same time!


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## WillC (Feb 29, 2016)

Thanks Mike it took some polishing to get it to pop like that, on the zoomed in pics you can see my oily finger print reflected in places which highlights the fine nature of the materials.
Many saxon influences here, the edge materials being the highest carbon and the highest concentrated layer count where it counts. The edging technique is called "dog tooth" and is often seen in saxon composite patterns interrupting the pattern and creating movement with teeth or rounded dovetails between the pieces. Dog teeth can also be chiseled into the pattern in flat laminates which reveals on grinding the bevels, but this is the technique used for composites, the joint is cut.:biggrin:


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## WillC (Feb 29, 2016)

Heres a contemporary example of a dogs tooth in a Seax by Owen Bush, you can see from the ripples he's forged the teeth in on this one 


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/5431155297_f60b8bb56a_b.jpg


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## mc2442 (Feb 29, 2016)

That nakiri is stunning!


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## MontezumaBoy (Feb 29, 2016)

WillC - seriously that nakiri (& your WIP) is just so awe inspiring! Stunning work & I really appreciate the time it took just to capture this creation and to share some of it with us! Well done sir!

Tom


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## Mute-on (Mar 1, 2016)

malexthekid said:


> Holy moly



What he said!

Actually, Holy [email protected] says it a bit better


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## WillC (Mar 1, 2016)

Thanks everyone, I feel very lucky to get to do this type of work from time to time its a pleasure to share.


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