Shadow project (kage-uchi) of Awataguchi style tanto blade
The steel is prepared for a blade of project "Gotoba", challenging hardening work, by customer's request. He wants to try getting an Awataguchi style blade.
Steel construction : Kobuse style
The outer steel (edge steel) is not too sensitive for beginners, since it is made of mix forging. It means a little less risk of hamon cracks in the quenching work, than Kokaji's usual work. Of course, it is hard enough as it could be a sharp edge (getting a bright hamon) by proper tempering.
Core steel is forged out. It is made of rather soft steel folded 12 times.
Outer steel, O'warishita. So it is a kind of mix forging in natural way.
In the picture below, the outer steel is on the work of 6 times folding.
It is forged out after 13 times folding.
And then, the core steel and the outer steel are constructed to a steel log with kobuse style construction. And made several sister blades out of the steel bar.
One of the sister blades is for kokaji himself to try Awataguchi style blade.
Blade length 25cm
Just after the quenching
We don't know what blade comes out after polishing. But some customers want to reserve it immediately. if you would like to reserve it at this stage, the cost is 200,000.yen what includes silver habaki, shirasaya, and full polishing. So it is a kind of gamble a little bit. In case it appears some fatal flaws, we would make another blade.
Reserved
Stage of shaping with the rough stones
