Hey! This thing is still a Work in Progress.
Files, instructions, and other stuff might change!
Aikuchi Tantou
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Published on May 18, 2012
Description
A 3D mockup of a tantou (Japanese short-sword) I am making as a present for someone and an excuse to buy new tools and learn several new fabrication techniques.
I plan on eventually building a forge and making the blade in the traditional manner myself. Before I do so I was advised to make it in wood, then aluminium, then plate steel before attempting to forge it from scratch.
The blade part (including tang) tend to be 1 tsuba (about 30cm or 12") long and about 2.5cm 1" wide and 8mm 1/3" thick.
Although intended for ritual suicide or personal protection they were often worn as fashion items.
The version shown here is an aikuchi type, where the handle, finger guard and scabbard are all flush with each other. These were more dangerous to use but easier to conceal.
The wooden version is progressing well!
Note: all parts including new version 0.3 parts (From February 2013) are included in the zip file!
I plan on eventually building a forge and making the blade in the traditional manner myself. Before I do so I was advised to make it in wood, then aluminium, then plate steel before attempting to forge it from scratch.
The blade part (including tang) tend to be 1 tsuba (about 30cm or 12") long and about 2.5cm 1" wide and 8mm 1/3" thick.
Although intended for ritual suicide or personal protection they were often worn as fashion items.
The version shown here is an aikuchi type, where the handle, finger guard and scabbard are all flush with each other. These were more dangerous to use but easier to conceal.
The wooden version is progressing well!
Note: all parts including new version 0.3 parts (From February 2013) are included in the zip file!
Instructions
Wooden Version:
0. Choose 2x2x24" block of hardwood suitable for carving and polishing (I chose white sycamore)
1. Cut in half length wise giving 2x 1x2x24" strips
2. Cut each plank in half giving 4x 1x2x12" strips (these will be the blade and the 2 halves of the scabbard)
3. Cut the one leftover short plank in half to give 2x 1x2x6" blocks (these will be the halves of the handle
4. Mark and rough-out the shape of the blade with a plane, saw, sander etc.
5. Once the shape is roughed out as desired, smooth all corners and add pseudo sharp edge (@ 30 & 45 degrees) and groove (called a 'hi') if desired
6. Carve recesses to match the shape of your tang into the handle halves
7. Carve recesses to match the shape of your blade into the scabbard halves
8. carve a finger guard (tsuba) to fit the shoulder of your blade from a scrap of fancy looking wood (or 3d print it)
9. Test assemble using loose fitting dowels and clamps and adjust if necessary
10. Polish and sand along entire length until smooth flush continuous surface is obtained along entire length
11. Disassemble and perform final drilling, carving, finishing, polishing, staining on all parts.
12. Clamp, dowel and glue all parts together (do the scabbard separate to the other parts)
13. Once dry paint, varnish, decorate as desired
Now you can try to make it in a more challenging material!
0. Choose 2x2x24" block of hardwood suitable for carving and polishing (I chose white sycamore)
1. Cut in half length wise giving 2x 1x2x24" strips
2. Cut each plank in half giving 4x 1x2x12" strips (these will be the blade and the 2 halves of the scabbard)
3. Cut the one leftover short plank in half to give 2x 1x2x6" blocks (these will be the halves of the handle
4. Mark and rough-out the shape of the blade with a plane, saw, sander etc.
5. Once the shape is roughed out as desired, smooth all corners and add pseudo sharp edge (@ 30 & 45 degrees) and groove (called a 'hi') if desired
6. Carve recesses to match the shape of your tang into the handle halves
7. Carve recesses to match the shape of your blade into the scabbard halves
8. carve a finger guard (tsuba) to fit the shoulder of your blade from a scrap of fancy looking wood (or 3d print it)
9. Test assemble using loose fitting dowels and clamps and adjust if necessary
10. Polish and sand along entire length until smooth flush continuous surface is obtained along entire length
11. Disassemble and perform final drilling, carving, finishing, polishing, staining on all parts.
12. Clamp, dowel and glue all parts together (do the scabbard separate to the other parts)
13. Once dry paint, varnish, decorate as desired
Now you can try to make it in a more challenging material!
License
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