The blade
Matt and I have been wanting to work on an alloy banding project for a while now. We have tried with 52100 which worked well but is really hard to polish to bring out the banding. So Matt did it again with A2 steel and this time everything is perfect from a polishing standpoint. The goal of this banding manipulation was to get closer to what wootz steel can offer in terms of visual characteristics. I'll spare you the details, but the surface of the blade was worked several times by hand to create this canvas. There is so much detail to look at on this blade that I spent many minutes just enjoying it. Once again, I take my hat off to Matt and his ability to create a unique and beautiful blade.
The visual
For my part, I knew that this blade would be able to offer a lot of potential and I simply had to find the right technique to highlight it all. I spent many hours finding the right combination of etching, ratio, abrasive to use and how to make it all uniform. Once I managed to find the right recipe, the magic started to happen. My polishing wanted to highlight the banding with a blueish color while keeping the surface reflective, hence the mirror polish before. There are absolutely no lines or scratches on this blade and I am very proud of it. Trust me that photographing banding is not easy at all! Some photos are more blueish because it is natural light and others are with my studio lighting. Whether it is natural or artificial light, banding is really awesome and there is no need to find the perfect light to appreciate the visual when you have the knife in hand.
The handle
For the handle I hesitated between two options but my choice fell on Indonesian rosewood with a textured copper cap. What I like is the contrast between the two colors and the classic look but which still offers a lot of details. This wood has a beautiful grain and the lines in the wood are a nice reminder of what is happening in terms of details on the blade. This copper cap will develop patina over time and there's a small machi gap of approximately 1mm.
The backstory
Matt and I decided to collaborate together to offer very unique knives with an attention to detail and finish. Being both Canadian and passionate about Honyaki blades, this collaboration highlights all of Matt's his in-depth knowledge of steel and blacksmithing. It was only a matter of time before we could join our shared passions together.
Every week we talk about future projects (some are crazy) that we would like to accomplish together. That's the very essence of our collaboration: pushing our limits, learn to become better and improve in our fields of expertise. We're already like an old couple and Matt is the grumpy one. He will say the opposite, but it's not true.
Specs
Maker - MSicardCutlery
Shape - Gyuto
Steel - A2 tool steel
Construction - Mono steel
Hrc - ~64
Cutting edge - Unsharpened, can sharpen on request
Visual aspect
Polisher - Julien Labelle Affûteur (KasumiJLA)
Polishing - Full mirror, alloy banding
Etching - FeCl3 & oxalic
Dimensions & weight
Cutting edge lenght - 255mm
Total blade length -280mm
Total knife length with handle - 418mm
Height - Heel 50,5mm | Mid 44mm | Last inch before tip 16mm
Spine thickness - Heel 2,8mm | Mid 2,2mm | Tip 0,4mm
Blade weight - 135g
Total weight with handle - 180g
Balancing point - 2,5cm after the heel
Handle
Maker - Julien Labelle Affûteur (KasumiJLA)
Material - Indonesian rosewood, textured copper cap & polish
Shape - Octogonal
Height [front to back] - 23,5 to 28,4
Width [front to back] - 17,3 to 19,5
Lenght - 138,4mm
Weight - 45g
Finition - 1000 grit, linseed oil and buffed
Installation - Hot glue, easily removable
Buying and shipping
Price - 1100$CAD | ~810$USD
Canada - Shipping is free, buyer pay the insurance. Tracking number provided.
USA - Shipping is free, buyer pay the insurance. Tracking number provided.
Europe - First 20$cad is covered, buyer pay the insurance. Tracking number provided.
Thank you for your interest and for contributing to the development of two enthusiasts like us
Matt and I have been wanting to work on an alloy banding project for a while now. We have tried with 52100 which worked well but is really hard to polish to bring out the banding. So Matt did it again with A2 steel and this time everything is perfect from a polishing standpoint. The goal of this banding manipulation was to get closer to what wootz steel can offer in terms of visual characteristics. I'll spare you the details, but the surface of the blade was worked several times by hand to create this canvas. There is so much detail to look at on this blade that I spent many minutes just enjoying it. Once again, I take my hat off to Matt and his ability to create a unique and beautiful blade.
The visual
For my part, I knew that this blade would be able to offer a lot of potential and I simply had to find the right technique to highlight it all. I spent many hours finding the right combination of etching, ratio, abrasive to use and how to make it all uniform. Once I managed to find the right recipe, the magic started to happen. My polishing wanted to highlight the banding with a blueish color while keeping the surface reflective, hence the mirror polish before. There are absolutely no lines or scratches on this blade and I am very proud of it. Trust me that photographing banding is not easy at all! Some photos are more blueish because it is natural light and others are with my studio lighting. Whether it is natural or artificial light, banding is really awesome and there is no need to find the perfect light to appreciate the visual when you have the knife in hand.
The handle
For the handle I hesitated between two options but my choice fell on Indonesian rosewood with a textured copper cap. What I like is the contrast between the two colors and the classic look but which still offers a lot of details. This wood has a beautiful grain and the lines in the wood are a nice reminder of what is happening in terms of details on the blade. This copper cap will develop patina over time and there's a small machi gap of approximately 1mm.
The backstory
Matt and I decided to collaborate together to offer very unique knives with an attention to detail and finish. Being both Canadian and passionate about Honyaki blades, this collaboration highlights all of Matt's his in-depth knowledge of steel and blacksmithing. It was only a matter of time before we could join our shared passions together.
Every week we talk about future projects (some are crazy) that we would like to accomplish together. That's the very essence of our collaboration: pushing our limits, learn to become better and improve in our fields of expertise. We're already like an old couple and Matt is the grumpy one. He will say the opposite, but it's not true.
Specs
Maker - MSicardCutlery
Shape - Gyuto
Steel - A2 tool steel
Construction - Mono steel
Hrc - ~64
Cutting edge - Unsharpened, can sharpen on request
Visual aspect
Polisher - Julien Labelle Affûteur (KasumiJLA)
Polishing - Full mirror, alloy banding
Etching - FeCl3 & oxalic
Dimensions & weight
Cutting edge lenght - 255mm
Total blade length -280mm
Total knife length with handle - 418mm
Height - Heel 50,5mm | Mid 44mm | Last inch before tip 16mm
Spine thickness - Heel 2,8mm | Mid 2,2mm | Tip 0,4mm
Blade weight - 135g
Total weight with handle - 180g
Balancing point - 2,5cm after the heel
Handle
Maker - Julien Labelle Affûteur (KasumiJLA)
Material - Indonesian rosewood, textured copper cap & polish
Shape - Octogonal
Height [front to back] - 23,5 to 28,4
Width [front to back] - 17,3 to 19,5
Lenght - 138,4mm
Weight - 45g
Finition - 1000 grit, linseed oil and buffed
Installation - Hot glue, easily removable
Buying and shipping
Price - 1100$CAD | ~810$USD
Canada - Shipping is free, buyer pay the insurance. Tracking number provided.
USA - Shipping is free, buyer pay the insurance. Tracking number provided.
Europe - First 20$cad is covered, buyer pay the insurance. Tracking number provided.
Thank you for your interest and for contributing to the development of two enthusiasts like us
..what a temptress!! Absolutely stunning, stunning work!!
