Tag Archives: bronze

Hummingbird Skull Reliquary

Starting a new reliquary project. This is the first of several elements, a 1075 carbon steel blade in my signature “knapped steel” style. Using a small drum sander, I’m carving in the flake scars that would be left from knapping … Continue reading

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Making Shibuichi part 2

I spent today rolling out my three shibuichi ingots into useable sheet. Here’s a picture of my Durston rolling mill. Above, I’m pickling the cast ingots in Sparex pickle. “Pickling” dissolves the dark oxides formed when the molten metal hits … Continue reading

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Making Shibuichi part 1

Since I’ve spent the last week working on my web site format change, my wife is making me get serious about starting a new knife, so I have to make some shibuichi ingots for the knife handle scales. Shibuichi is … Continue reading

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Cherry Blossom and Dragonfly Tsuba Pendant part 6

Finally finishing this one up. Above, have cut the ribs in the dragonfly wings, and begun the texture on the wings. Above, the wings are finished. Above, everything finished, and patina applied. Above, finished with the carving, patina applied, and … Continue reading

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Cherry Blossom and Dragonfly Tsuba Pendant part 5

More cherry flowers, at 4 o’clock. Above, with a quick patina. And here, starting to round out the dragonfly parts, just rough carved so far with carbide burrs. OK, above is the dragonfly body carved.  Now to work on the … Continue reading

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Cherry Blossom and Dragonfly Tsuba Pendant part 4

Above, I’ve used a punch to smooth the flower and adjust the texture of the big branch at left. Here above, I’ve been working more on the flowers and branches, carving out the cavities in the flowers with a tiny … Continue reading

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Cherry Blossom and Dragonfly Tsuba Pendant part 3

Above, removing more out of the center area, and texturing it as I cut it away. Here, starting to round the branches (at 9 o’clock on the pendant), and relieving the rear wings of the dragonfly. Continuing on with the … Continue reading

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Cherry Blossom and Dragonfly Tsuba Pendant part 2

Here’s the pendant with most of the areas sawed out with a jeweler’s saw and tiny, tiny blade. After a lot of filing to begin smoothing the saw cuts (thanks to my lousy sawing skills), I began cutting away the … Continue reading

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Cherry Blossom and Dragonfly Tsuba Pendant part 1

Here’s my next project attempt! It’s a tsuba (Japanese sword guard) pendant with cherry branches, cherry blossoms and a dragonfly. The first image is a Photoshopped version of two antique tsuba, and the second image is my pattern I drew … Continue reading

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“Knapped” Bronze Dagger

Wanting to play around with forging some bronze, I researched how to make it on the Web.  I decided (mistakenly, as it turns out) to make a high-tin alloy called “bell metal.”  This is 20% tin and 80% copper, and … Continue reading

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