[Greg Thomas Obach]

Here is my latest

blade is my wootz, 36.5 inch with distal taper
walnut handle

http://www.northshoreforge.com/page2/photos-3...-full.html

with some progress pic's
http://www.northshoreforge.com/page2/photos-3/index.html

wootz patterns
http://www.northshoreforge.com/page2/photos-3...-full.html

http://www.northshoreforge.com/page2/photos-3/photos-7/index.html

more pic's of patterns

enjoy
Greg

[Greg Thomas Obach]

another picture of the hilt
http://www.northshoreforge.com/page2/photos-3...-full.html

the blade was etched in a dilute nitric acid to bring out the hidden wootz pattern.... the carbides tend to resist the acid and they remain bright

the blade was forged from a 4lbs wootz cake/ingot that i made in a propane furnace... the charge was to have 1.6% carbon

Greg

[Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz]

I come to appreciate the curved blade more and more, as represented by variations
on the saber theme, so allow me to compliment your work and the -- unless I'm totally
missing the boat here -- traditional and historic lines of your project. Very elegant curve.
And a nice clean execution / construction of both hilt and grip ... Well done.

[Sa'ar Nudel]

Very nice!
To my taste, the wood grip is too 'cheap'. I'd prefer buffalo horn.

[Greg Thomas Obach]

Thank you for the kind complements

the black walnut is not expensive, but rather has a special place in my heart ... as it was a gift from an old friend


Matthew ..... very good eyes you have ! I have restored some Assadollah blades and have noted the specification of these type blades.... aswell as other measurements i've gotten ahold of... there is a trend in the data and i have made templates as accurate reminders of the curvature... ( as you can see, it is not a simple curve )

- however ... sometimes in the quench, the sword will change abit of its curvature by its self... in this case i left that

they are indeed wonderful blades to cut with... I have done much test cutting with these curved blades and they do take some getting use to


thanks again
Greg

[Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz]

I wanted to post this pic from Zablocki's " Szable Swiata " to give those looking in
something historical to compare Greg's blade with ...

Greg, before I became fascinated with the genealogy of the saber, in its many
forms and names, I began my questions about " curved blades " in general with
makers who fashioned Japanese-style swords. It seemed to me at the time they
would be a good group to ask about " controlling or enahancing the curve " ... Even
now I can't say I received a concrete answer that doing A insured B, if you follow me,
and I do have to admit I didn't correspond -- whether by email or in a forum -- with
every possible maker I encountered. Still, like you, many if not all addressed the
fact that during the process a blade might curve itself, as it were, and produce an
even more profound affect.