Four blades of the first kurved blades machined here in the Batcave are now in heat treat. The first model of a line of kat styled blades.

These first ones were machined out of .38 thick stock, and the blades are going to be a bit over 28 inches finished, tang about 9.4 inches long........

One more kat styled pattern machining this week, and then hopefully early in September, the first of the Kurved Saber blades..........

Awsome, can't wait to see um.

Hi Gus,
Keen to see these in the flesh so to speak,
But roll on early September for the sabres :)

i know i'm probably beating a dead horse here, but a lot of folks have mentioned interest in more quality offerings in the area of two-handed swiss-style sabres. . . any thoughts?

thanks for the information on the sabres, Gus. although not quite my thing, i wanted to help keep the dream alive for all to whom they are :)

another fyi for the crowd: the atrim "kat-like-objects" [horrible, unwarranted pun intended; apologies made in advance] - are they going to be furnished in classic atrim style or will you be sending the prototypes out to be mounted? i am also kind of curious, as with your european swords you use the pommels very strongly to "tune in" each model, how has it been developing these weapons without the usual counterweight?

thanks again and have fun in your endeavors!

[appprox. T-3 weeks to shiny new atrim. . . joy :cool: ]

Keeping up with the status of these, the first two have been picked up by the "principal". The tip geometry will have to see some work at the editing desk, but otherwise these first ones worked out well. The tips of the first two will be handworked into shape.......

The second model is going to heat treat on Monday.

Three more patterns have been chosen to run, including a ridgeless design {hira-zhukiri?} and a couple of more traditional designs with bo-hi.

Photos and such won't be available until the end of August, beginning of September, but I can tell you that the first two models are rather beefy. The first one all fitted out will likely weigh in the neighborhood of 2.75lbs, and will have an effective blade length from the tip to the tsuba of roughly 29 inches....... Lighter patterns are in the works........

Some folks probably remember what happened in the North American smithing community when the first of the Chinese imported kats started being marketed here. It devastated the entry level and midrange North American smiths.......

No, this is not an attempt to wrest the market back from the Chinese importers, no hamon, remember? The target niche is the serious martial artist or dedicated cutter that can overlook the lack of hamon, and wants an otherwise traditional sword that will perform with the best of the imports {or better}, and be much more durable.....

Please do not compare this venture with Howard Clark's L6 kats, or any other premium smith's work. Howard Clark is a premium smith, his work is untouchable, and its ridiculous for anyone to think that production spring tempered blades will be the equivalent of HC's L6 kats. Production imports are a different matter.....

My own thoughts on this is that these swords will find their own niche. I doubt seriously that they will greatly impact any of the "interests" already up and running. The only thing that these things will have that the imports may lack, is durability......

In the western sword market, most people buy for aesthetics, and expect a minimum of performance and durability. They're getting that now with the US manufacturers....... All three manufacturers have rather loyal fan base' too....

I suspect the latter is true also with much of the marketers of the imports. I also expect that 90% of the market for Japanese styled swords will not be able to live without hamon. They will have to have hamon... So these new kat styled blades will likely only appeal to a very small niche.......

Angus, will the Kats have the "Dawg Hamon"? I think that would look rather cool.

Haven't forgotten you, btw... oddly enough, for having been freaking SWIMMING in boxes all spring, now I can't seem to get a hold of any...