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

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

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.

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

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

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.