The core of this project is a charcoal-forged 1965 Series 2a Land Rover leaf spring steel blade, water quenched with clay and sharpened with waterstones, a historical western style outdoor knife that has the foundation of the Japanese sword but is finished in the simple and humble aspect of farming and foresting tools of centuries ago.
Satoyama are the managed forest areas that border the cultivated fields and the mountain wilds in Japan. Historically they provided soil nutrients, firewood, edible plants, mushrooms, fish, and game, and supported many local industries and crafts such as farming, timber construction, and charcoal making. The interaction of forest, arable land, wetlands, and streams are an important component of the satoyama landscape.
The subtle and rustic appearance of hammer marks on the blade and hand-carved wooden handle finished with natural urushi lacquer made from tree sap—reminiscent of hand-hewn beams in a kominka farm house that are darkened by years of smoke drifting up from the irori hearth. A hand crafted tool for adventure that would be very much at home in the field, forest, or mountain landscape.
Forged from a reclaimed 1965 Series 2a Land Rover leaf spring, the blade profile is based on early/mid-century western military survival knives and has an unsharpened swedge. The temper of this high carbon steel blade has been left relatively hard in order to hold a keen edge for tasks such as wood carving and hand work. This particular combination of steel and heat treatment is well suited to users who require a good edge and are willing to take care of it.
The tang is constructed in a similar manner to a Japanese sword requiring only a single buffalo horn peg to hold the knife assembly together. In addition to the sense of beautiful simplicity, this design allows the knife to be field stripped for cleaning, polishing, detailed cutting tasks, or major resharpening work.
The minimalist handle and accompanying scabbard, with elements of 19th century gentleman’s bowie mountings, are carved from mukwa and finished in traditional fukiurushi lacquer which highlights the grain and colour of the wood. A forged steel guard and ferrule accent the handle and the removable peg is carved from water buffalo horn. The nata style kurikata is carved from a scrap of blackwood.
The blade is just under 7.5″ long, the overall length is 12″, and just under 13.5″ when sheathed. The spine at the munemachi is about 5mm thick.
Katachi (geometry): hira-zukuri, kaku-mune (squared spine)
Hamon (edge pattern): rising suguha
Boshi (tip pattern): maru
Nakago (tang): futsu, kuri-jiri, one mekugi-ana
Mei (signature): mumei (unsigned)
Koshirae (mounting): satoyama bowie style, issaku
Materials: reclaimed Series 2a Land Rover leaf spring steel, steel bar and pipe, Mukwa, blackwood, natural urushi lacquer, water buffalo horn
Process
This knife was forged and underwent yaki-ire at the museum forge. It began as a section of leaf spring from a 1965 Series 2a Land Rover, which seems to be listed as 60sicr8 steel and has not changed formulation since 1948 when the very first series 1 Rover was built.
Ready for a day at the museum forge, the old 1966 Rover still earning its keep hauling tools overland at almost 60 years running (and on its original springs).
A load of several hundred pounds of tools ready for a day at the forge.
Opening the forge and preparing to unload the tools and steel.
This knife began as a section of leaf spring from a 1965 Series 2a Land Rover, nearing the end of its useful service life on a vehicle that was undergoing restoration.
A cold chisel was used to separate the leaves of the spring.
The leaves are cleaned of the deepest pitting, cut and sorted by size and condition before forging to shape on the anvil.
The charcoal swordsmith style forge with hand-powered wooden box bellows is used to heat the steel as it is forged.
View across the forge and out to the forest between heats on a cool and cloudy spring morning.
Forging the sunobe (pre-form) after thickening the spine using a heavy hand hammer.
Beginning the hizukuri (bevelling), thinning the edge and moving toward the final shape with a hand hammer.
A small amount of hand filing forms the notches and cleans up the spine and tang, completing the profile. Then a sen-dai (staple vise) holds the steel flat while the edge is adjusted with a file to an even 1mm thickness and then smoothed with a coarse stone.
A mixture of natural clay, charcoal powder, and polishing stone powder is prepared with water and spread thinly on the blade to delay the cooling of the body of the blade during yaki-ire (hardening).
After the clay dries, the steel is heated carefully in the forge to the lowest possible red-hot critical temperature and plunged into water to cool the edge quickly.
It has survived the stressful process of yaki-ire. Due to the differential cooling rates the strip along the edge is now very hard while the rest of the blade remains tough and ductile, the best of both realms.
Using a coarse Japanese waterstone to adjust the thickness of the edge after hardening the blade.
An old steel bar from a piece of antique agricultural equipment is drilled, chiseled, and then filed to make an opening in the shape of the tang.
The opening for the blade is adjusted carefully with files to fit the tang snugly.
A proportional length is chosen and then the hand guard is marked for sawing off of the original bar.
A hack saw and files are used to separate and finish the guard.
A slice of reclaimed steel pipe is forged into a ferrule to reinforce the handle.
A batch of Rover steel blades receiving various fittings in preparation for mounting.
Wood working in the coastal forest, Arbutus leaves continue to fall all year long!
Hauling woodworking tools in summer mode, no need for a roof for a couple of months.
The best kind of air conditioning is outdoors!
Some scrap mukwa is carefully carved to fit the tang snugly.
The halves are glued together with nikawa (hide glue) and allowed to cure for a week before being hand carved to shape. The placement for the mekugi-ana is chosen and drilled through the hole in the tang using a kiri (hand drill).
The mekugi (retaining peg) is carved from water buffalo horn, maintaining the grain direction for strength.
The halves of the scabbard are carved inside with a chisel and adjusted to fit the blade, then glued together with nikawa.
After curing, excess wood is removed with kanna (handplanes), from four sides to match the thickness with the handguard.
The final shaping is done with kanna, kiridashi (carving knife), and then the surface is smoothed with fine files.
A scrap of blackwood is carved for the kurikata, matching the buffalo horn peg and dark iron theme.
The kurikata fits into a sliding dovetail cut on the scabbard, later it will be glued in place with nikawa.
Completed mountings ready for lacquering and finishing.
Lunch break view towards the forge, toolboxes and tools must be onboard for whatever may be required on a given day.
Late fall sunlight still bright at midday but shadows are lengthening as the museum season comes to an end.
The first application of natural fukiurushi seals the wood in preparation for following layers, it is cured slowly in a slightly warm humid muro/furo box, each layer takes 1-4 days to cure. Natural urushi lacquer is made from the sap of a certain tree, evaporated, fermented, and filtered.
After a couple of weeks to allow the wood moisture levels to stabilize after lacquering, final adjustements to the fit are made. The knife is ready for final assembly.
