Nice work. Suggestion. Pound out a plate that is slightly dished. Put your borax in it and put it on your forge until the borax is liquified. Let it harden and pound it to a line powder. It's anhydrous borax. It won't bubble off your piece. It will melt and soak in and clean the heck out of the joints. That's what people are buying when the buy blacksmiths flux.
Keep in mind, only melt a little at a time or spread it thin while it's still molten. It becomes tough as heck when it cools. I stick it in a small pot and use a drill to break it up when I need some or remelt it. Good stuff. I'll be watching more of your vids. Keep up the good work.
Yep! It melts and creates a film around the steel that keeps it from oxidizing. Some smiths add extra boric acid powder to make it eat up fire scale better.
No, the kind that is sold at hardware stores is for pipe. I have tried it, and it is simply too soft to withstand the forging procedures after the habaki has been shaped. I got mine online, it is mostly silver, used for jewelry. It is extremely strong. I would recommend getting it in a sheet form so you can cut out the right pieces.
Another good one Wes! My only observation is that the interior of the habaki should undoubtedly be as well finished as the exterior. I'm just guessing, but knowing what I know of Japanese craftsmen's customs, that would be my assumption. I might also add that on your next habaki, try for a little more "lightness" or "delicacy" in the construct. Oh! With all that copper, make yourself a set of vise jaw pads! And while you're at it, some wood and leather ones. Makes me cringe every time I see teeth marks in your work! All in all, your work, both videography and metal, is improving with every video! Keep it going! Albert
By lightness you mean thinner copper? I could file the inside of the habaki before folding, true. It would probably let it slide a bit smoother and fit better.
I think, and it's hard to describe, but what you want is to use the minimum amount of material and get the maximum effect if that makes any sense. Think of each process as a distinct part of the whole. So the interior of the habaki, for instance, that is rarely seen should be as well finished as the rest so that when it is seen it's a pleasant surprise, and a the craftsman's skill is evident. There's a line in the Last Samurai, "From the moment they wake, they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue." AAR
the clearest explanation among all that explains about making habaki. good job. thank you
Enjoyed the video it always amuses me how there’s never a shortage of know it all Arm chair quarterbacks That never started a fire in their life
Nice work.
Suggestion. Pound out a plate that is slightly dished. Put your borax in it and put it on your forge until the borax is liquified. Let it harden and pound it to a line powder. It's anhydrous borax. It won't bubble off your piece. It will melt and soak in and clean the heck out of the joints.
That's what people are buying when the buy blacksmiths flux.
I have been wanting to try that out. It will work well for more delicate brazing jobs like this.
Keep in mind, only melt a little at a time or spread it thin while it's still molten. It becomes tough as heck when it cools. I stick it in a small pot and use a drill to break it up when I need some or remelt it.
Good stuff. I'll be watching more of your vids. Keep up the good work.
finaly i found a someone, who is explainig the howl process
thanks i needed this video
Borax as in that detergent stuff?
Yep! It melts and creates a film around the steel that keeps it from oxidizing. Some smiths add extra boric acid powder to make it eat up fire scale better.
Rougemont_Forge one more question, can you get silver solder at any hardware store?
No, the kind that is sold at hardware stores is for pipe. I have tried it, and it is simply too soft to withstand the forging procedures after the habaki has been shaped. I got mine online, it is mostly silver, used for jewelry. It is extremely strong. I would recommend getting it in a sheet form so you can cut out the right pieces.
Nice Habaki btw. From what place online did you get the silver?
Another good one Wes!
My only observation is that the interior of the habaki should undoubtedly be as well finished as the exterior. I'm just guessing, but knowing what I know of Japanese craftsmen's customs, that would be my assumption. I might also add that on your next habaki, try for a little more "lightness" or "delicacy" in the construct.
Oh! With all that copper, make yourself a set of vise jaw pads! And while you're at it, some wood and leather ones. Makes me cringe every time I see teeth marks in your work!
All in all, your work, both videography and metal, is improving with every video!
Keep it going!
Albert
By lightness you mean thinner copper? I could file the inside of the habaki before folding, true. It would probably let it slide a bit smoother and fit better.
I think, and it's hard to describe, but what you want is to use the minimum amount of material and get the maximum effect if that makes any sense. Think of each process as a distinct part of the whole. So the interior of the habaki, for instance, that is rarely seen should be as well finished as the rest so that when it is seen it's a pleasant surprise, and a the craftsman's skill is evident.
There's a line in the Last Samurai, "From the moment they wake, they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue."
AAR
very informative !! thank you!
you're welcome!
Boring