I like to mix up where my forging inspirations come from.
I like to pull inspiration from a memory, interest, or request.
Sometimes, I like to go a little outside of the box.
I've always been intrigued by Japanese blacksmiths. Not just for their forging of blades and nihonto... but for the very characteristics and ideologies the smiths incorporate into their work. I've seen a Japanese Nata before. I was intrigued even then by its design and use. Here in the US, I think most folks think of a camping or firewood tool to be an ax, not an ax that looks like a cleaver.
I've seen a few posts on Axe Junkies lately concerning nata and such, a few new, small places marketing them. I really wanted to forge one, and it seemed like my kind of gig. I sketched up some ideas, thought about the materials I had in stock, and came up with the conclusion "...I think I can forge one of these beasts".
My take was on a larger, heftier sized nata. I wanted something I could pack, but something that would conquer most limbs and small firewood tasks. In other words, I wanted something the every day person could use camping or in the yard. I started out with 12 inches of 2.5in x 3/8 in 5160 truck spring. I started showering down on the edge of the stock hanging over the edge of the anvil to start drawing out the tang. After about 2 heats... I realized the 4.5lb hammer I was using wasn't going to cut it, so I had Wayne start striking with the 8 lb sledge while I guided the fuller. Within about 4 heats, we had a nice tang formed. I did some final dressing on the tang and curvature of the entire piece and moved to the grinder. I did a short flat grind on this, I wanted a heartier edge than a convex grind.
The piece ended up with a 7.5 inch cutting edge, and a 9.5 inch handle make of good old American Red Oak. I notched the handle for the tang, drove some steel pins through it, and sealed around it with JB Weld 2 part epoxy. I then slathered some tung oil finish on the handle, cleaned up the edge with some polishing and elbow grease, then finished up with a nice sharpen. It's sharp, eats limbs off trees, and splits wood.
I'm happy with it. There's always room for improvement, though.
Cheers.
