Another San Mai thread

Nice. Here's mine. You can see the handle hole where there used to be a handle. I've found it easier to hold it on the blade by hand. Always felt awkward with the handle. I'd suggest people to try one out if they haven't. Don't really need it but it speeds things up for me.

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I take it that you remove the flatter from the work as soon as the blow is struck to save as much heat in the blade for multiple blows
 
Well, unless you're using a hold down tool, you've got one hand holding the flatter and the other with a hammer. So, I'm typically holding the blade down with the flatter (especially if I'm doing bevels where the ricasso and tang need to be off of the anvil). I strike and just move as quickly as I can down the flat I'm working on making blows as I go.
 
I have thought about holding the flatter a hair above the piece then strike the flatter and withdraw it to hold heat longer but I have not tried it yet. In honesty when the steel is lying flat on the anvil it sucks the heat out quickly anyway.
 
Ya'll are right, with a thin billet like San Mai the heat does go out really fast.

The problem I had holding flatter bar with hand it got hot! Even thru gloves it got pretty hot. Looking forward to next billet so I can try this flatter I rigged up. I placed an order for $250 of 15N20, 416SS, 1070, and 1095 yesterday so I'll have plenty of metal to play with soon.
 
KenH said:
Ya'll are right, with a thin billet like San Mai the heat does go out really fast.

The problem I had holding flatter bar with hand it got hot! Even thru gloves it got pretty hot. Looking forward to next billet so I can try this flatter I rigged up. I placed an order for $250 of 15N20, 416SS, 1070, and 1095 yesterday so I'll have plenty of metal to play with soon.
Click to expand...
Yep, you are hooked...
 
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