Ginko leaf inlay class - Part 3 - Making Shibuichi, the right way.

[@lucynovikova8344]

Thank you, Ford! I can not believe I have an access to THIS precious knowledge with the video of THAT quality... for FREE. Absolutely speechless... Thank you for your work!

[@FordHallam]

You are very welcome

[@aqcd]

i have a background in materials science and engineering so the effects you describe in this cu-ag alloy are fascinating. With limited understanding it seems you are describing a metastable phase or combination of phases. Id personally would love a series of just describing these alloys. Thank you for the great content

[@FordHallam]

The metallurgy of Japanese alloys is especially interesting and I will cover these aspects in film as we progress, and once the book is published.

[@10Gables]

Thank you so much for this very informative video of not only the 'how' but the history behind shibuichi.

[@deerobinson4685]

Brilliant Sensei thank you!

[@yazman4040]

Thank you Mr. Hallam, that line about us using cubits in the colonies made me guffaw loud enough to scare my cat near half to death. For the record, the standard unit of American measure is empty Miller Lite bottles.

[@FordHallam]

Glad to hear my sardonic commentary is well received.

[@yazman4040]

Arguably the best part, really.

[@Rsama60]

Thank you for this series. Very educational. You have the talent to put things words that could not express in your way. My background I am a tool and dies maker (apprenticeship in ths 1970s in Germany) I am also an engineer and make knives as a hobby.

[@jerkerpersson8578]

Thanks for your excellent tutorials and the generosity in sharing your unique experience. This is immensely fun and challenging. I have just finished my first attempt an put it through the rolling mill. Only minor cracks at one end which were trimmed of anyway. The adventure goes on! Thanks again!

[@nicholasstephenson573]

We have upgraded to budweisers and freedom eagles as units of measurement. Great video by the way.

[@FordHallam]

you just know I'm going to be using 'freedom eagles' in the future.

[@nicholasstephenson573]

😆 I think you will find it liberating.

[@FordHallam]

@@nicholasstephenson573 absolutely

[@Goneella]

very informative and easy to watch, thank you very much for making this video

[@FordHallam]

glad to hear that, any progress on your own ingots?

[@Goneella]

@@FordHallam i managed to do one solid copper cast to oilsand. I'm currently engraving it. i'm doing red-crowned crane and waterfall into it. Hopefully it want look bad at the end :)

[@dougtepfer1899]

Dear Ford , Thanks again for your tutorials .This felt very very familiar having hammered coins to a considerably thin sheet in as far as when to anneal the metal at the proper time . I will be working on this project soon . Very inspiring .

[@armansuciyan3410]

Thank you for another , pleasure to watch, very informative video.

[@FordHallam]

Thanks for watching!

[@danmorrison9712]

Just great stuff.

[@tvanniekerk166]

Hi Ford. Very glad you are making this series of vids. This one was especially informative for me. I've made Shibuichi before but now I understand a lot more regarding the finer details and metallurgy of the process. Glad to see you are well, hope to come visit you some time. Regards Tiaan

[@sergejkirilov2946]

Hi Ford, thanks a lot for your video! Is the process of making and prepare of Shakudo the same as of Shibuichi? Can you also get the nashiji effect on schakudo? Best, Sergej

[@marcsenteney3160]

I am very glad I found your channel sir! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience.

[@stefanocorrias1]

great vid thank you

[@GusBird]

Really enjoy and appreciate your videos. Having forged a number of smaller silver, steel, etc. items (annealed cold and hot) with larger blacksmith hammers, I've always found it an advantage to use some type of holding device. A decent pair of tongs or even small needle-nose pliers can protect fingers and become second nature on the anvil after a little practice. A larger blacksmith's "Flatter" with a well finished surface is helpful too.

[@Milkthief]

This was wonderful thank you! I have noticed easier working after quench when annealing shibuichi so this makes a lot of sense.

[@marcusmccoy3328]

Thank you

[@corujabiruta3732]

man that is awesome. I wonder if there is a way to make the same process to melt and fuse the metals in a coal forge

[@FordHallam]

a charcoal fire, with no free oxygen in the atmosphere is actually bast and traditional.

[@hannahsansburn9362]

Ah there's your lovely scraper being featured again. You wield it so fearlessly! Please, PLEASE inform me where I can find one of these! I will gladly make my own with any instructions you can bless me with. I will trade for it, I will work for it, I will beg.... just kidding I won't beg. BUT I will do all else stated. Thank you for the hours spent face down in my phone learning (more than I've ever before whilst on my phone that's for sure) with intermittent episodes of trial and error and a bit of cursing... if only I had such a scraper... ;)

[@FordHallam]

Hi Hannah, if only you were prepared to beg.... ;-) actually you don't need to. These Japanese style scrapers, kisage, must be made by yourself really as they're not commercially available. I did a little piece on them, their use and forms etc. in the tsuba making series of films. a Modern Classic Tsuba School: Hosa Kusa - Recreating a Modern Classic Part 8 - The kisage and shaping the inner rim.

[@r11449]

This is wonderful! Three questions: 1. Have you ever tried forging out this material hot? (As in red.) 2. Can one use a rolling mill, changing the orientation of the material from pass to pass? 3. What about using a small power hammer?

[@FordHallam]

I have forged hot but the alloy is very much weaker in that state so is prone to cracking on occasion. You can use a rolling mill as you describe but I'd do some serious forging initially to break up the crystal structure beforehand or the risk of cracks forming on the edge between large crystals is high. Cant see any issues with using a small power hammer, I'm jealous ;-)

[@r11449]

@@FordHallam Thank you! Such a pleasure to watch you work.

[@frawleyengravingfrawley2123]

Ford, thank your for a most excellent entertaining and informative video. I absolutely love the color of shibuichi. I hope you don’t mind a question. I was wondering if shibuichi could be formed into a suitable shape to be drawn down into a wire. I am thinking down to perhaps 24AWG (.51 mm). I think I would make a stunning and unique material for and inlay line border for engraving. Any insights your could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Jim.

[@FordHallam]

Glad you liked the film and found it interesting. Shibuichi can absolutely be drawn down to make wire. It wasn't used in that way much in the past, perhaps they didn't get the annealing right ;-), but I've made wire myself and had no problems at all. Just anneal correctly and forge the initial cast ingot really well to get the structure nicely broken down., A closed rod mould would be best,

[@frawleyengravingfrawley2123]

Ford Hallam's Japanese Metalwork Channel - Ford, thank your for taking the time to reply. I will give it a go, and let your how it goes.

[@deerobinson4685]

Wondering if it is possible to sink or raise ? 🤔

[@FordHallam]

If correctly annealed then yes to both, just take it gently and 'listen' to the metal.

[@brainscrub7976]

Awesome video, very informative! Is there by any chance a particular solder that would work well for soldering shibuichi?

[@FordHallam]

generally speaking standard jewellers silver solder is what I use but just be aware that shibuichi can reticulate quite quickly and easily.

[@FordHallam]

you could use low temp cadmium free silver solder. but avoid anything with lead in it as it'll make patination impossible.

[@brainscrub7976]

@@FordHallam Excellent! Thank you very much!

[@CaladoLu]

Mr Ford, thanks for that brilliant lecture. You mentioned that the alloy wasn't designed for mechanical strenght. That said, would you say it would be a bad idea to use it for a habaki?

[@FordHallam]

It's very rarely used for habaki, although I did make one once, many years ago. Its relative hardness makes it tricky to fit tightly to the blade, and the patina wears off easily.

[@CaladoLu]

@@FordHallam I see. Thank you kindly!

[@tek-b4c]

Thank you, So much I realise I do not know.

[@buckwildebeest398]

♪oh, the colonies, la-te-da! my dear! fathoms, cubits, dare I say, old boy, yay? ♪

[@nobilismaximus]

The plumbers torch works but you need to use MAPP gas or equivalent which is an acetylene alternative

[@Four9sFineJewelry]

..... 🇺🇸 did you just call us, “the colonies?” Kidding... LOVED this video!!! Soooo much information crammed into such a short video. Thank you for doing this.

[@PanikBaskit]

Maybe a newbie question, but what files are you using? They seem to cut so well! thanks

[@FordHallam]

Check out my film on files and handles etc

[@daviSilva-co3ov]

Pfvr disponibiliza legenda em português dos seus vídeos pra mim poder entender vc e poder aprender melhor

[@snipercod]

What's the material of the mold?

[@FordHallam]

it's a typical jewellers steel mould.

[@snipercod]

@@FordHallam thank you Ford

[@grendal113]

Copper work hardens so I would figure it is mostly copper and be treated the same.

[@FordHallam]

In fact once metals are alloyed, ie; mixed, then their respective mechanical properties can be hugely altered. Copper on its own is very soft and malleable whereas in a silver copper binary mix it's pretty stiff and can work harden far more quickly.

[@grendal113]

@@FordHallam I just recently found your work. Absolutely amazing. I'm a gun maker and fabricator. I'm trying desperately to learn these finer skills to apply them to high end guns. Damascus slides and various Japanese inlays and such. I hope to take a class if you still teach them. Love your work!