Forging A Wakizashi - Japanese Short Sword

Bladesmith Walter Sorrells demonstrates the forging of a Japanese short sword known as a wakizashi.
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[@rocking018]

Finally some audio that does not sound like a filmstudio like all others!!

[@jesseorco]

Love your videos Walter! Add tapestries to the walls to help deaden sound over larger areas, they absorb the sound waves much better, and you can get branding in them to boot.

[@hanelyp1]

And if tapestries alone isn't enough to deaden the echo, they make great cover for unsightly sound absorbent material.

[@Stefanhallusa]

Sell advertisement space on them!!

[@bruceb51]

You are still amazing after all this time. Thanks !!!!!

[@scrappybobbarker5224]

The audio was fine, thanks for the video. Congratulations on you new shop, it looks nice and airy.

[@michaelelbert5798]

I love this stuff ! Thanks Walter. I'm adding this to my Blacksmith playlist.

[@karlpron]

Great video. I like that kind the most. Real work, in almost real real time. I may never do wakizashi, but the whole process is really valuable in terms of learning and for me real fun to watch. Thanks.

[@EffnShaShinko]

Keep up the great work Mr. Sorrells

[@laforgeduronin1597]

Thanks for your videos

[@simmonscarl1]

You might try some welding curtains to block the echos from the hard surfaces. Put them behind you and on one side.

[@tupto50]

You can tell the passage of time by how sweaty Waler's shirt gets

[@dougwatson6880]

Great video. I'm a relative newbie, with a couple of years of forging experience. Your info in this video was a good reminder to me not to swing so hard when working the blade sides and bevels and to control my hammer face. I have spent unholy amounts of time at the 2x72 working out dings and low spots only to be left with a blade that is then much thinner than intended or useless. Time spent honing my skills with the hammer and anvil are whats in order for me! Thank you.

[@russelbutler6704]

Thank for the tips mate. Was an enjoyable watch and have a pirate cutlass I’m about to forge so will put them to use.

[@airborne650]

Really enjoy the long form videos! Very interesting and informative. The audio really wasn't that bad, but hopefully you can get some sound deadening down the road. Keep up the good work!

[@ShaminMike]

Cool video brother!

[@RobanyBigjobz]

Flags or other tapestry like things will help a lot with the echo

[@stephenjohnson6841]

TBH. I didn't think the audio was really all that bad. Thanks for sharing!

[@richardk.4131]

Hey Walter do an internet search for vertical hanging acoustic baffles. You can buy the fancy ones or you can make them out of those cheap suspended ceiling tiles and hang them by the edge with wire. Just be sure to use a somewhat random pattern to prevent harmonics. My guess is maybe a dozen or so would work wonders. You can also make a few room divider style frames with the acoustic panels and set them around your work area. Cheap and fairly easy.

[@philochristos]

Good video.

[@keithvanbrunt6721]

amazing video thank you very much. audio wasn't that bad even during the rain. .. I have used a bluetooth mic to get voice presence when there is back ground noise.

[@stevekelley3445]

I know the feeling Walter I'm in Macon ga my shop was at 130 deg last Sunday with forge at temp

[@allanhall2062]

I liked this video, made me feel like I was in the shop with you, made it seem so much more real. Workshops are noisy!

[@rondangeli4175]

Good vid, audio not that bad, hope to see more of the sword, maybe "yakire"

[@silentforest4126]

That audio really wasn't all that bad, considering the importance of the content shown here. And its quality

[@cae2487]

Oh man would you listen to that....I can't imagine how someone could be so noisy smacking a hammer against steel. Hahaha just kidding love the way this video came out. It felt like being in the shop with you. Thanks for sharing Walter your knowledge and experience is invaluable to all of us that don't have as much as you do. I think the next time you make a wakizashi you should do a ball bearing canister damascus one. Then you get a little redemption from you forged in fire run. That being said I don't care how good of a blade maker a person can is or could be the time constraints and the other challenges forged in fire throws at a person is crazy and no one should ever be judged solely on what they displayed on the show. It is an unnatural build process and I think 95% of the winners end up winning due to luck and skill.

[@swackerle]

What you really need is a wireless LAV mic. Putting up sound deadening will help with the echo, but the problem is that right now your mic is equidistant from the hammer and your mouth. No matter what, the hammer is much louder than your voice. If you get a wireless LAV mic, make a "hang ten" sign with your pinky and thumb, that is the max distance you want it from your mouth. The closer to your mouth the better. Look at any live sports announcer on the field, they are practically eating the mic because their voice needs to be closer to the mic than anything else. I've been a subscriber for years, so it's nice being able to give some knowledge back!

[@nahte123]

If you asked me what kind of video I wanted to see, it would be pretty much exactly this. I've been doing some Japanese-y wakizashi stuff lately, and the "rough" format really gives me the feeling of being there with you. If only this came a few days earlier! I hope we get to see the continuation of this project.

[@Vanayr]

I need a sound safe space!

[@timjackson5555]

Whoo that anvil is a ringin 🙉 some sprayed on insulation might help with the echo in the shop?? Great to see some in-depth video, everyone seems to focus on beginner stuff.

[@cchgn]

Great video, I personlly enjoy the meat and potatoes of "how to". Just curious- when you are hammering and hit the anvil occasionally (in cadence) , is that on purpose or just co-incidental?

[@apexmitch7986]

Great video, thank you. Why was there water on the anvil from time to time?

[@qbishop1]

I made it! It wasn't that bad. Dare I say: I enjoyed the video.

[@fireplusbirdfilms6517]

As a professional videographer, I understand your pain in trying to get good sound quality in a large, echo-ey space. Step one, as some have recommended, would putting up flags, tapestries or other cloth hangings to dampen sound (which is a far simpler and less coslty option than professional sound treatment for the space but much less effective). If you haven't found them yet, there is a product called a sound blanket productions use to dampen sound waves on sets, you can set them up around you just out of camera frame. DSLR Video Shooter here on KZbin has great tutorial videos on how to rig them on rolling c-stands that can be positioned quickly and rolled out of the way when not in use. Your space is big and has lots of hard surfaces for sound to bounce off of, causing your echoe problem, so anything you can to to create soft, noise absorbing surfaces will help you out. Secondly, you need better mics and mic placement. In professional video production we always go with two sound sources as a failsafe. The bluetooth mics that have been suggested are a cheap solution. A better bet would be a professional-grade wireless lavalier mic such as the Sony UWP-D series or those by Sennheiser. You should also use a small diaphragm condenser with either a hypercardioid or a supercardioid pick-up pattern on a boom pole or extension arm above you just out of frame (Here's a good article with more info www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/pro-audio/buying-guide/interior-dialog-boompole-microphone-roundup). A long shotgun mic, which many novices might think would be a good choice, will pick up more echoes in a space that's prone to echoes. Also, you need to have the mic placement as close to you as possible without being in the frame. It sounds like your microphone is current on camera or close to your camera. Good luck and keep hammering.

[@richardbranton2780]

The dreaded fish mouth 😡😡😡 I'm new to knife making and that always kicks my butt. Great video 👍

[@markspc1]

Great video Walter. The echo could be reduced by hanging some heavy duty flags like American flag, your state flags and other heady duty cloth posters.

[@jamesbarisitz4794]

Get yourself a large 3 blade barn fan. They've come down in price. Set it behind you to keep the steel out of the breeze. How are you liking the new shop?

[@ryanhagler9410]

I wonder if it’s warm in the shop? I didn’t mind the audio. Just dull down the sound of the anvil.

[@davidwilkerson1904]

A good lapel mic might do you a lot of good here Walter.

[@Adamsforge282]

Love this content, we just made some wakis at our forge, let’s collaborate!

[@alejandropadilla794]

Forgive my ignorance, but I really don't know: if the plank has the desired dimensions, why not doing it by stock removal instead of hammering?

[@andrewsmith1520]

If anyone feels like the video is too long to get through, but you'd still like to watch it, don't forget about the playback speed options.

[@zanecurrie8823]

Walter. I usually like your channel but I am finding it hard to hear what you are saying on this one, it is like the mic is to far away from you and giving an echo to the sound. Still love the content.

[@georgegriffiths2235]

Love this snot and blood video no BS (British expression)

[@BubuH-cq6km]

😎👍🏼

[@markcnc]

Audio, don't care Open rollup door, sweat less Buy fan Great work, looking forward to completion 👍

[@francesmendenhall189]

damn, you make it look easy. A freind of mine is an amatuer bladesmith. he can forge six inch or maybe eight inch blades w/o much warping and twisting trouble but watch him try a foot long blade and you will hear some bad language.

[@dogboneknives7938]

Love your videos Sir. You can deaden the sound imperfections by hanging some frames of Rockwool insulation and cover them with a large cloth banner or large American flags or God forbid some type of an out of state college banner. Love the new shop but it to like the old shop it will lose that new shop smell and size.

[@JoeSteel1]

Walter I can help you set up your Audio, reach out to me...Joe..great video I enjoyed it

[@edburdo]

The knifey part!

[@JJay-ih3ll]

Hey Walt, I do love your nice videos. But I'm enjoying this, more rough and dirty version as well. I see it more as a complement, not a replacement. It has a more, "Go out there and make something." Feel, to your usual, excellent "Here's how you do it right, and why." Videos. Just my two cents.

[@alexparadi522]

I think the idea is a good one. Maybe get a lapel mic?

[@ianrosie4431]

Sounded like a forge.

[@B-leafer]

Audio is ok. Little echo..no big deal. Hit that thing..lol.

[@michaelaustin6851]

Iv got a short sword

[@georgegriffiths2235]

Try a dog head hammer for tapering

[@leighchristopherson2455]

What was the steel? I expect either a 10XX, or W series.

[@randallhackworth421]

Start by telling me not to make a Japanese style sword to start, then tell me you have a whole series on making them😂🤦‍♂️

[@jacobhornberger4613]

Nice pride shirt. Just in time for the last day of June. 😂😂 jk great video

[@Jcwphoto]

You are correct it is impossible to watch. Just like an audio room you need wall treatments. Moving blankets on both side is a great idea. Wireless lav mic. Voiceover

[@gwcstudio]

Wear a lav mic

[@bennyhill3642]

I've heard audio way worse than yours. I could still her you that's more than I can say for some..😇

[@sleazy1drache]

There are certainly worse way to be used as a guinea pig 😁

[@lunkydog]

Was that not going to be the type of blade that you would have had in the FIF final pair? You would have crushed it.