Katana making. O-soraku tanto, tempering fail, Hócho tanto making 

I made two tantos from one stick of kobuse style. The first is the Gassan style. The second was to be o-soraku Kyomaro. I failed at hardening. Two cracks appeared. I shortened the blade. He forged a new blade again. Hócho hira zukuri. This time the hardening was successful. It is interesting to observe how different the jigane is. Mokume/itame. It is altered by the style of blade forging.