SDC Handmade Blades

[Faker]

#1421 - 7 Wood - OFF-

On the outside it doesn't look like much, but this blade is responsible for sending me on a spiral of experimentation with thermo treated layers 😅. When you heat a piece of wood to a certain degree, you cause all the remaining moisture inside the wood to be expelled, which makes it shrink. The vessels that carry water inside the wood (called Xylem), run longitudinally, so when they shrink, there is a loss in diameter. If a piece of wood has the grain positioned vertically, the length will not change, but the width will decrease. Conversely, if a layer has the grain positioned horizontally, the length decreases but not the width. However, if you expose this piece of wood to the natural environment again, it will seek an equilibrium and re-absorb water, returning (partially) to it's initial shape.
This blade was made by "cooking" all the layers to a certain degree, just enough to cause shrinkage, and then quickly glued before they could return to their original shape. I chose a 7 ply structure because there are more layers, so the effect would be more homogeneous than in a 5 ply structure. The goal was to cause tension inside the blade, as the layers want to expand to their original state, but they can't because they are glued to each other.
All this talk, but did it work? In short, yes, but it's not a dramatic effect. It was an experiment, so I used my most disposable woods (because I have a lot of them). The Koto on this blade is very light (and slower), and the Ayous is quite dense, which goes against the basic engineering for an offensive blade. This also made the blade heavier than what most people want from an offensive blade. However, I can sense something different in it, a duality, a calmness, until you push it over the edge and it snaps! It has a nice touch, soft but solid, so I see it more as a modern defending tool, because it can be fast, but it's one of those blades that you need to put some effort in.
Slightly different handle shape on this one too, very round but surprisingly comfortable, very good for twiddling.

Available FS.

- Koto / Koto / Ayous / Ayous / Ayous //
- 94.8g
- 6.35mm
- 150x157mm
- ST (24x28.6x100mm)
- Balance: 3.7cm (High)

Nice looking handle. Which wood did you use for handle?

 

[Metaxa]

#1421 - 7 Wood - OFF-

On the outside it doesn't look like much, but this blade is responsible for sending me on a spiral of experimentation with thermo treated layers 😅. When you heat a piece of wood to a certain degree, you cause all the remaining moisture inside the wood to be expelled, which makes it shrink. The vessels that carry water inside the wood (called Xylem), run longitudinally, so when they shrink, there is a loss in diameter. If a piece of wood has the grain positioned vertically, the length will not change, but the width will decrease. Conversely, if a layer has the grain positioned horizontally, the length decreases but not the width. However, if you expose this piece of wood to the natural environment again, it will seek an equilibrium and re-absorb water, returning (partially) to it's initial shape.
This blade was made by "cooking" all the layers to a certain degree, just enough to cause shrinkage, and then quickly glued before they could return to their original shape. I chose a 7 ply structure because there are more layers, so the effect would be more homogeneous than in a 5 ply structure. The goal was to cause tension inside the blade, as the layers want to expand to their original state, but they can't because they are glued to each other.
All this talk, but did it work? In short, yes, but it's not a dramatic effect. It was an experiment, so I used my most disposable woods (because I have a lot of them). The Koto on this blade is very light (and slower), and the Ayous is quite dense, which goes against the basic engineering for an offensive blade. This also made the blade heavier than what most people want from an offensive blade. However, I can sense something different in it, a duality, a calmness, until you push it over the edge and it snaps! It has a nice touch, soft but solid, so I see it more as a modern defending tool, because it can be fast, but it's one of those blades that you need to put some effort in.
Slightly different handle shape on this one too, very round but surprisingly comfortable, very good for twiddling.

Available FS.

- Koto / Koto / Ayous / Ayous / Ayous //
- 94.8g
- 6.35mm
- 150x157mm
- ST (24x28.6x100mm)
- Balance: 3.7cm (High)

Andro used to have a blade that she would heat up first. It was an Andro Temper Tech All+ and weighed just 76gr. It was one of the best all-wood blades I’ve ever owned.

 

[SDC]

Nice looking handle. Which wood did you use for handle?

It's a type of Mahogany.

 

[SDC]

Andro used to have a blade that she would heat up first. It was an Andro Temper Tech All+ and weighed just 76gr. It was one of the best all-wood blades I’ve ever owned.

Yes, there are several blades on the market made with thermo treated wood, but they go way beyond this, to the point where there is a change in the cellular structure of the wood. The wood is essentially burned to the point where it loses pretty much all moisture, and does not regain volume after that. I have made some blades with fully burnt layers too, but here the goal was different. It was about contracting/expanding the wood to create tension, the heating process was just a way of getting there.

 

[Faker]

#1421 - 7 Wood - OFF-

On the outside it doesn't look like much, but this blade is responsible for sending me on a spiral of experimentation with thermo treated layers 😅. When you heat a piece of wood to a certain degree, you cause all the remaining moisture inside the wood to be expelled, which makes it shrink. The vessels that carry water inside the wood (called Xylem), run longitudinally, so when they shrink, there is a loss in diameter. If a piece of wood has the grain positioned vertically, the length will not change, but the width will decrease. Conversely, if a layer has the grain positioned horizontally, the length decreases but not the width. However, if you expose this piece of wood to the natural environment again, it will seek an equilibrium and re-absorb water, returning (partially) to it's initial shape.
This blade was made by "cooking" all the layers to a certain degree, just enough to cause shrinkage, and then quickly glued before they could return to their original shape. I chose a 7 ply structure because there are more layers, so the effect would be more homogeneous than in a 5 ply structure. The goal was to cause tension inside the blade, as the layers want to expand to their original state, but they can't because they are glued to each other.
All this talk, but did it work? In short, yes, but it's not a dramatic effect. It was an experiment, so I used my most disposable woods (because I have a lot of them). The Koto on this blade is very light (and slower), and the Ayous is quite dense, which goes against the basic engineering for an offensive blade. This also made the blade heavier than what most people want from an offensive blade. However, I can sense something different in it, a duality, a calmness, until you push it over the edge and it snaps! It has a nice touch, soft but solid, so I see it more as a modern defending tool, because it can be fast, but it's one of those blades that you need to put some effort in.
Slightly different handle shape on this one too, very round but surprisingly comfortable, very good for twiddling.

Available FS.

- Koto / Koto / Ayous / Ayous / Ayous //
- 94.8g
- 6.35mm
- 150x157mm
- ST (24x28.6x100mm)
- Balance: 3.7cm (High)

Nice workmanship. Brilliant work Sergio.

 

[SDC]

#1428 - Outer Kev - OFF-

This is a composition I made a few times now, it's based on the SAL (the one with Ayous core), but I changed things up a bit. Normally we would use a denser Koto outer layer, and a lighter core, but in this case I used a light Koto outer and a denser core. This lowers the base reaction of the blade, so it feels less springy on softer shots, but it has the same (if not greater) kick effect that characterizes this composition, with the blade coming alive on harder shots. The feeling is also a bit different, the light outer lets you feel the core a lot more, it's not hard, but it's a firm wood feel (if that makes sense).

"Dotec" wings on the handle, which are not for everyone. They give more volume between the thumb and index finger, so it's better suited for people who have a high grip and like to have something more solid there.

Available FS.

- Koto / Kev / Ayous / Ayous core
- 86.2g
- 5.95mm
- 157x150mm
- "Dotec" FL (100x24.8-23.9mm)
- Balance: 2.6cm (Low)

 

[SDC]

#1431 - Outer 5+2 1k Ax-C - OFF-/OFF

My new favorite fiber, this thing is so light that I can get away with almost everything 😂. All joking aside, it has really nice properties which paired with the low weight ,make for a really well rounded outer blade in this case. It's not the fastest, but it has decent stiffness (with a peak frequency of ~1400Hz) and stability, making it predictable. The thinness of the fiber also influences very little in the feeling of the blade, so it's not your typical pingy carbon feel, but more natural wood feel. All of this translates into to control. Tried something new on the handle, but it didn't turn out exactly as I wanted. Making flames on a band-saw is more difficult than what it seems 😅.

Available FS.

- Koto /1k Ax-C / Ayous / Kiri core
- 88.1g
- 5.95mm
- 150x157mm
- FL (25.0-23.0x100mm)
- Balance: 2.5cm (Low)

 

[Faker]

#1431 - Outer 5+2 1k Ax-C - OFF-/OFF

My new favorite fiber, this thing is so light that I can get away with almost everything 😂. All joking aside, it has really nice properties which paired with the low weight ,make for a really well rounded outer blade in this case. It's not the fastest, but it has decent stiffness (with a peak frequency of ~1400Hz) and stability, making it predictable. The thinness of the fiber also influences very little in the feeling of the blade, so it's not your typical pingy carbon feel, but more natural wood feel. All of this translates into to control. Tried something new on the handle, but it didn't turn out exactly as I wanted. Making flames on a band-saw is more difficult than what it seems 😅.

Available FS.

- Koto /1k Ax-C / Ayous / Kiri core
- 88.1g
- 5.95mm
- 150x157mm
- FL (25.0-23.0x100mm)
- Balance: 2.5cm (Low)

What a handle design🔥

 

[golden_son]

#1431 - Outer 5+2 1k Ax-C - OFF-/OFF

My new favorite fiber, this thing is so light that I can get away with almost everything 😂. All joking aside, it has really nice properties which paired with the low weight ,make for a really well rounded outer blade in this case. It's not the fastest, but it has decent stiffness (with a peak frequency of ~1400Hz) and stability, making it predictable. The thinness of the fiber also influences very little in the feeling of the blade, so it's not your typical pingy carbon feel, but more natural wood feel. All of this translates into to control. Tried something new on the handle, but it didn't turn out exactly as I wanted. Making flames on a band-saw is more difficult than what it seems 😅.

Available FS.

- Koto /1k Ax-C / Ayous / Kiri core
- 88.1g
- 5.95mm
- 150x157mm
- FL (25.0-23.0x100mm)
- Balance: 2.5cm (Low)

Even if it wasn't to your standards, it reads obviously as flames so it's a cool, unique design!

 

[SDC]

#1432 - 7 Wood - OFF-/OFF

The middle layer on typical 7 ply all wood structures blades it's the least important one. It barely impacts the speed of the blade because it's not that thick (comparatively to the core on a 5 ply), although it still influences the feel a bit. However, this layer still has weight, and these precious grams may be used elsewhere to change the properties of the composition. On this blade I replaced the middle Ayous layer by a lighter Kiri, which allowed me to use denser Ayous on layers 3 and 5, and Okoume, which is denser than Ayous, on layers 2 and 6, while keeping the overall weight and head heaviness in check. It's one of my favorite 7 ply blades so far, it feels solid, decently fast, but with a nice woody feel.

Available FS.

- Limba / Okoume / Ayous / Kiri //
- 89.5g
- 6.4mm
- 150x157mm
- ST (23.3x28.8x100mm)
- Balance: 3.2cm (Med)

 

[SDC]

#1433 - Inner B-S - ALL+/OFF-

Nothing too out of the ordinary here, it's basically an inner Vis with a longer head size. Not a very fast blade, but it feels soft, with a tremendous holding sensation.

Available FS.

- Koto / Ayous / Blue-Stuff / Kiri core
- 85.5g
- 5.9mm
- 160x150mm
- Cpen (24.6-22.1x82mm)
- Balance: 3.9cm

 

[SDC]

#1434 - Asymmetric Outer 5+2 - OFF

Asymmetric, but barely, the only difference between sides is the top layer. As I say many many times, this is not enough to cause a perceptible difference in performance. The Limba side feels maybe a hair softer, but I think most people won't even notice this. As for the rest of the composition, I don't use glass-fiber a lot, mostly because it's heavier than B-S or A-C, but apart from that, is a very solid choice for offensive blades. It doesn't have the cracking sound of B-S, which many people prefer, and the feeling is solid and a little muted, but not metallic. This is a stiff blade (~1500Hz), in the upper end of the OFF range. The handle is similar in shape to the TB ALC, but a bit larger.

Available FS.

- Koto / Glass-fiber / Ayous / Kiri / Ayous / Glass-fiber / Black Limba
- 88.8g
- 5.85mm
- 157x150mm
- STSQ (22.5x28.5x100mm)
- Balance: 2.7cm (Low)

 

[SDC]

#1435 - Asymmetric Outer 5+2 - OFF

Another asymmetric outer blade, but this time we have enough difference between sides to cause a difference in performance and feel (but still not that big!). I actually don't think there's a difference in terms on speed, the Limba / I-C side is softer, and you can feel it, it has more of a hold and release sensation. The Koto / B-S side is a bit more direct, but that's about it. This blade is a little slower than the previous one, sitting at the bottom of the OFF range, but the handle shape is similar, TB ALC style but larger. I know some people prefer to have the logo on the Fh, or the other way around, so I decided not to put logos on these blades, in case you wanted to switch sides.

Available FS.

- Koto / Blue-Stuff / Ayous / Kiri / Ayous / Innegra-Carbon / Limba.
- 84.8g
- 5.88mm
- 157x150mm
- STSQ (22.5x28.5x100mm)
- Balance: 2.65cm (Low)

 

[Matteones]

#1435 - Asymmetric Outer 5+2 - OFF

Another asymmetric outer blade, but this time we have enough difference between sides to cause a difference in performance and feel (but still not that big!). I actually don't think there's a difference in terms on speed, the Limba / I-C side is softer, and you can feel it, it has more of a hold and release sensation. The Koto / B-S side is a bit more direct, but that's about it. This blade is a little slower than the previous one, sitting at the bottom of the OFF range, but the handle shape is similar, TB ALC style but larger. I know some people prefer to have the logo on the Fh, or the other way around, so I decided not to put logos on these blades, in case you wanted to switch sides.

Available FS.

- Koto / Blue-Stuff / Ayous / Kiri / Ayous / Innegra-Carbon / Limba.
- 84.8g
- 5.88mm
- 157x150mm
- STSQ (22.5x28.5x100mm)
- Balance: 2.65cm (Low)

Incredible but true, I found it on the website and was on time to buy it! Can't wait to finally try a composite blade

 

[Faker]

Incredible but true, I found it on the website and was on time to buy it! Can't wait to finally try a composite blade

What a timing. Enjoy your blade. 😉 You won't regret it.

 

[Taute]

#1435 - Asymmetric Outer 5+2 - OFF

Another asymmetric outer blade, but this time we have enough difference between sides to cause a difference in performance and feel (but still not that big!). I actually don't think there's a difference in terms on speed, the Limba / I-C side is softer, and you can feel it, it has more of a hold and release sensation. The Koto / B-S side is a bit more direct, but that's about it. This blade is a little slower than the previous one, sitting at the bottom of the OFF range, but the handle shape is similar, TB ALC style but larger. I know some people prefer to have the logo on the Fh, or the other way around, so I decided not to put logos on these blades, in case you wanted to switch sides.

Available FS.

- Koto / Blue-Stuff / Ayous / Kiri / Ayous / Innegra-Carbon / Limba.
- 84.8g
- 5.88mm
- 157x150mm
- STSQ (22.5x28.5x100mm)
- Balance: 2.65cm (Low)

A really beautiful handle... photos like this are frustrating when you're waiting for your turn to have a blade made

 

[SDC]

#1436 - Inner Ax-C - OFF

This a composition that I made in my early days, and some very good players are still using, the only difference being that, back then, I used either AC-I or AC, and here I'm using Ax-C. This is a inner fiber blade that behaves almost like an outer fiber. It's fast, it has a medium low and long arc, but with a bit more feeling and that extra kick on high gears characteristic of inner blades. If you look at a place on the table, that's where the ball goes, very precise. It also features my favorite handle shape, half flared, meaning one side has a bigger flare than the other. This accomplishes the exact opposite of a Tenaly handle for example, it's designed in a way that puts the head of the blade in a vertical position, not diagonal. If you use a lot of wrist in your strokes, this makes a big difference, as it directs the mass forward at the end of the stroke, making it more stable.

Available FS.

- Black Walnut / Ayous / Ax-C / Kiri core
- 91.0g
- 6.2mm
- 157x150mm
- Half FL (24.0x100mm)
- Balance: 3.2cm (Med)

 

[SDC]

#1441 -5 wood - ALL

Same structure as a Violin, but with dense Koto layers instead of Ash. Even at a higher density, this Koto is still not as dense as an average Ash, so the blade is a bit slower as well. Same general feel, but a bit slower, like a downsized version. However, this lower density allows us to use more mass on the handle, making the blade handle heavy and very maneuverable. The handle shape also has a little twist, it's a squared shape, but unlike the TB ALC which is flat on top, this one is very round. Weird, I know, but surprisingly comfortable, and allows for some grip changes between Fh and Bh.

Available FS.

- Koto / Koto / Kiri core
- 89.3g
- 5.45mm
- 157x150mm
- STSQ (23.0x27.1x100mm)
- Balance: 2.3cm (Low)

 

[nablaz]

#1433 - Inner B-S - ALL+/OFF-

Nothing too out of the ordinary here, it's basically an inner Vis with a longer head size. Not a very fast blade, but it feels soft, with a tremendous holding sensation.

Available FS.

- Koto / Ayous / Blue-Stuff / Kiri core
- 85.5g
- 5.9mm
- 160x150mm
- Cpen (24.6-22.1x82mm)
- Balance: 3.9cm

Hey, I know this one! It's the original for my order! 😜

This is how mine came out, by the way...

 

[Faker]

Hey, I know this one! It's the original for my order! 😜

This is how mine came out, by the way...
View attachment 42546

What a handle design🙀🤩