katana1980

Tachi: A long sword which is worn with the cutting edge down and is suspended from a belt. Mountings of this type were for the long sword of the old sword (Koto) period (AD.900 - AD.1530) and were four to five feet in length. In this period the sword was worn suspended from the hip by cords which passed through two rings on the scabbard. There are many imitations of the Jindachi-zukuri mounting. Most of them ware copied in the past one hundred years in the vicinity of Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, and Sakai (near Osaka), where much counterfeiting was done not only of mountings but of well-known blades. Please view following Jindachi-zukuri mounting and Tachi blade

Katana: A long sword which is worn with the cutting edge up and is supported by an obi or sash. Mountings of this type come from the New Sword (Shinto) period (AD.1531 - AD.1867). The handle is bound with narrow cord or leather thongs. Because the swords were worn on the left hip, inserted between the hip and the obi and not suspended, there were no rings attached to the scabbards, as in the Jindachi-zukuri mountings. The full length of this mounting was three-and-a-half to four-and-a-half feet. The scabbard of this mounting often has pockets for a kozuka (utility knife), a kogai (skewer), or a set of wari-bashi (split chopsticks) near its mouth. At the most, only two of these three items were carried in the pockets of a scabbard. We named mountings of this type were Buke-zukuri. Of all the mountings in existence, this type is most common and is of great interest to connoisseurs. Please view following Buke-zukuri mounting (katana mounting)

Wakizashi: A short sword, generally with a length between 12 and 24 inches (one to two shaku). Please view following wakizashi picture

Tanto: A dagger with a maximum length of approximately 12 inches (one shaku). Please view following tanto picture

Ken: An old style of straight blade with a double edge. This can be in any length from a tanto (12 inches) to a sword (over 24 inches). Please view following ken blade

Naginata: A polearm with a blade mounted on a very long pole. Naginata have a characteristic shape with a wide, strongly curved point. Please view following naginata blade

Yari: A polearm which has a straight blade, and which sometimes has cross arms. These come in a variety of shapes, from simple straight blades to various types of cross-shaped blades. Please view following Yari blades

Hoko: An older type of yari which has a socket for the pole to fit into (instead of the usual tang which fits into the top of a pole), But some hoko have traditional Japanese tangs

Shapes:

Shinogi-Zukuri: The blade has a ridge line, or shinogi, running along its length with the thickest part of the blade at the shinogi. This, the most common type, is found in the majority of long swords. Please view following Shinogi-Zukuri blade illustration

Hira-Zukuri: Two sides of the blade are flat from the edge to the back surface. This is the most common type for short blades. Please view following Hira-Zukuri blade illustration

Shobu-Zukuri: Blades of this type are generally short. They were popular in the Muromachi period (AD.1384 - AD.1574). Please view following Shobu-Zukuri blade illustration

ShouKarasuMaru: An older type of tachi blade and dates came from before the late Heian period (AD.794 - AD.986). Half of the blade of this type with single cutting edge and other half blade with double cutting edges. This type is very rare shape among the oldest Japanese tachi blades. Please view following Shou Karasu Maru blade illustration

Moroha-Zukuri: This type was developed for tanto and dates came from the Mid-Muromachi period (AD.1384 - AD.1574). The blade has double cutting edges with a hamon on both edges, known as ken, is very scarce. Most tanto blades of the ken type were converted from blades of Japanese spears (yari). Please view following Moroha blade illustration

Kiriha-Zukuri: Straight blade with the shinogi is very low and closer to the ha, or cutting edge, than it is to the top, or mune, surface of the sword. Please view following Kiriha blade illustration

Kanmuri-Otoshi: Blade of this type is found in short swords (tanto), chiefly among those made by sword smith of the Yamato and allied schools after the later Kamakura period (AD.1192 - AD.1335). Please view following Kanmuri-Otoshi blade illustration

Kissaki: The point

Boshi: The hamon in the point area of the sword

Yokote: A line which is perpendicular to the cutting edge. The yokote defines the point area by making a clear demarcation between the point and the body of the sword

Ko-Shinogi: The part of the shinogi which extends through the point area of the sword

Mitsukado: (Literally,"three corners") the point where the yokote line meets the shinogi

Iori: A two surface back or (mune) of the sword. The two surfaces slope back from the sides of the sword and meet in a single sharp ridge on the top (mune) surface of the blade

Mune: The top surface back of the blade

Shinogi: The ridge line running along the length of the sword parallel to the cutting edge. The thickest part of the blade is the section through the shinogi

Shinogiji: The flat surface of the blade between the shinogi and the mune

Hamon: The visible pattern formed by the hardened cutting edge against the body of the blade. Hamon is the border line between the hard cutting edge and softer flexible part of the blade. It is emerged through Japanese traditional clay tempered quencher method

Hasaki: The cutting edge of the blade

Ha: The cutting edge of the blade between the hamon and hasaki

Machi: A notch or extension at the top of the tang (Nakago) of the blade. This notch is formed where the blade widens out from the tang (Nakago) to form the cutting edge (the hamachi) or the back (mune) surface of the blade (munemachi)

Nakago: The tang of the sword

Yasurime: File marks

Mekugi Ana: The peg holes on the Nakago

Nakagojiri: The tip or bottom of the Nakago

Mountings:

Saya: Sword scabbard

Tsuka: Sword hilt or handle

Kurigata: Protuberant wood or metal part on the surface of the saya. It is the cord which surrounds the scabbard and can be tied to sageo

Sageo: It is the cord tied to the saya. Samurai in the past used this and tied it to their belts to avoid others taking the sword from behind.

Tsuba: The guard protects the palm of the hand when holding the sword. It is made of steel, copper, silver or some other metal. There are many people who collect  tsuba because of beautiful craftsmanship displayed in their construction

Fuchi: Pommel of the tsuka behind the tsuba

Kashira: Pommel at base of the tsuka

Menuki: Hilt ornaments. A hilt has a pair of menuki. Some of the pairs have identical designs, but some consists of companion or counterpart designs.

Samegawa: It is the fish skin taken from a stingray or shark from Asia ocean. Samegawa is then soaked, wrapped and glued around the wooden hilt. It is very abrasive stuff. Please view following whole stingray skin

Tsukamaki: Hilt wrapping

Mekugi: Rivet hole of the hilt

Sayajiri: End part of saya

Kojiri: Metal fitting to protect sayajiri from kissaki hits

Habaki: Collar. In order to prevent the blade from rattling in the scabbard, it is inserted in a wedge-shaped collar. A properly made collar wedges firmly inside the mouth of the scabbard to prevent the blade from rattling and from slipping accidentally out of the scabbard

Seppa: 2 metal spacers or washers placed on the 2 sides of the tsuba

Kogai: The implement as a comb and split chopsticks

Kozuka: Utility knife which placed on the groove of the mouth of the scabbard

Maru: This type of construction, with one grade of steel. Blades of this type usually reveal a smooth, grainless appearance on their surface. Please view the following maru blade illustration

Sanmai: In this type the high carbon steel laminated in the middle is surrounded by two layers of soft folded steel. Please view the following sanmai blade illustration. The middle high carbon steel is exposed and hardened so that the cutting edge becomes strong. The two layers of soft folded steel makes the blade flexible

Kobuse A: In this type the soft core steel is wrapped by high carbon steel. Please view the following kobuse blade illustration. The green part (soft core steel) makes the blade flexible. The red part (high carbon steel) is exposed and hardened so that the cutting edge becomes strong

Kobuse B: In this type the soft core steel is wrapped by sturdy folded steel. Please view the following kobuse blade illustration. The green part (soft core steel) makes the blade flexible. The blue part (sturdy folded steel) is exposed and hardened so that the cutting edge becomes strong

Hon-Sanmai-Awase: The softest core steel and the high carbon steel are covered by the mid-softer folded steel. Please view the following Hon-Sanmai-Awase blade illustration. The red part (high carbon steel) exposed as the cutting edge. The blue part (mid-softer folded steel) exposed as the blade skin makes the blade flexible. The green part (softest core steel) of the blade core and spine makes the blade flexible. The red part is harder than the blue part. The blue part is harder than the green part

Shiho-Zume: This type is the same as the Hon-Sanmai-Awase, except for the addition of the mild carbon steel of spine. Please view the following Shiho-Zume blade illustration. The red part (high carbon steel) exposed as the cutting edge. The blue part (folded steel) exposed as the blade skin makes the blade flexible. The green part of the core of the blade (soft core steel) supports the brown part (mild carbon steel of spine) and make the blade more flexibler. The red part (high carbon steel) exposed as the sturdy cutting edge

Introduction to our blades:

AISI 1055 Carbon Steel With 7 Process Hand Sharpening Work:

This type of the blade is Maru blade construction. Hand forged blade consists of AISI 1055 carbon steel. The blade is polished through 7 process hand sharpening work. The cutting edge is hardened through quench in water. Functional blade can cut one bamboo. Please view the following blade picture

AISI 1060 Carbon Steel With 12 Process Hand Sharpening Work:

This type of the blade is Maru blade construction. Hand forged blade consists of AISI 1060 carbon steel. AISI 1060 carbon steel is harder than AISI 1055 carbon steel. The blade is polished through 7 process hand sharpening work. The cutting edge is hardened through quench in water. Functional blade can cut two bamboos with a strike. Please view the following blade picture

Sanmai Folded Steel Blade With 7 Process Hand Sharpening Work:

This type of the blade is Sanmai blade construction. Please view the Sanmai blade illustration. The blue part is consists of hand forged AISI 1045 mild folded steel that makes the blade flexible. The red part is consists of hand forged AISI 1060 high carbon steel so that the cutting edge becomes hardened. The blade is polished through 7 process hand sharpening work. The sturdy cutting edge is more harder because of quench in water. Functional blade can cut four bamboos with a strike. Please view the following blade picture

Sanmai Folded Steel Blade With 12 Process Hand Sharpening Work:

This type of the blade is Sanmai blade construction. Please view the Sanmai blade illustration. The blue part is consists of hand forged AISI 1045 mild folded steel that makes the blade flexible. The red part is consists of hand forged AISI 1060 high carbon steel so that the cutting edge becomes hardened. The blade is polished through 12 process hand sharpening work. None blood groove folded steel blade is much more difficult to sharpen and requires lots of work than blood groove folded steel blade. The sturdy cutting edge is more harder because of quench in water. Functional blade can cut five bamboos with a strike. Please view the following blade picture and cutting test

AISI 1095 Clay Tempered Blade With 7 Process Hand Sharpening Work:

This type of the blade is Maru blade construction. Hand forged blade consists of AISI 1095 high carbon steel. AISI 1095 high carbon steel is harder than AISI 1060 carbon steel. The blade has differential hardened with application of Japanese traditional Clay Tempered quenching method. The blade is polished through 7 process hand sharpening work. Functional blade can cut four bamboos with a strike. Please view the following blade picture

AISI 1095 Clay Tempered Blade With 12 Process Hand Sharpening Work:

This type of the blade is Maru blade construction. Hand forged blade consists of AISI 1095 high carbon steel. AISI 1095 high carbon steel is harder than AISI 1060 carbon steel. The blade has differential hardened with application of Japanese traditional Clay Tempered quenching method. The blade is polished through 12 process hand sharpening work. Functional blade can cut four to five bamboos with a strike. Please view the following blade picture

Sanmai Folded Steel Clay Tempered Blade With 12 Process Hand Sharpening Work:

This type of the blade is Sanmai blade construction. Please view the Sanmai blade illustration. The blade has differential hardened with application of Japanese traditional Clay Tempered quenching method. The blade is polished through 12 process hand sharpening work. Functional blade can cut five bamboos with a strike. Please view the following blade picture

(no Bo-Hi , no groove)

(with Bo-Hi , groove)

Kobuse Clay Tempered Blade With Japanese Traditional Classical Polishing:

This type of the blade is Kobuse A. blade construction. Please view the Kobuse A. blade illustration. The red part is consists of AISI 1095 high carbon steel that makes cutting edge sturdy. The green part is consists of AISI 1045 mild carbon steel that makes blade core flexible. The blade has differential hardened with application of Japanese traditional Clay Tempered quenching method. The blade is polished through Japanese Traditional Classical Polishing method (need 2 months to complete). This type of the blade is genuine artwork and the value will go up.

A paste is made of clay, powdered grinding stone, charcoal and other elements. This paste is spread over the sword blade. Please view the above illustration. Different color part is applied the paste of the different clay element. Then the sword smith use a small stick to take some clay paste and paints the hamon line designs on the blade surface. After it heats the blade to flaming red and a certain degree. After it plunge the blade into a tank of lukewarm water.