The Shogun series offers a modern made sword with old world tradition

The Shogun series offers a modern made sword with old world tradition. This sword is hand made from Tamahagane which translates to Tama meaning "round or precious" like a gem or jewel and Hagane means steel and is known as jewel steel in Japan being made of satetsu or black iron sand. This is smelted at low temperatures so the reduced iron doesn't become liquid. Because of other trace elements in the sands they can not form alloys in the steel and are removed along with the slag. Tamahagane is processed by heating, hammering, and folding to drive out impurities present in the steel. After the steel is folded over multiple upon itself these many layers of steel produce a subtle and beautiful grain called jihada that becomes visible once the blade is polished. The blade is shaped and rough ground called shiage this is necessary for proper adhesion of the clay for tempering. Tsuchioki or the application of the special clay mixture is applied to the length of the blade, this clay will act as an insulating "blanket" during the quenching process allowing it to cool much slower. When the swordsmith applies the thin layer along the edge this artistic pattern becomes the hamon. The next step is yaki-ire or water quenching when the smith inserts he clay coated blade after being reheated to just the right temperature and color into a trough of water and when cooled changes the steel to pearlite and martensite to create a hardend edge and softer spin. After forging, heat treating, and rough polishing are completed it is time for Togi for final polish. It is during the final polish with proper Japanese stones that the true artistic beauty will be revealed. It will bring out the subtle features in the blade as the jihada (grain), hamon (treaded edge), nie and nioi ( fine particals of carbon steel) and utsuri (shadow of hamon) if present. These swords are polished by hand using 12 Japanese polishing stones that require over 60 hours of work for each sword. The hada (grain) exhibits itame, mokume, and ayasugi which are styles found in old swords and famous sword schools. The hamon are finished in a hadori style which are made by using the hazuya stone to contrast against the Ji. These swords have a balance and control that are superior to other swords along with the stone polish give sharp and crisp geometry, a true work of art.

These swords are hand made and with the folding process for true tamahagane each sword will exhibit its own qualities in the steel and no two are alike. You have a choice of Japanese silk ito color and style of wrap along with a sageo color. Your choice of Japanese iron tsuba and Japanese menuki that are offered and a gold brocade sword bag. The sword has a 10 1/2" tsuka with a traditional single bamboo mekugi peg. The saya are black lacqured in a 8 step process with buffalo horn koiguchi and kojiri. The blade size 28.5" to 29" sori range in 7/8 to 1" width at habaki 1 1/4" width at kissaki 7/8" blade thickness 1/4"

Shogun $2400

Click below for more photos