This is one of our more serious blades. T10 tool steel with a clay-tempered hamon, 18-step hand polishing, 60HRC edge hardness. It’s not the cheapest katana we sell. It’s not supposed to be.

The hamon on this blade is real. We’re not etching or stamping it. The smith applies clay along the blade before quenching. Thin clay on the edge, thick clay on the spine. When the blade hits the water, the exposed edge cools fast and goes hard. The spine, insulated by the clay, cools slow and stays flexible. The boundary between the two zones shows up as the hamon line. No two blades come out with the same pattern. The one you get will be yours alone.

After heat treatment, the blade goes through 18 polishing stages. Coarse stones first, then progressively finer. The edge finishes at a bright mirror polish. The spine stays matte. The contrast between the two surfaces is what Japanese polishers call niku, and it’s what makes a properly polished blade look alive under light.

Blade
T10 tool steel, full tang, 71 cm blade length. The edge hardness comes in at 60HRC after clay tempering. That’s hard enough to hold a working edge through cutting practice without being so brittle that it chips on impact.

The hamon runs the full length of the cutting edge. The pattern depends on how the clay was applied and how the steel responded to the quench. Some come out with a straight suguha. Others show more movement. We don’t control the exact shape, which is the whole point.

18 hand-polishing steps bring the blade from rough forge finish to mirror-grade surface. The polishing work alone takes significant time. The edge section ends up white-bright. The spine stays matte. You can see the transition clearly.

Tsuba
Zinc alloy, matte black, round shape. The face has an openwork chrysanthemum pattern — flower petals radiating outward from the center, cut through the metal so you can see through them. The chrysanthemum (kiku) is a symbol with deep roots in Japanese culture. It appears on imperial crests, shrine gates, formal garments, and sword fittings going back to the Heian period.

A gold-toned elliptical habaki sits at the center of the tsuba. Small red sakura menuki details are visible on the tsuba face. Black, gold, and red. Three colors that work well together on a guard.

Habaki
Copper with a gold finish. Fine engraved patterns cover the surface. The gold tone creates a sharp contrast against the black tsuba. It grips the blade tightly and sits flush against the saya mouth when sheathed.

Tsuka
26 cm handle. Hardwood core. White ray skin (same-gawa) underneath. Deep red cotton ito wrapped over it in a diamond (hishi-maki) pattern. The white ray skin shows through the diamond gaps clearly.

Gold butterfly-shaped menuki sit under the ito on both sides. The fuchi (collar) is black with gold detailing. The kashira (pommel cap) is black with a gold chrysanthemum relief. Two mekugi pegs hold everything in place.

The deep red and white color combination is strong. You notice the handle before you notice anything else.

Saya
Solid hardwood with a deep crimson lacquer finish. The lacquer has a metallic shimmer that shows up under direct light. Not glossy in the way a clear coat is glossy. More like the way a good paint job on a car shifts color depending on where the light hits.

The sageo cord is cream-white, tied in a traditional warrior knot (musubi) at the kurigata. Crimson and cream. It’s a clean combination.

Specifications
Overall length with saya 103 cm / 40.6 in
Blade length 71 cm / 28 in
Handle length 26 cm / 10.2 in
Blade width 3.2 cm / 1.26 in
Weight approx. 1.32 kg / 2.9 lb
Steel T10 tool steel
Heat treatment Clay tempered
Polishing 18-step hand polish
Edge hardness 60 HRC
Construction Full tang
Hand-forged items vary. Small dimensional differences are normal.

Intended Use
This one is for people who care about the blade itself. If you want a hamon you can study up close, proper hand-polished steel, and a sword that looks like it belongs in a higher price bracket, this is it. It works for cutting practice. It works for iaido with the unsharpened option. It also works on a stand in your living room.

The crimson saya with cream sageo photographs well. People buy these as gifts because the visual impact is immediate.

FAQ
1.What does clay tempered mean?

Clay tempering is a traditional heat treatment method. The smith applies clay to the blade before quenching — thin on the edge, thick on the spine. The edge cools fast and hardens. The spine cools slow and stays flexible. The boundary between the two zones shows up as a visible line on the blade called the hamon. It’s functional, not decorative. The differential hardness is what gives a Japanese blade its cutting ability without making it fragile.

2.Is the hamon on this katana real?

Yes. It’s formed during the clay tempering process, not etched or printed. Each blade produces a unique hamon pattern. You can verify this by looking at the transition zone closely. Real hamon has depth and irregularity that etched patterns don’t replicate.

3.What does 60HRC mean for the edge?

HRC is the Rockwell hardness scale. 60HRC means the edge is hard enough to hold a sharp edge through repeated cutting sessions. For reference, most kitchen knives sit between 55 and 62HRC. The spine of this blade is softer, which is what gives it flexibility. A blade that’s 60HRC all the way through would snap under impact.

4.Why is T10 steel used for this sword?

T10 is a high carbon tool steel. It takes clay tempering well, polishes to a mirror finish, and holds a sharp edge. It’s one of the better steels available for traditional-style Japanese swords at this price point. Compared to 1095 or 1060 carbon steel, T10 is harder and holds an edge longer. Compared to spring steels like 9260, it’s less flexible but sharper.

5.What is the 18-step polishing process?

After heat treatment, the blade is polished using progressively finer abrasive stones. The process starts with coarse stones to shape and smooth the blade, then moves through medium and fine grades. The final stages bring the edge to a mirror finish while leaving the spine matte. The contrast between the two surfaces is a hallmark of traditional Japanese blade polishing. The 18 steps distinguish hand-polished work from machine finishing.

6.Can I use this katana for tameshigiri cutting?

Yes. The T10 blade with clay tempering is built for cutting practice on tatami omote and bamboo. Select the sharpened option at checkout for the best edge geometry.