the blade — T10 high carbon, clay-tempered

The tantō is short by definition, but this one does not get short-changed on construction. It runs a 33cm blade in T10 high carbon steel, clay-tempered and water-quenched. Clay tempering is one of the more demanding steps in traditional Japanese sword making. The smith applies a thin layer of clay along the edge and a thicker layer along the spine before heating and quenching. The differential in cooling rate is what creates the hardness gradient — harder at the edge, tougher through the spine. It is not a shortcut process and it does not hide behind a machine. Every blade gets a different result.

The hamon is the visible temper line that forms along the edge as a result of this process. There is no stencil, no laser, no template. It forms organically from how the steel and clay interact under heat. What you get is a flowing or cloud-like pattern running the length of the blade, visible and consistent. The surface is finished with a 17-step hand water-grinding polish — the blade face comes out deep black-steel mirror, the edge bevel is ground bright silver. The contrast between the two is deliberate and clean. The hamon reads as a lighter grey-white mist along the edge, which is exactly what a real hamon should do.

You hear “17 steps” and it is fair to be skeptical — it is a number that gets inflated. In this case it is a sequence of graded stone work, each pass removing less material than the last, ending in a smooth reflective surface. The kissaki — the tip section — is finished to the same standard as the rest of the blade. Too many tantō in this range rush the tip. You can tell. This one does not.

tsuba — gold kiku, phoenix relief

The tsuba is zinc alloy with gold plating, shaped as a round kiku (chrysanthemum) form. The outer border is a repeating arc petal pattern — each arc sits next to the last to form the kiku silhouette as a whole. The face features a raised phoenix and cloud motif cast in relief, not engraved. It reads clearly at arm’s length and it is the most visually specific element of the fitting set. The gold finish is consistent across the whole guard. Nothing is painted over or masked. The proportions are correct for a tantō — nothing looks oversized relative to the blade.

habaki — zinc alloy, vertical relief

The habaki is zinc alloy with a vertical relief pattern running the length of the collar. The finish is two-tone — gold and copper tones that sit alongside each other without one overwhelming the other. It does not compete with the gold tsuba, it complements it. The habaki seats against the blade and provides the primary seal against dust and moisture entering the saya. Two seppa on each side keep the mounting tight. The whole assembly is removable for maintenance.

tsuka — black ray skin, ivory cotton, diamond wrap

The handle has a solid wood core covered in genuine black ray skin samegawa. Over that is an ivory cotton ito wrap in a diamond pattern. The diamond wrap is tighter and more structured than a simple cross wrap — each wrap sits flush against the last and the tension holds without glue or adhesive. Where the wrap opens between the diamond windows, the black ray skin shows through. The black-and-ivory contrast is deliberate. It is not subtle, and it works.

Two gold dragon menuki sit on the face of the handle. Fuchi and kashira are matching gold zinc alloy. The handle is 17cm — long enough for a full grip, not oversized for the blade. Two bamboo mekugi pins run through the full tang and the handle. Remove the pins and the handle slides off. No tools required. This is how a real sword is maintained.

saya — real wood, amber gold sand lacquer

The saya is solid wood with an amber orange-brown lacquer finish. The gold sand treatment suspends fine gold particles throughout the lacquer coating — the particles catch light at different angles and give the surface a depth that a plain lacquer does not have. It is a maki-e-derived finish without being ostentatious. Koiguchi and koashizuke are reinforced with black metal fittings. The sageo is cream braided cord in a bow knot — the color matches the ivory ito on the handle. Everything ties together in the same tonal range.

Tanto Size

Overall length (sheathed): 55 cm / 21.65 inches
Blade length: 33 cm / 12.99 inches
Handle length: 17 cm / 6.69 inches
Blade width: 3.2 cm / 1.26 inches
Blade thickness: 0.6 cm / 0.24 inches
Total weight: approx. 0.7 kg / 1.54 lbs