Handcrafted in a small village nestled in the Longquan Mountains in China's Zhejiang province, where the tradition of handcrafting swords began over 2000 years ago.
Each piece of this sword is crafted by expert smiths using centuries-old methods. The blade is forged from 1095 high carbon steel and specially clay-tempered using traditional methods, with a Rockwell hardness in the range of 45-48 HRC and the harder edge in the range of 56-58 HRC. This ancient tempering method creates the hamon, the visible line that appears on the blade when the clay is removed. Each blade is sharpened and must be able to cleanly cut a sheet of paper before leaving the factory.
The dragon-themed tsuba and collar are exquisitely crafted; in ancient Japanese mythology, dragons were associated with rain and bodies of water, and some could fly. The metal parts of the pommel are made of brass and have an aged finish. The grip is genuine stingray skin wrapped in cord.
The wooden scabbard is painted matte black with brilliant "raindrops".
Includes a cotton storage bag.
Also includes a cleaning and maintenance kit for Shogun Katanas, presented in an elegant wooden box that includes:
- Oil bottle, to protect the blade
- Oil application cloth
- Rice paper that keeps the blade free from dirt
- Uchiko, to loosen dust
- Hammer for manipulating the mekugis (wooden peg used to secure the blade to the katana handle)
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Overall Length: 104 cm
- Blade Length: 72 cm
- Weight: 1,080 g
- Blade Steel: High Carbon 1095 Steel