Design a Custom Tanto
Hand forged and traditionally crafted in the classical style.
satoyama style classical style
Choose the Style
Hand forged and traditionally crafted in the classical style.
satoyama style classical style
$1400 – $2300
The wider profile of the mountain style tanto is inspired by a kamakura sword and has a more deeply curved tip (fukura-tsuku) and shorter drop point.
Design a custom tanto mounted in the rustic satoyama tanto style of your choice. More info: Design Your Own Custom Tanto.
Variation shown: hammer finish blade, copper chisagatana guard, natural brown fukiurushi on handle, and natural brown ishimeji lacquered scabbard. (read more info below)
Nagasa (blade length): 170-200mm
Motokasane (blade thickness): 5-7mm
Motohaba (blade width): 28-32mm
Sori (curve): uchizori
Nakago (tang): 100-110mm
Tsuka (handle): 110-120mm
Koshirae (overall): 320-340mm
Blade: reclaimed file steel, harrow tooth steel, spring steel
Habaki (blade collar): forged copper bus bar
Tsuba (guard): forged copper bus bar, salvaged steel, or wrought iron
Handle and scabbard: Nootka Cypress, hemp or cotton cord wrap
Finish: natural urushi lacquer, crushed tea leaves
Mekugi (removable peg): Bamboo
$1500 – $2450
The narrower blade profile of the forest style tanto is based on a yoroidoshi tanto and has a takenoko (bamboo shoot) shape and gradual drop point.
Design a custom tanto mounted in the rustic satoyama tanto style of your choice. More info: Design Your Own Custom Tanto.
Variation shown: hammer finish blade, copper chisagatana guard, natural brown fukiurushi on handle, and natural brown ishimeji lacquered scabbard. (read more info below)
Nagasa (blade length): 200-220mm
Motokasane (blade thickness): 5-7mm
Motohaba (blade width): 24-28mm
Sori (curve): uchizori
Nakago (tang): 100-110mm
Tsuka (handle): 110-120mm
Koshirae (overall): 350-370mm
Blade: reclaimed file steel, harrow tooth steel, spring steel
Habaki (blade collar): forged copper bus bar
Tsuba (guard): forged copper bus bar, salvaged steel, or wrought iron
Handle and scabbard: Nootka Cypress, hemp or cotton cord wrap
Finish: natural urushi lacquer, crushed tea leaves
Mekugi (removable peg): Bamboo
A charcoal forged blade, water quenched with clay, sharpened with waterstones, and finished simply and humbly in the age-old style of farm and foresting tools used in managing satoyama, the borderlands between village and wilds.
$2500 – $3300
The kaiken tanto was designed to be carried in the fold of a kimono and is characterized by a smooth profile and unadorned lacquered exterior.
Design a custom tanto mounted in the classical style of your choice. More info: Design Your Own Custom Tanto.
Variation shown: 8″ blade, yasurime habaki, forged copper seppa, natural brown ishimeji finish, and optional kurikata cord loop. (read more info below)
Nagasa (blade length): 140-210mm
Motokasane (blade thickness): 5-7mm
Motohaba (blade width): 21-27mm
Sori (curve): uchizori
Nakago (tang): 90-100mm
Tsuka (handle): 90-100mm
Koshirae (overall): 270-350mm
Blade: reclaimed carriage spring steel
Habaki: reclaimed copper bus bar or fuse bar
Seppa: reclaimed copper water pipe, reclaimed brass door push plate
Handle and Scabbard: reclaimed Nootka Cypress
Kurikata: Oceanspray ironwood, reclaimed horn
Finish: natural urushi lacquer, reclaimed crushed tea leaves
Mekugi (removable peg): Bamboo
$3250 – $4050
The aikuchi tanto is characterized by the meeting of handle and scabbard and may be fully lacquered or combined with a lacquered samegawa handle.
Design a custom tanto mounted in the classical style of your choice. More info: Design Your Own Custom Tanto.
Variation shown: 8″ blade, yasurime habaki, ironwood fuchi, koiguchi, and kurikata, black matte finish, and decorative mekugi. (read more info below)
Nagasa (blade length): 170-240mm
Motokasane (blade thickness): 5-7mm
Motohaba (blade width): 22-28mm
Sori (curve): uchizori
Nakago (tang): 100-110mm
Tsuka (handle): 100-110mm
Koshirae (overall): 300-380mm
Blade: reclaimed carriage spring steel
Habaki: reclaimed copper bus bar or fuse bar
Seppa: reclaimed copper water pipe, reclaimed brass door push plate
Fuchi and Koiguchi: Oceanspray ironwood or reclaimed horn
Handle and Scabbard: reclaimed Nootka Cypress
Kurikata: Oceanspray ironwood, reclaimed horn
Handle wrap: lacquered rayskin
Finish: natural urushi lacquer, reclaimed crushed tea leaves
Mekugi (removable peg): Bamboo
$4100 – $4650
The hamidashi tanto has full mountings that may consist of twelve or more components and is characterized by a small handguard.
Design a custom tanto mounted in the classical style of your choice. More info: Design Your Own Custom Tanto.
Variation shown: yasurime habaki, copper fuchi and kashira, iron tsuba, natural lacquered samegawa handle, and horn koiguchi. (read more info below)
Nagasa (blade length): 190-270mm
Motokasane (blade thickness): 5-7mm
Motohaba (blade width): 23-29mm
Sori (curve): uchizori
Nakago (tang): 100-110mm
Tsuka (handle): 100-110mm
Koshirae (overall): 320-400mm
Blade: reclaimed carriage spring steel
Habaki: reclaimed copper bus bar or fuse bar
Seppa: reclaimed copper water pipe, reclaimed brass door push plate
Tsuba: forged copper bus bar, fuse bar, salvaged steel, or wrought iron
Fuchi: copper bus bar, salvaged steel, or wrought iron
Kashira: Oceanspray ironwood, Wenge, reclaimed horn, copper bus bar, salvaged steel, or wrought iron
Handle core: reclaimed Nootka Cypress or Sapele
Handle reinforcement: deer rawhide, ray rawhide
Handle wrap: reclaimed suede, leather lace, lacquered rayskin
Koiguchi: reclaimed horn, copper bus bar, salvaged steel, or wrought iron
Scabbard: reclaimed Nootka Cypress
Kurikata: Oceanspray ironwood, reclaimed horn
Finish: natural urushi lacquer, reclaimed crushed tea leaves
Mekugi (removable peg): Bamboo
$4200 – $4750
The chisagatana tanto has full mountings that may consist of twelve or more components and is characterized by a large handguard.
Design a custom tanto mounted in the classical style of your choice. More info: Design Your Own Custom Tanto.
Variation shown: frosted habaki, brass seppa, steel fuchi and kashira, iron tsuba, gangimaki wrap, natural and black negoro scabbard, and horn koiguchi. (read more info below)
Nagasa (blade length): 220-290mm
Motokasane (blade thickness): 5-7mm
Motohaba (blade width): 24-30mm
Sori (curve): uchizori
Nakago (tang): 100-110mm
Tsuka (handle): 100-110mm
Koshirae (overall): 350-430mm
Blade: reclaimed carriage spring steel
Habaki: reclaimed copper bus bar or fuse bar
Seppa: reclaimed copper water pipe, reclaimed brass door push plate
Tsuba: forged copper bus bar, fuse bar, salvaged steel, or wrought iron
Fuchi: copper bus bar, salvaged steel, or wrought iron
Kashira: Oceanspray ironwood, Wenge, reclaimed horn, copper bus bar, salvaged steel, or wrought iron
Handle core: reclaimed Nootka Cypress or Sapele
Handle reinforcement: deer rawhide, ray rawhide
Handle wrap: reclaimed suede, leather lace, lacquered rayskin
Koiguchi: reclaimed horn, copper bus bar, salvaged steel, or wrought iron
Scabbard: reclaimed Nootka Cypress
Kurikata: Oceanspray ironwood, reclaimed horn
Finish: natural urushi lacquer, reclaimed crushed tea leaves
Mekugi (removable peg): Bamboo
Constructed in the style of a traditional Japanese sword, only a single bamboo peg is required to hold the knife together. This beautifully simple design allows the tanto to be taken apart for cleaning, polishing, or repair work.
“My approach as a craftsman is to work within the creative constraints of the classical tanto form and nihonto handle mounting technology, building on a foundation of Japanese swordsmithing aesthetic and technique.”
Traditionally crafted tanto for folks who wish they could take things home from museums. Charcoal forged classical heirloom tanto made by hand from reclaimed and natural materials using 13th century techniques.
Are these tanto custom made to order?
Yes! When your payment is received the project will begin, each tanto is made to order, one at a time, by hand from reclaimed and natural materials.
Are they really made by hand?
In every sense of the word. There is no waterjetting, no belt grinder or buffing wheel, no power hammer, and no fossil fuels involved. From the time the steel is first placed in the fire to the final assembly, they are crafted with human hands and centuries-old techniques.
How long will it take to complete my tanto?
Projects will be started in the order they arrive and completion time is generally about three months, but it can vary quite a bit. If you have a specific time goal you would like to aim for, please plan ahead accordingly and include your request as an order note.
Why does it take so long to handcraft my tanto?
Actual hand working time is usually between 100 and 150 hours for a full mounting but there needs to be cooling/drying/curing time between each stage. By far the lacquer takes the most wait time and different types of urushi finishes and even the season of year will greatly affect the rate of curing.
Can I take my tanto apart?
All of the components (blade, guard, fittings, and handle) are fit snugly and held together by the mekugi peg, removing the peg allows the tanto to be taken apart for sharpening and cleaning. Reassembly should be done with utmost attention to the position of each piece, even the mekugi peg needs to be rotated to the correct position before insertion.
More importantly, can I put it back together again?
The mekugi peg is designed to fit in only one position, check for the unbroken lines on the bamboo or the three lines filed in the hardwood peg and turn them towards the pommel (back of the handle). Make sure that the blade, guard, and other fittings are fully seated in their original positions before pressing the mekugi in place.
How accurate are the measurements given for each tanto?
Due to the handmade and unique nature of the tanto they are each different and may vary noticeably in measurement or style. Rarely are blades much shorter but if the steel is there they may go longer. If you have a specific measurement requirement (eg. a legal limit), please include your request as an order note.
Can I get more specific about certain finish and colour requests?
Want to select the option, “get creative” but don’t want any red, for example? If you have a specific idea, please include your request as an order note.
Can I send you my own legacy raw materials?
Want to use an old file from grandpa’s toolbox as your blade material? Have grandma’s silver spoon forged into a guard or seppa? This type of request is often possible, please include your request as an order note.
What about extra upgrades not listed in the options?
In certain cases it may be possible to upgrade to include options that are not listed above. If would like upgrade pricing information (eg. a raw material or component not listed), please include your request as an order note.
Is there some care and maintenance information available?
In a nutshell: keep them clean and dry. More detailed information can be found here: Knife Use & Care
How do the “Tools for Satoyama” tanto differ from the classical tanto?
The core quality and process is the same for both, but three main differences that contribute to the 100-150 hours labour for a classical tanto are the size (larger blades take more time and resources), the number of components and fittings (fully mounted tanto can have 12 or more parts), and the finish of each part (polishing the blade and fittings, complex urushi finishes and handle wrappings).
Are there more detailed terms and conditions for ordering?
More details and the standard terms for ordering tanto can be found here: Terms & Conditions
Want to order a smaller satoyama style kotanto instead? Do it here. More questions? Please contact info@islandblacksmith.ca
