Design Your Own: Stream Kotanto

$700$900

The narrower blade profile of the compact stream style kotanto is based on a classical yoroidoshi tanto and has a gradual drop point for detailed work.

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Description

Design a custom kotanto blade mounted in the rustic satoyama kaiken style of your choice. More info: Design Your Own Custom Knife.

Variation shown: hammer finish blade, brass seppa, natural lacquered handle and scabbard, and bamboo mekugi.

Island Blacksmith: Charcoal forged knives reclaimed from files.
Island Blacksmith: Charcoal forged knives reclaimed from farm equipment.
Island Blacksmith: Charcoal forged knives reclaimed from harrow teeth.
Island Blacksmith: Charcoal forged knives from reclaimed steel.
Tsuchime (Hammer Finish)

Island Blacksmith: Charcoal forged knives from reclaimed steel.
Kaji Togi (Stone Finish)
Island Blacksmith: Charcoal forged knives from reclaimed steel.
Togi (Polished Finish)

Island Blacksmith: Traditional techniques and natural materials.
Fukiurushi (Wiped Surface)

Island Blacksmith: Traditional techniques and natural materials.
Ishimeji (Stone Surface)

Island Blacksmith: Traditional techniques and natural materials.
Antique Crimson Ishimeji

Blade Finish

  • tsuchime – hammer texture (as-forged surface shows marks of hammer and fire)
  • kaji togi – stone finish (blade is smoothed with files and a coarse stone before hardening)
  • togi – polished (blade is smoothed with fine stones after hardening)

Mekugi

  • bamboo retaining peg (the classic)
  • dark hardwood peg (black or brown wood like Walnut, Wenge)
  • light hardwood peg (red or orange wood like Sapele, Yew, Oceanspray)

Lacquer Finish

  • fukiurushi (smooth wiped-on layer, often in natural brown colour)
  • ishimeji (stone-like texture created with urushi and crushed tea leaves)
  • negoro (“worn-look” fukiurushi done with two colors)
  • or some combination (including giving unlimited creative license to the maker)

Lacquer Colour

  • natural (a red-brown colour when used for fukiurushi, a dark chocolate brown when used for ishimeji)
  • black (shows some wood through with fukiurushi, very deep black with ishimeji)
  • antique crimson (very deep red/brown with plum undertones)
  • black and red (streaked “negoro” or texture fill, varies greatly)
  • natural and black (streaked “negoro” or texture fill, more subtle)
  • natural and red (streaked “negoro” or texture fill, more subtle)
  • or some combination (including giving creative license to the maker)

Measurements

Nagasa (blade length): 50-80mm
Motokasane (blade thickness): 3-5mm
Motohaba (blade width): 18-22mm
Sori (curve): uchizori
Nakago (tang): 70-80mm
Tsuka (handle): 90-100mm
Koshirae (overall): 150-190mm

Potential Raw Materials

Blade: reclaimed file steel, reclaimed harrow tooth steel
Seppa (guard): forged copper washer, brass door plate, 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, hardwood