Habaki / Blade Collar

• yasurime (linear texture)
• tsuchime (hammer peened texture)
• ishimeji (stone/frosted texture)
• or give unlimited creative license to the maker

Fuchi & Kashira

• both copper
• both iron
• copper fuchi / horn kashira
• iron fuchi / horn kashira
• copper fuchi / hardwood kashira
• iron fuchi / hardwood kashira
• or give unlimited creative license to the maker

Handle Reinforcement

• none (for hardwood handle)
• shikagawa (deer rawhide, must be paired with gangimaki, cotton, or leather wrap)
• samegawa (rayskin rawhide, can be lacquered, or paired with gangimaki or leather wrap)

Handle Wrap

• gangimaki (spiral seude wrap)
• leather lace ito (style of wrap depends on handle reinforcement)
• lacquered samegawa (handle reinforcement must be samegawa)
• hardwood (Sapele with fukiurushi lacquer finish)
• lacquered cotton cord (tough and utilitarian style)
• or give unlimited creative license to the maker

Mekugi

• bamboo (traditional style)
• lacquered bamboo (sealed end)
• or give unlimited creative license to the maker

Kurikata Material

• wood (lacquered Oceanspray ironwood)
• horn (cow or buffalo, availability/colour varies)
• or give unlimited creative license to the maker

Lacquer Finish

• ishimeji (stone-like texture created with crushed tea leaves)
• tsuya keshi (smooth matte surface layer)
• negoro (“worn-look” matte surface done with two colors)
• or give unlimited creative license to the maker

Lacquer Colour

• natural (a red-brown when smooth, a dark chocolate when used for ishimeji)
• black (very deep)
• antique crimson (very deep red/brown with plum undertones)
• black and red (streaked “negoro” or texture fill, varies greatly)
• black and antique crimson (streaked “negoro” or texture fill, more subtle)
• natural and black (streaked “negoro” or texture fill, very subtle)
• or give unlimited creative license to the maker

Measurements

Nagasa (blade length): 220-290mm
Motokasane (blade thickness): 5-7mm
Motohaba (blade width): 24-30mm
Sori (curve): uchizori or slight sori
Nakago (tang): 100-110mm
Tsuka (handle): 100-110mm
Koshirae (overall): 350-430mm

Potential Raw Materials

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