Description

This long, sleek piece is a collaboration and is named for the ginko leaf design on the custom silver fuchi made by Nina. The ginko leaf opening was cut by hand with a jeweler’s saw and layered over a background of patinated silver. The ray skin handle wrap is attached with kusune made from matsuyani, natural Pine resin glue. The process of creating the mounting for this blade may be seen here: https://islandblacksmith.ca/process/making-the-ichohime-tanto/

The clay tempered blade construction is muku with a hira-zukuri shape. This blade has an interesting hamon with a mizukage, a lot of surface activity, and visible particles. The habaki is hand forged from a large copper fuse connector and the handle is carved from Nootka Cypress and wrapped with black ray skin. The Purpleheart scabbard has been coated with pure tung oil. The blade is 4.5″ long, an overall length of about 9″, and the overall length when closed is just under 10.5″. This piece is accompanied by a 40 page full colour hardcover book documenting its creation (Icho Hime Project Portfolio).

Material: Reclaimed farm harrow tooth steel, silver, reclaimed copper fuse connector, Nootka Cypress, Purple Heart, Ebony, ray skin, Pine resin glue, rice paste glue

This piece is in a private collection in Ontario.