Description
A sculptural tanto form for study and enjoyment. Forged from a piece of lovely fine-grained salvaged wrought iron railroad plate more than a century old. A little large for actually opening letters, this piece would function as a collectible, art object, paperweight, and conversation piece. Could be used as a kata for students but with the addition of being a tactile three-dimensional study of a tanto form.
Crafted entirely with hand tools and traditional techniques, the slender blade profile and thick spine are based on a classical yoroidoshi (鎧通し, armour piercing) tanto design. The lovely proportions of this piece are an interpretation of a famous national treasure tanto known as the mouritoushirou, though the tang is a slightly different style. Wrought iron has almost no carbon and will not take or hold a particularly fine edge so this work is designed to be enjoyed as is, straight out of the forge. Unmounted.
Construction is muku with hira-zukuri profile and mitsu mune. The blade dimensions are 10.5″ (265mm) long and just over 7/8″ (28mm) by 5/16″ (7.5mm) at the mune machi. From the tip to end of the tang is about 14.75″ and the edge is about 1mm thick just as it would be after yaki-ire. Grey iron hammer texture forge finish with a light coat of oil.
Specifications
長さ/刃長 Nagasa / blade length: 8 sun 8 bu (265mm)
重ね/元重 Motokasane / spine thickness: 2 bu 5 rin (7.5mm)
元幅 Motohaba / blade width: 7 bu 5 rin (23mm)
反り Sori / spine curve: 2 rin (1mm)
中心/茎 Nakago / tang length: 3 sun 6 bu (110mm)
形 Katachi / geometry: hira-zukuri, mitsu-mune, as-forged
刃文 Hamon / edge pattern: none
帽子/鋩子 Boshi / tip pattern: none
中心/茎 Nakago / tang: futsu, kuri-jiri, no mekugi-ana
銘 Mei / signature: mumei (unsigned)
拵 Koshirae / mounting: none
Materials: Reclaimed antique wrought iron rail plate
Process
This piece was forged at the museum forge. It began as a pre-1900s railway plate made from fine wrought iron.
3.03022 cm
= 0.1 shaku(尺)
= 1 sun(寸)
= 10 bu(分)
= 100 rin(厘)