Description

This blade is the size and style of the Stream Kotanto and may be custom finished as part of the Tools for Satoyama project.

The temper of this high carbon steel blade has been left very hard in order to hold a keen edge for tasks such as wood carving and fine work. This particular combination of steel and heat treatment is well suited to users who require a good edge and are willing to take care of it. It would serve well as a carving, whittling, bushcraft, or utility knife.

The clay tempered blade was hand forged in a charcoal fire and still bears the hammer marks, fire scale, and original file teeth on the surface. It has been left as tempered and still has plenty of material left to work with in modifying the edge geometry to suit the end use, or even to create a fully polished finish. Edge finishing service or a full custom mounting can be added to the blade before shipping if required. The profile is based strongly on the tip portion of the Aizu Shintogo, one of the classiest tanto of all time.

The tang is constructed in a similar manner to a Japanese tanto requiring only a single bamboo peg to hold the knife assembly together. In addition to the sense of beautiful simplicity, this design allows the knife to be taken apart for cleaning, polishing, detailed cutting tasks, or major resharpening work.

The double tapered tang is designed to be mounted in the takedown style of nihonto, with a single removable bamboo peg, but has not been drilled yet and can be shaped or drilled to meet the final configuration. The blade is just over 3.25″ long and the overall length to the tip of the tang is just under 7″. The spine at the munemachi is about 5.5mm thick.

Specifications

Nagasa (blade length): 84 mm, uchizori
Motokasane (blade thickness): 5.5 mm, slightly maru mune
Motohaba (blade width): 22 mm, hira-zukuri
Nakago (tang): 89mm, ha-agari kurijiri
Mei (signature): hot stamped kamon

Materials: reclaimed file steel
This blade is in a private collection in Ukraine.