Tsukimi Tanto
The bright orange moon of late Summer and early Autumn is the inspiration for this work. Tsukimi means moon watching, and brings to mind a lovely harvest moon and the rustling sounds of the dry, frost coloured susuki grass as the evening breeze blows across the plateau. The unusual ring and plate style kurikata is…
Uzumaki Kotanto
Uzumaki means a spiral or whirlpool shape and refers to both the triple wave whirlpool shape of the bronze accent around the mekugi and the spiraling wrap of the gangi-maki handle. It also alludes to the cyclical nature of the history and journey of usefulness of the many materials reclaimed for its creation. This tanto…
Sunahama Kotanto
This piece was named for the way the natural spalting design of the saya is reminiscent of an ink painting of waves washing on a sand covered shoreline. It also commemorates the fact that the woods used for the handle and saya are among the most recognizable of the West Coast woods, and the common…
The Bone Dagger
A piece that was in process for almost a year and a half from the time the blade was forged until the final mounting, this has become an interesting fusion piece and much more technical than originally envisioned as the project developed. Mounted with the same technique as a traditional Japanese sword, the parts of…
Icho Hime Kotanto
Hand forged harrow tooth steel, copper habaki, Nootka Cypress and Ebony tsuka with ray skin wrap, Purpleheart saya, brush-finished silver fuchi by Nina of Paprika Jewellery. 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…
Mikazuki Kotanto
This piece is named for the silvery crescent moon in the drifting clouds of spalted pear tree on the saya. The moon was formed from a piece of forged nickel silver from a silver plated spoon. The handle wrap is attached with kusune (薬練, くすね, natural pine resin glue made from matsuyani). The process of…