Hand forged tools for adventure crafted from natural materials.
choose a blade behind the scenes see the processA charcoal forged blade, water quenched with clay, sharpened with waterstones, and finished simply and humbly in the age-old style of farm and foresting tools used in managing satoyama, the borderlands between village and wilds.
The water and clay hardening process historically developed for Japanese swords allows the temper of the high carbon steel to remain quite hard and is preferred by those who require a keen edge and are willing to take care of it.
Constructed in the style of a Japanese sword, only a single bamboo peg is required to hold the knife together. This beautifully simple design allows the knife to be taken apart for cleaning, detailed cutting tasks, or sharpening work.
$700 – $900
The narrower blade profile of the compact stream style kotanto is based on a classical yoroidoshi tanto and has a gradual drop point for detailed work.
Design a custom kotanto blade mounted in the rustic satoyama kaiken style of your choice. More info: Design Your Own Custom Knife.
Variation shown: hammer finish blade, brass seppa, natural lacquered handle and scabbard, and bamboo mekugi. (read more info below)
Nagasa (blade length): 50-80mm
Motokasane (blade thickness): 3-5mm
Motohaba (blade width): 18-22mm
Sori (curve): uchizori
Nakago (tang): 70-80mm
Tsuka (handle): 90-100mm
Koshirae (overall): 150-190mm
Blade: reclaimed file steel, reclaimed harrow tooth steel
Seppa (guard): forged copper washer, brass door plate, steel, or wrought iron
Handle and scabbard: Nootka Cypress, hemp or cotton cord wrap
Finish: natural urushi lacquer, crushed tea leaves
Mekugi (removable peg): Bamboo, hardwood
$825 – $1050
The wider blade profile of the field style kotanto is inspired by a classical sword and has a more deeply curved belly (fukura-tsuku) and shorter drop point.
Design a custom kotanto blade mounted in the rustic satoyama kaiken style of your choice. More info: Design Your Own Custom Bushcraft Knife.
Variation shown: hammer finish blade, copper guard, and natural brown ishimeji finish on handle and scabbard. (read more info below)
Nagasa (blade length): 70-100mm
Motokasane (blade thickness): 4-6mm
Motohaba (blade width): 24-28mm
Sori (curve): uchizori
Nakago (tang): 80-90mm
Tsuka (handle): 100-110mm
Koshirae (overall): 190-230mm
Blade: reclaimed file steel, harrow tooth steel
Tsuba (guard): forged copper bus bar, steel, or wrought iron
Handle and scabbard: Nootka Cypress, hemp or cotton cord wrap
Finish: natural urushi lacquer, crushed tea leaves
Mekugi (removable peg): Bamboo, hardwood
$875 – $1450
The narrower blade profile of the forest style kotanto is based on a yoroidoshi tanto and has a takenoko (bamboo shoot) shape and gradual drop point.
Design a custom kotanto blade mounted in the rustic satoyama kaiken style of your choice. More info: Design Your Own Custom Outdoor Knife.
Variation shown: hammer finish blade, copper seppa, and natural brown ishimeji lacquer on handle and scabbard. (read more info below)
Nagasa (blade length): 100-130mm
Motokasane (blade thickness): 4-6mm
Motohaba (blade width): 22-26mm
Sori (curve): uchizori/takenoko
Nakago (tang): 90-100mm
Tsuka (handle): 100-110mm
Koshirae (overall): 220-260mm
Blade: reclaimed file steel, harrow tooth steel
Seppa (guard): forged copper washer, brass door plate, steel, or wrought iron
Handle and scabbard: Nootka Cypress, hemp or cotton cord wrap
Finish: natural urushi lacquer, crushed tea leaves
Mekugi (removable peg): Bamboo, hardwood
$975 – $1600
The wider profile of the mountain style kotanto is inspired by a kamakura sword and has a more deeply curved tip (fukura-tsuku) and shorter drop point.
Design a custom kotanto blade mounted in the rustic satoyama tanto style of your choice. More info: Design Your Own Custom Camp Knife.
Variation shown: hammer finish blade w/o habaki, copper hamidashi guard, natural brown fukiurushi cord wrap handle, and natural brown ishimeji lacquered scabbard. (read more info below)
Nagasa (blade length): 130-150mm
Motokasane (blade thickness): 5-7mm
Motohaba (blade width): 28-32mm
Sori (curve): uchizori
Nakago (tang): 90-100mm
Tsuka (handle): 100-120mm
Koshirae (overall): 250-290mm
Blade: reclaimed file steel, harrow tooth steel, spring steel
Habaki (blade collar): forged copper bus bar
Tsuba (guard): forged copper bus bar, steel, or wrought iron
Handle and scabbard: Nootka Cypress, hemp or cotton cord wrap
Finish: natural urushi lacquer, crushed tea leaves
Mekugi (removable peg): Bamboo
“My approach as a craftsman is to work within the creative constraints of the classical tanto form and nihonto handle mounting technology, building on a foundation of Japanese swordsmithing aesthetic and technique.”
Traditionally crafted knives for people who wish they could take things home from museums. Charcoal forged classical tanto & fusion style heirlooms made by hand from reclaimed and natural materials using 13th century techniques.
Are these knives custom made to order?
Yes! When your payment is received the project will begin, each knife is made to order, one at a time, by hand from reclaimed and natural materials.
Are they really made by hand?
In every sense of the word. There is no waterjetting, no belt grinder or buffing wheel, no power hammer, and no fossil fuels involved. From the time the steel is first placed in the fire to the final assembly, “Tools for Satoyama” are crafted by human hands and centuries-old techniques.
How long will it take to complete my knife?
Projects will be started in the order they arrive and completion time is generally about three months, but it can vary quite a bit. If you have a specific time goal you would like to aim for, please plan ahead accordingly and include your request as an order note.
Why does it take so long to handcraft my knife?
Actual hand working time is usually between 20 and 50 hours but there needs to be cooling/drying/curing time between each stage. By far the lacquer takes the most wait time and different types of urushi finishes and even the season of year will greatly affect the rate of curing.
Can I take my knife apart?
All of the components (blade, guard, and handle) are fit snugly and held together by the mekugi peg, removing the peg allows the knife to be taken apart for sharpening and cleaning. Lightly tapping a soft wood mallet against the front of the guard on each side will help when stuck.
More importantly, can I put it back together again?
The mekugi peg is designed to fit in only one position, check for the unbroken lines on the bamboo or the three lines filed in the hardwood peg and turn them towards the pommel (back of the handle). Make sure that the blade and guard are fully seated in their original positions before pressing the mekugi in place.
How accurate are the measurements given for each knife?
Due to the handmade and unique nature of the knives they are each different and may vary noticeably in measurement or style. Rarely are blades much shorter but if the steel is there they may go longer. If you have a specific measurement requirement (eg. a legal limit), please include your request as an order note.
Can I get more specific about certain finish and colour requests?
Want to select the option, “get creative” but don’t want any red, for example? If you have a specific idea, please include your request as an order note.
Can I send you my own legacy raw materials?
Want to use an old file from grandpa’s toolbox as your blade material? Have grandma’s silver spoon forged into a guard? This type of request is often possible, please include your request as an order note.
What about extra upgrades not listed in the options?
In certain cases it may be possible to upgrade to include options that are not listed above. If would like upgrade pricing information (eg. a wooden kurikata, a leather wrapped handle, a habaki, or a more refined lacquering style), please include your request as an order note.
Is there some care and maintenance information available?
In a nutshell: use carbon steel knives for tasks they were designed for and keep them sharp, clean, and dry. More detailed information can be found here: Knife Use & Care
How is this process different from a normal custom knife order?
This webpage for the “Tools for Satoyama” project aims to create a simpler and more time/cost effective way for clients to personally design and order a handmade custom knife. The grouped options and minimal components help to streamline the decision making process.
How do the “Tools for Satoyama” knives differ from a custom classical tanto?
The core quality and process is the same for both, but three main differences that contribute to the 100-150 hours labour for a classical tanto are the size (larger blades take more time and resources), the number of components and fittings (fully mounted tanto can have 12 or more parts), and the finish of each part (polishing the blade and fittings, complex urushi finishes and handle wrappings).
Are there more detailed terms and conditions for ordering?
More details and the standard terms for ordering knives can be found here: Terms & Conditions
Want to order a full sized satoyama style tanto or a custom classical tanto instead? Do it here. More questions? Please contact info@islandblacksmith.ca
