Hira-Zukuri Tanto with Meteorite and Tamahagane - 9.9 in.

Product Description for Hira-Zukuri Tanto with Meteorite and Tamahagane - 9.9 in.

Maker: Yoshindo Yoshihara (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 91175
** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind **
Blade length: 9.90 in.
Total length: 14.80 in.
Blade height (at heel): 0.92 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.18 in.
Item weight: 10.00 oz.
Shipment weight: 12 oz.
Blade: Tamahagane (jewel steel), extracted from iron sand using techniques developed over 1500 years ago forged together with Gibeon meteorite
Bolster: Shyaku Dou and 18kt gold habaki (blade collar)
Handle: Ho wood handle and saya (sheath)
Description: This Hira-Zukuri Style Tanto (flat sided tanto) is the work of master swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara. Yoshihara, who is considered to be among Japan's best living swordsmiths creates masterworks that have a living spirit all of their own.
He began by forging the blade from tamahagane (jewel steel) and Gibeon meteorite. The Gibeon meteorite landed in Great Namaqualand, Namibia, Africa. It radio carbon dates to over 4 billion years ago. Gibeon fragments are spread over one of the largest strewn fields in the world, measuring 70 miles wide by 230 miles long and have a distinctive pattern known as the Widmanstatten pattern, which is one of the richest and most distinct patterns found in meteorites. The tamahagane was extracted from iron sand using techniques developed over 1500 years ago. Yoshindo explained to me that it is very rare to find a blade forged with meteorite included. He said that it was first done in Japan approximately 100 years ago. He has only forged 2-3 blades using meteorite in his career!
The clay temper on the blade results in a chu-suguha hamon (medium straight) with a long turn-back (kaeri-fukashi) at the point. The steel was repeatedly drawn out and folded over itself, resulting in a grain pattern known as Itame-hada (a pattern resembling wood grain, in which scattered irregular ovals appear). The spine is iori-muni, meaning it forms a sharp ridge at the top.
A habaki formed from shyaku dou and 18kt gold protects the blade from scratches that could otherwise be caused by the saya (sheath). The hira-yamagata shaped tang is hand engraved with the following (roughly translated): "Made with meteorite by Yoshindo". It is file marked in the kosuji-chigai style. File marks slope slightly leftward.
The blade is accompanied by ho wood shira-saya, which is ideal for long term storage and display as well as a traditional Japanese silk storage bag. As you would expect, exceptional fit and finish throughout.


Availability: Not currently available