Katana Sakura Mist Sanmai Blade Hanagasumi Koshirae 白澤

Clay Tempered Full Tang Shinken (真剣) | Sakura Mist Katana: TangGu (湯谷) Sanmai Blade (三枚造) + TangGu (湯谷) Hanagasumi Koshirae (花霞拵)

This Hanagasumi koshirae combines traditional aesthetics and functionality, designed for collectors and practitioners. The blade has a Sanmai construction (三枚構造), with a hard steel core encased by softer outer layers for resilience and sharpness. It is clay tempered, producing a Notare-style hamon (のたれ刃文), and displays a straight-grained masame-hada surface (柾目肌). The saya (scabbard) is finished in raden-style black lacquer (螺鈿塗), with shimmer effects. Water buffalo horn fittings at the koiguchi, kurigata, and kojiri provide reinforcement. A white silk sageo is tied in a standard pattern. The tsuka (handle) is wrapped in white silk ito over natural samegawa (ray skin) with hishigami for grip and symmetry. The menuki and fuchi-kashira have cherry blossom motifs, made from blackened white copper (白銅). The tsuba is a round white copper guard (白銅), finished with boiled black (煮黒), featuring a sukashi-style sakura design (透かし桜).

TangGu (湯谷) Sanmai Blade

This blade is hand-forged (Tezukuri / 手作り) using our own refined steel in Sanmai-zukuri（三枚造）construction, with a hard edge forge-welded between two softer outer layers.

Blade Forging Details

• Blade Name: TangGu Traditionally Forged Sanmai Blade (三枚造)
• Forging Method: This blade is forged in the Sanmai-zukuri（三枚造）style, with a hard steel core forge-welded between two layers of softer outer steel. It is differentially hardened using clay tempering（覆土焼入れ）, producing a hardened edge and a softer spine. This process also creates a visible hamon（刃文）
• Materials: Steel refined in-house using traditional methods（伝統的手法による自家製鋼材）
• Purpose: Designed for Iaido (non-sharpened), Kenjutsu, and Tameshigiri (test cutting) practice, as well as for collection, display, and appreciation by enthusiasts and connoisseurs.

Blade Specifications

• Blade Length (Nagasa刃長): Approx 73 cm
• Tang Length (Nakago 茎長): Approx. 24 cm
• Width at Base (Motohaba 元幅): Approx. 32 mm
• Thickness at Base (Motokasane 元重): Approx. 6 mm
• Width at Tip (Sakihaba 先幅): Approx. 24 mm
• Thickness at Tip (Sakikasane先重): Approx. 4 mm
• Kissaki Length (Tip 切先長): Approx. 35 mm
• Mekugi-ana (Peg Hole 目釘穴): 1

Blade Characteristics

• Shape: Shinogi-zukuri (ridged blade 鎬造), Iori-mune (flat ridged spine 庵棟), Chū-kissaki (Medium-sized tip 中切先)

• Forging Pattern (Hada 鍛肌): Masame-hada（柾目肌） — a straight-grained forging pattern created through layered forging in the sanmai-zukuri style.
• Hamono (Blade Pattern 刃文): Notare-style hamon (のたれ刃文), formed through traditional clay-tempering.

Special Features and Workmanship

Hi (Groove) Engraving

• Type: Marudome-Hi (丸止樋), deeply engraved
• Processing Range: Extends to the tip, fully polished inside the groove

Polishing Work

• TangGu Polishing Levels:
  • Highest-grade shaping polish 最上・成形研磨 
  • Superior rough polish 最上・下研ぎ 
  • Detailed final polish 最上・仕上げ研ぎ 
• Key Features:
  • Blade geometry and balanced weight distribution, with a core-hard edge from the sanmai construction. Sharpness and durability, with polish showing the brightened edge (hashiro), matte ji (jihada), and high-polished shinogi line (hōmi).

Fittings and Mountings

Blade Fittings

• Tsuba (Handguard 鍔): Round-style tsuba (maru-gata 鍔) made from white copper (白銅) with a black-patina finish (煮黒) and openwork sakura blossoms (sukashi-zakura 透かし桜)..
• Fuchi-Kashira (縁頭): Carved with sakura motifs, made from blackened and polished white copper (白銅).
• Menuki (目貫): Openwork sakura motif, made from polished white copper (白銅).
• Habaki (鎺): Made from white copper (shiragane / 白銅) with a smooth finish.
• Samegawa (Ray Skin 柄鮫): Premium natural ray skin
• Handle Wrapping (Tsuka-maki 柄巻): White silk ito, wrapped with hishigami (paper triangles).

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Saya and Accessories

• Saya (Scabbard 鞘): Traditional-style design reinforced with water buffalo horn at the koiguchi (mouth), kojiri (end), and kurigata (cord knob).
• Saya Lacquer (鞘塗): Raden-style lacquer (螺鈿塗) with a glossy black surface embedded with iridescent shell fragments.
• Sageo (Cord 下緒): White silk sageo, tied in a standard pattern.

Measurements

• Blade Weight: Approx. 0.6 kg
• Sword Weight (without Saya): Approx. 0.95 kg
• Total Weight: Approx. 1.2 kg
• Overall Length: Approx. 102 mm