This knife is an interpretation of the classic Japanese tanto. It incorporates many design elements that are common in historical tantos, but I have rendered them through my own techniques and aesthetic. For example, a tanto blade would traditionally have been made through a folded-steel process, while I have instead used my own wootz. Similarly, many of the handle parts are reminiscent of a tanto, but I have modified them based on my own use preferences and aesthetics.

The blade is forged from my own wootz, in this case a low-phosphorus recipe that allowed me to use the traditional Japanese heat treatment and produce a very nice hamon. For those of you who might be hamon aficionados I would note that the hamon is more visible and more detailed than it appears in the photos, but it does require fairly specific lighting to appreciate fully. This is a result of the brightness of the carbide banding in the wootz, which tends to hide more subtle effects except from certain angles.

The blade and habaki include a laser-engraving on the theme of cherry blossoms. The design was fully hand-drawn initially, and as a result it retains much of the handmade feel even though it was engraved on the blade with the help of modern technology.

The habaki and pommel screw are “commercial bronze”, while the guard and butt plate are my own FeCu mokume. The pommel itself is my own NiCu mokume. The handle is stabilized eucalyptus robusta from my property here in Hawaii, and if you look carefully you can see the “ribbon curl” that is a common in this wood.

This is a “take-down” knife, meaning that it can be fully disassembled for cleaning, sharpening, etc. This also allows for easy tightening of the assembly if it loosens with use or changes in humidity. As with all of my take-down knives I have included two leather spacers in the handle assembly to act as cushions in the system.

The scabbard is made from a lamination of eucalyptus, leather, and koa; the leather helps protect the faces of the blade from scuffing. The piened throat fitting is commercial bronze, and there is a piece of leather fitted inside the throat to A) create a snug fit with the habaki, and B) prevent the tanto guard from rubbing against the throat fitting. I created a removable leather belt loop to allow easy wearing; it is removable in case you prefer to instead wear the scabbard tucked through a belt or sash.

Blade measurements are of the steel blade above the habaki.

Overall Length: 385mm

Blade Length: 235mm (9.25”) to the habaki

Width at Base of blade: 39mm

Spine Thickness at Base: 3.9mm

Pricing includes shipping within the USA. International shipping will be extra and will be assessed on a case by case basis. It is the responsibility of the buyer to comply with all local laws and regulations.