T10 Carbon Steel Katana with Clay-Tempered Hamon, Dragon Tsuba in Orange Hardwood Saya

The blade starts with T10 carbon steel - a high-carbon tool steel chosen for its edge retention and the way it responds to clay tempering. The differential hardening process, in which a clay coating is applied to the spine before quenching, produces two distinct zones: a harder edge at roughly 60 HRC and a softer, more flexible spine. The boundary between them appears as a genuine hamon line, a natural wave pattern that runs the full 27.5-inch nagasa. It is not etched or painted on.

The handle is built around a full-tang core, meaning the steel extends uninterrupted from tip to pommel. Over that core sits a hardwood tsuka, wrapped first in real white samegawa - authentic rayskin with its characteristic nodular texture - then bound with dark brown cotton ito in a traditional diamond wrap. The rayskin nodes press through the gaps in the wrap, providing grip that tightens under pressure rather than slipping.

The saya is shaped from hardwood and finished with a premium natural lacquer that gives the orange-toned surface its depth and gloss. The upper portion of the scabbard features an inlaid shell mosaic - individual pieces fitted into the lacquer surface so the iridescence shifts as the light angle changes. The brown sageo cord ties off at the kurigata in a functional knot, its warm tone tying the saya visually to the handle wrap above.

At the junction of blade and handle, the tsuba is cast from alloy in a circular form with a raised dragon motif covering both faces. The dragon design is detailed enough to show individual scales and coiled movement. Gold and silver gilding is applied over the alloy base, with a gold-tone habaki seated below the tsuba to fill the fit between guard and blade collar cleanly.

At 41.5 inches overall and 3 lbs, the proportions follow traditional katana geometry - long enough for the characteristic two-handed draw, balanced close enough to the tsuba that the sword hangs naturally in a display mount or rests steadily when handled. The orange saya, brown ito, gold tsuba, and white samegawa create a warm, high-contrast color palette that reads clearly from a distance, making this piece as visually effective on a wall rack as it is in hand.