T10 Carbon Steel Katana with Clay Tempered Blade, Real Hamon in Red Dragon Hardwood Saya

The blade begins as T10 carbon steel - a high-carbon tool steel valued for its edge retention and resistance to chipping. Clay tempering is applied before the quench, insulating the spine while the edge cools rapidly. The result is a hard cutting edge at 60 HRC paired with a tougher, more flexible spine, and a real hamon line where those two zones meet. The hamon on this piece runs in a natural, irregular pattern along the lower third of the blade, visible as a bright contrast line against the polished chrome finish.

The tsuka is built over hardwood and covered with real white rayskin - samegawa - before being wrapped in black cotton cord in the traditional diagonal pattern. White menuki hardware punctuates the wrap at regular intervals, adding visual rhythm to the handle. At 10.2 inches, the grip balances the 27.5-inch blade to produce a total length of 40.5 inches and an overall weight of 3.17 lbs.

The gold-tone alloy tsuba is one of the most distinctive elements on this piece. An openwork square fuchi sits at the center, flanked by a carved samurai figure in relief on the circular guard face. The filigree cutouts create negative space that catches light from multiple angles, giving the guard a layered, dimensional look that reads clearly even at a distance.

The saya is hardwood finished in deep red matte lacquer with a carved dragon design running its full 30.3-inch length. The dragon motif - a recurring symbol of strength and transformation in East Asian tradition - is rendered in raised relief with fine scale and claw detailing. The upper portion of the saya transitions to black, matching the black sageo cord and the all-black handle wrap for a controlled two-tone color story across the entire piece.

Taken together, the red dragon saya against the black tsuka and cord wrap creates a presentation that reads as intentional and cohesive rather than decorative by default. This is a T10 clay tempered katana built to the specifications of traditional Japanese sword construction, with fittings chosen for visual character as much as function.