The polish on a Japanese blade is not decorative - it is how the steel reveals itself. A high-polish finish on a tamahagane blade brings the jihada grain to its highest clarity, making the folded surface pattern readable in a way that a rough or satin finish obscures. The hamon, too, becomes most distinct at this level: the crystalline differential-hardening zone along the cutting edge appears as a clearly defined transition between hard edge steel and tougher spine, its specific form - the result of that particular clay application and quench - visible in full.
Tamahagane is produced in a traditional tatara furnace, a process that begins with iron sand (satetsu) and charcoal. The two materials are smelted together until their iron and carbon elements fuse into the raw ore that Japanese smiths have called tamahagane - jewel steel - for over a thousand years. What comes out of the tatara is not uniform: the ore varies in carbon content from piece to piece. Smiths sort it by carbon level, separating the high-carbon pieces that will form the hard edge and core from the low-carbon pieces that provide the tough outer jacket. Those two materials are forged together into the blade's characteristic cross-sectional structure.
This blade runs 28.3 inches with a 9.5-inch nakago, 37.8 inches overall, at 1.26-inch width and 0.75-inch sori. The 1.76-lb weight is consistent with standard katana proportions. The nakago carries its natural black-rust patina intact - the deliberate preservation Japanese smiths built into their blades to protect the tang from red rust when enclosed in a handle.
Full tang, no pre-drilled holes. The assembler drills mekugi-ana to match their tsuka dimensions. See the full tamahagane blade collection for comparisons across finish levels and lengths. Free shipping, 30-day money-back guarantee.
- High-polish finish reveals the tamahagane jihada at maximum clarity - folded grain brought fully to the surface.
- Steel produced in a traditional tatara furnace from iron sand and charcoal, sorted by carbon content.
- High-carbon pieces form the hard edge core; low-carbon material provides the tough outer jacket.
- 28.3-inch blade, 9.5-inch nakago, 37.8 inches overall - 1.76 lbs, 0.75-inch sori, 1.26-inch width.
- Real folded hamon visible along the cutting edge - clay-tempered differential hardening at its clearest.
- Full tang, no pre-drilled holes - drill mekugi-ana to match your own tsuka dimensions.
Specification
| Item Number | TK-JP-G10464 |
| Primary Color | Steel |
| Primary Material | Tamahagane Steel |
