T10 Carbon Steel Tanto with Red-White Marble Saya - Gold Crane Tsuba, Black Cord Handle

The blade of this tanto is hand-forged from T10 carbon steel, a high-carbon tool steel known for its fine grain structure and capacity to hold a well-defined edge. A natural hamon runs along the blade length, the visible boundary line produced during differential heat treatment that gives the steel its characteristic contrast between the hardened edge zone and the softer spine. The chrome-finished surface is polished to reveal the steel's natural texture, measuring 21.65 inches overall with a blade width of 1.259 inches and a spine thickness of 0.275 inches. If you are exploring other blade steels in the tanto format, the Natural T10 Carbon Steel Tanto collection covers a range of configurations worth comparing.

The tsuka is assembled over a full tang core, meaning the blade steel extends through the entire handle without interruption. Real white samegawa - ray skin - wraps the wooden handle body beneath the ito, providing a textured base that locks the cord in place. Black tsuka-ito is applied in a tightly executed diamond wrap pattern, the exposed samegawa diamonds visible between each cord crossing. A gold-tone menuki sits beneath the wrap, adding a subtle layer of traditional detailing.

The tsuba is one of the most visually distinctive elements of this tanto. Cast in a round profile with a gold tone, the guard features a crane in relief on its face - wings open, feathers rendered in fine line work - alongside Japanese character engraving. The fuchi and kashira collar pieces carry matching gold-tone metalwork with additional engraved band patterning, tying the handle hardware together into a cohesive koshirae presentation.

The saya is crafted from hardwood and finished with a natural lacquer in a red-white marble splatter pattern. The irregular white and red pigment distribution across the lacquer surface means no two saya share an identical finish. Black sageo cord is knotted at the kurigata in a layered decorative knot with tassel ends, completing the scabbard presentation. The overall assembly weighs 1.54 lb and ships in packaging measuring 23.6 x 3.9 x 3.5 inches.

This tanto is a well-specified koshirae-style piece, combining a hamon-bearing T10 blade with traditional handle construction and a visually bold saya - a strong addition to any focused tanto or Japanese sword collection.