T10 Carbon Steel Katana with Clay-Tempered Hamon, Black Maple Saya & Brown Tsuka

The blade is forged from T10 carbon steel and put through a clay-tempering process that produces a genuine, visible hamon line along its length. That wavy temper pattern isn't cosmetic - it marks the boundary between the harder edge and the softer spine, giving the blade differential hardness consistent with traditional Japanese forging practice. At 40.55 inches overall with a 1.259-inch width and 0.275-inch spine thickness, the geometry is well-proportioned for a full koshirae katana in this class. Explore more options in our Metal Katana collection.

The tsuka is built on a solid core wrapped in genuine white samegawa - the pebbled ray skin that forms the foundation layer - then bound with brown cord ito in a traditional diamond-pattern wrap. The contrast between the cream-white samegawa peeking through the crossover points and the deep brown ito creates the layered texture you'd expect from a properly constructed handle. The fit is firm without being bulky, and the overall grip length suits both one- and two-hand use.

The tsuba is cast from copper and finished with gold-and-silver gilding. The sculpted relief work depicts a frog and wasp in fine detail - an unusual naturalist motif that sets this guard apart from generic geometric designs. The brown-gold color tone of the tsuba bridges the brown tsuka above and the black saya below, tying the color story together without visual interruption at the habaki.

The saya is shaped from hardwood and finished in a deep black lacquer, then hand-painted with red maple leaf clusters scattered across its surface. The autumn foliage pattern gives the scabbard a seasonal, painterly character that contrasts sharply against the gloss black ground. Real horn koiguchi and kojiri fittings reinforce the mouth and tip of the saya, adding both durability and material authenticity. The blue-and-brown striped sageo cord is tied at the kurigata with amber accent tassels that echo the warm tones of the maple leaves.

Total weight is 2.8 lb with a shipping weight of 3.3 lb. The package measures 42.9 x 3.9 x 3.5 inches. This piece ships without a sword stand. Every component - from the clay-tempered blade to the hand-painted lacquer saya - reflects the koshirae-style construction it was built to represent, making it a strong addition to any serious collection.