Our Paper Crane Daisho is without
doubt the greatest achievement in sword making artistry yet available from
Hanwei. The blade is crafted from Hanwei’s own Tamahagane steel (see inset)
while the fittings reflect the atmosphere of the Japanese theater. The
Daisho’s name stems from the origami (the art of paper folding) cranes
that decorate the striking Tsuba and Fuchi/Kashira, all of which feature
highly-prized “Nanako” or stippled backgrounds. The Menuki feature thespian
masks, a symbol shared by the Japanese theater and its western counterpart.
The Saya of the katana houses a Kozuka (small knife) while that of the
Wakizashi carries a Kogai (hair pick) The Kozuka and Kogai are decorated
with musical instruments of the theater. The Paper Crane theme is carried
to the outstanding hand-woven silk Sageo, the result of many hours of skilled
work on a hand loom.
Specifications Katana:
Overall: 39 ¼”
Nagasa: 28”
Tsuka: 10 ¼”
Weight: 2lb 5oz
Specifications Wakizashi:
Overall: 26 ½”
Nagasa: 18 ¾”
Tsuka: 6 ½”
Weight: 1lb 10oz
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Tamahagane Steel:
Tamahagane steel is made by
building and firing a Tatara, the traditional Japanese sword-steel smelter.
This charcoal-
fired furnace produces a very
pure steel from iron sand, and this steel “Kera” or bloom can be broken
and separated into
high- and low-carbon pieces,
which respectively form the “skin” steel and “core” steel of the blade.
The skin steel is
forged and folded repeatedly,
to remove slag inclusions and voids and is then wrapped around the core
steel before the
resulting billet is forged into
a blade. Careful heat treating, shaping and polishing reveals the tight
“Hada” or layer
pattern of the blade and the
white particles of the “Hamon” or temper line. While this process results
in the aesthetic
qualities much admired by collectors
it also produces a very functional blade, as the high carbon content of
the skin steel
makes a very hard edge possible
while the softer core steel gives the blade its resilience and ability
to absorb shock.
| SH2294 Paper Crane Katana |
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| SH2328 Paper Crane Wakizashi |
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