Shadow Dancer 9260/51CRV4 Steel Dotanuki High-Performance Katana

The term "Dotanuki" translates to "torso cutter". This name originated from a village in Higo province where the swords produced were strong, durable, and sharp, without much focus on aesthetics. Due to their superior cutting ability, Dotanuki swords were popular among the warrior class.

Like its ancient predecessors, Shadow Dancer's 9260/51CRV4 Steel Dotanuki High Performance Katana is a must have for aspiring collectors and practitioners of Japanese swords. Its shinogi zukuri (curved with yokote and shinogi close to the mune) blade is forged from 9260 high carbon steel to give it excellent resilience and shock resistance. This oil quenched blade with an artificial hamon is then machine polished and features a bohi that helps to decrease its overall weight and improve its point of balance.

Besides the blade, notable highlights of this katana are its brass koshirae such as its kikka gata (chrysanthemum shape) tsuba, menuki, fuchi, and kashira with matching motifs. The seppa and habaki are also made of brass.

Note that since the width of this katana's blade is adjusted to increase the motohaba from the standard 3.2cm to 3.5cm and the sakihaba from the standard 2.4cm to 2.7cm, there is an overall increase of the katana's weight.

The blade is secured to the wooden Haichi style tsuka with one mekugi. The handle is then covered in white genuine samegawa held in place with artificial silk tsuka ito. It comes sheathed in an oil lacquered saya fitted with brass shitodome and a thickened sageo.