Z-SEY Kobuse Crucible Steel Katana

Unsurprisingly, the Kobuse Crucible Steel Katana from Z-Sey has a blade forged from crucible steel using a traditional method to combine different types of steel in layers. This type of construction increase the toughness of the blade, reducing the likelihood of it breaking. The shinogi zukuri (curved blade with yokote and shinogi close to the mune) blade is differentially hardened, clay tempered, and Sashikomi Grade A polished to reveal a suguha (straight) hamon. With a sori (curvature) designed to create leverage to perform clean and smooth cuts, the blade can cut through various materials including tatami mats easily during tests.

This katana is fitted with an iron maru gata (round) tsuba (guard), cow hair patterned blackened brass fuchi kashira (hilt collar and pommel cap), gold plated brass menuki (decorative ornament), along with red copper seppa (washer) and one piece Yujo style habaki (blade collar) that features handmade yogi texture to increase friction when the blade is in the scabbard.

It has a Haichi style tsuka (handle) handmade according to the Nakago, finished with yasurime (file marks on the tang's surface) to prevent the blade from slipping from the handle. The tsuka is further secured by one mekugi (peg) and covered in white normal emperor node same (rayskin) held in place by black silk ito (handle wrap) from Japan.

The sword also comes with a black oil lacquered saya (scabbard) that has a koiguchi (mouth of saya), kurigata (knob for sageo), and kojiri (scabbard end cap) made of horn. The brass shitodome mounted on the opening of the kurigata prevents the black silk sageo (carrying cord) from fraying.

An option of handmade saya is also available, but at least an additional 2 months will be required for its production.