Dragon King Pine Crane Katana Authority Symbol

Dragon King's Pine Crane Katana is an exquisite piece with much symbolism. The smooth and clean design by Frenchie Jin is not only perfect for minimalists, but the presence of additional accents such as the matte stripes on the scabbard gives the katana an added flair for anyone who wants to make a statement while remaining inconspicuous.

Forged from T10 steel, the resulting blade has properties similar to a 1095 high carbon steel blade, but the additional silicon in T10 gives it added edge retention and strength. Differentially hardened, the blade has a hardness of 60 HRC for its edge and 40 HRC for its spine, ensuring the katana stays sharp while maintaining some flexibility. The midareba (irregular) hamon is accentuated through mirror polishing.

As its name implies, this katana comes equipped with a beautiful bronzed steel kaku maru gata (square with rounded edges) tsuba featuring an intricately carved red crown crane among pine trees. This is especially significant as per Japanese mythology, the red crown crane is powerful and highly respected, a symbol of authority that is believed to live for a millennium. Additionally, Shinto beliefs state that the pine tree symbolizes wisdom and longevity as it is thought to house the gods of heaven. This theme carries over to the bronzed steel fuchi and kashira. Other fittings include the habaki, seppa, and silver crane menuki.

For the wooden core handle, it is first covered in white samegawa tightly held in place by black cotton tsuka ito, providing a beautiful yet stark contrast. This katana is then completed by a textured saya with black and matte striped accents. The scabbard is fitted with buffalo horn kurigata and kojiri.

Note that sageo colors may vary and that this design is also available as a wakizashi for those interested in completing a Daisho set.