Aikuchi tantō Kurogane no Yume Tamahagane Steel, Real Notare-Midare Hamon

Product detailed description

Aikuchi tantō Kurogane no Yume 黒金の夢

The Dream of Black Metal

Aikuchi tantō Kurogane no Yume 黒金の夢 is a tribute to the quiet mastery of ancient Japanese swordsmiths. Every detail of this knife refers to a time when steel was not only a tool, but also an expression of spirit, honor and beauty.

Tamahagane steel - the heart of the Japanese sword

The blade is hand-forged from tamahagane - the original Japanese steel, which is created in a tatara furnace from pure iron sand. Each piece of this steel bears a unique texture and soul, which the master smith shapes through long hours of heat, blows and cold.

Clearly visible on the blade is the hamon-type notare midare (のたれ乱れ) line - the soft, irregular waves created by traditional differential hardening. This style of hamon symbolizes a balance of power and calm, an ocean of energy enclosed in solid metal.

Symbolism and decoration

The aikuchi koshirae style setting seamlessly connects the blade, hilt and scabbard without a guard. This type of mounting was popular with upper-class samurai during the Edo period, when the emphasis was on aesthetics, simplicity, and refinement.

The hilt (tsuka) is covered with white samegawa, a stingray skin whose texture with a pearl finish symbolizes purity and preciousness.

Saya - the secret of the pear

The scabbard (saya) is hand lacquered with urushi lacquer in a shade of copper bronze with a fine texture of nashiji - a pattern reminiscent of pear bark, which in Japan represents perfection hidden in irregularity. Each drop of lacquer was applied and cured in the traditional method, layered and with the patience that only handmade work can offer.

The fittings (fuchi, kashira, kojiri and kurikata) are made of a combination of steel and brass with a fine silver-plated finish. The metal ornaments bear the author's mona ( family emblems) - stylised circular emblems with a triple symbol referring to the unity of the three virtues: strength (kurogane), purity (samegawa) and harmony (urushi).

This motif relates to the philosophy of wa (和) - the ideal of inner balance that is the basis of the samurai path (bushidō).

Kozuka and Kogai - instruments of samurai elegance

This exceptional set includes a pair of small accessories - kozuka and kogai, set into the sides of the scabbard.

Kozuka (小柄 - small knife)

A kozuka is a small auxiliary knife (kogatana) inserted in the sheath in a side opening (kozuka-ana).

Its metal handle, in this case of silvered brass, is decorated with an engraved mono with the same triple symbol as the main fitting.

The kozuka symbolizes gentleness and utility - a small but perfect tool for the everyday details of samurai life. In this tantō, it follows the main knife in design and material, forming a harmonious whole.

Wari-kogai (割笄 - divisible kogai)

An even rarer accessory is the divisible kogai - the so-called wari-kogai. This instrument consists of two identical halves that fit together exactly. When retracted, it acts as one piece, but can be detached and used separately. Each part is perfectly machined, the inner sides fit seamlessly together, and the engraved mon of the three virtues is repeated on the surface. Historically, this type was intended only for the luxurious aikuchi and ceremonial weapons of the higher samurai. Symbolically, it represents the duality of body and spirit, the balance between strength and calm - two halves of one path. Kozuka and kogai together form a set called futokoro-gusoku (懐具足) - "tools at the heart". These were personal and often hereditary elements that accompanied samurai throughout their lives - a small reminder that even in the power of the sword, beauty and mindfulness have a place.

Specifications

- Type: Aikuchi tantō (短刀) - traditional Japanese short knife without guard

- Steel: Tamahagane - original Japanese steel from the tatara furnace

- Heat treatment: differential hardening, visible hamon notare midare

- Handle (tsuka): Samegawa (stingray skin, white, without braid)

- Sheath (saya): Urushi lacquer with nashiji texture, coppery bronze shade

- Fittings: Steel, brass, silver patina

- Decoration: Author's monks - symbol of the three virtues

- Blade length including habaki: 30 cm

- Total length without saya: 42,5 cm

- Production: handmade, original design, Japanese inspiration

- Original style: Edo (aikuchi koshirae)

Symbol of the samurai soul

Kurogane no Yume is not just a tantō - it is a conversation between matter and spirit. Aikuchi without tsuba breaks the boundaries that separate weapon from body. The fluid line between the hilt and blade symbolizes unity - a power that needs no defense, and a beauty that needs no words.

A sword that dreams even when it is silent. The silence in which strength is born. Aikuchi tantō Kurogane no Yume - The dream of black metal, where steel becomes thought and craft becomes soul.