Our Paper Crane Daisho is without a doubt the greatest achievement in sword making history yet available from Hanwei.  The blade is crafted from Hanwei’s own Tamahagane steel while the fittings reflect the atmosphere of the Japanese Kabuki Theater.  The Daisho’s name stems from the origami (the art of paper folding) cranes that decorate the stricking tsuba and fuchi/kashira, all of which feature the highly prized “Nakako” or stippled backgrounds.  The menuki feature thespian masks, which is a symbol shared by the Japanese theater and its western counterpart.  The saya of the katana houses a Kozuka (small knife) while the Wakizashi carries a Kogai (skewer). 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, which is the result of many hours of skilled work on a hand loom.

Tamahagane steel is made by building and firing a Tatara, which is the traditional Japanese sword-steel smelter.  This charcoal-fired furnace produces a very pure steel from iron sand.  This steel “Kera” or bloom can be broken and separated into high and low carbon pieces, which are respectively form the “skin” steel and “core” steel of the blade.  The skin steel is forged and folded repeatedly to remove the slag impurities, inclusions and voids and is then wrapped around the core steel before the resulting billet is then forged into the blade.  A Careful heat treating, shaping, and polishing reveals the tight “Hada” of the blade and the white particles of the “hamon”.  While this process results in the aesthetic qualities much admired by collectors it also produces a very functional blade.

Specifications Katana

Overall length: 39 1/4"

Nagasa: 28"

Tsuka: 10 1/4"

Overall weight: 2 lbs. 5 oz.

Specifications Wakizashi

Overall length: 26 1/2"

Nagasa: 18 3/4"

Tsuka: 6 1/2"

Overall weight: 1 lbs. 10 oz.