Nihonto Blog
Antique Nihonto vs Custom Commission: Which Is ...
Quick Summary Antique nihonto and custom commissions are not competing products. They serve different collectors with different goals. An antique gives you a piece of Japanese history with a jihada...
Antique Nihonto vs Custom Commission: Which Is ...
Quick Summary Antique nihonto and custom commissions are not competing products. They serve different collectors with different goals. An antique gives you a piece of Japanese history with a jihada...
Wakizashi Buyer's Guide: How to Choose and Auth...
Quick Summary A wakizashi is a traditionally-forged Japanese short sword with a blade between 30 and 60cm, and it operates in a collector market that is meaningfully different from the...
Wakizashi Buyer's Guide: How to Choose and Auth...
Quick Summary A wakizashi is a traditionally-forged Japanese short sword with a blade between 30 and 60cm, and it operates in a collector market that is meaningfully different from the...
How to Read a Katana Signature (Mei): Authentic...
Quick Summary A mei (銘) is the swordsmith's signature chiseled into the nakago (tang), and it is one of the most critical factors in determining a nihonto's authenticity and market...
How to Read a Katana Signature (Mei): Authentic...
Quick Summary A mei (銘) is the swordsmith's signature chiseled into the nakago (tang), and it is one of the most critical factors in determining a nihonto's authenticity and market...
Tamahagane: The Steel Behind Every Authentic Ni...
Quick Summary Tamahagane is the raw steel used to forge every authentic nihonto. It is produced by smelting iron sand (satetsu) with charcoal in a clay tatara furnace over 36...
Tamahagane: The Steel Behind Every Authentic Ni...
Quick Summary Tamahagane is the raw steel used to forge every authentic nihonto. It is produced by smelting iron sand (satetsu) with charcoal in a clay tatara furnace over 36...
Nihonto Care: Clean, Oil and Store Your Katana
Quick Summary Oil your nihonto with choji oil after every handling session, and every 3 to 6 months for stored blades. Target 40 to 60% relative humidity for storage. Skip...
Nihonto Care: Clean, Oil and Store Your Katana
Quick Summary Oil your nihonto with choji oil after every handling session, and every 3 to 6 months for stored blades. Target 40 to 60% relative humidity for storage. Skip...
How to Commission a Custom Nihonto: Our Process...
Quick Summary Commissioning a custom nihonto means ordering a traditionally-forged gendaito blade from a government-licensed Japanese swordsmith, with specs you define from blade geometry to steel type, hamon style, and...
How to Commission a Custom Nihonto: Our Process...
Quick Summary Commissioning a custom nihonto means ordering a traditionally-forged gendaito blade from a government-licensed Japanese swordsmith, with specs you define from blade geometry to steel type, hamon style, and...