SH2294 -- Paper Crane Katana

Our Paper Crane Daisho (SH2294-Katana / SH2328-Wakizashi) is without doubt
the greatest achievement in sword making artistry yet available from Hanwei. The blade
is crafted from Hanwei’s own Tamahagane steel (see below) while the fittings reflect
the atmosphere of the Japanese theater. The Daisho’s name stems from the origami
(the art of paper folding) cranes that decorate the striking Tsuba and Fuchi/Kashira,
all of which feature highly-prized “Nanako” or stippled backgrounds.



The Menuki feature thespian masks, a symbol shared by the Japanese theater and its
western counterpart. The Saya of the katana houses a Kozuka (small knife) while
that of the Wakizashi carries a Kogai (hair pick) 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, the result of many hours of skilled work on a hand loom.



Tamahagane steel is made by building and firing a Tatara, the traditional Japanese
sword-steel smelter. This charcoal- fired furnace produces a very pure steel from iron sand,
and this steel “Kera” or bloom can be broken and separated into high- and low-carbon pieces,
which respectively form the “skin” steel and “core” steel of the blade. The skin steel is forged
and folded repeatedly, to remove slag inclusions and voids and is then wrapped around the
core steel before the resulting billet is forged into a blade.

Careful heat treating, shaping and polishing reveals the tight “Hada” or layer pattern of the
blade and the white particles of the “Hamon” or temper line. While this process results in the a
esthetic qualities much admired by collectors it also produces a very functional blade, as the
high carbon content of the skin steel makes a very hard edge possible while the softer core
steel gives the blade its resilience and ability to absorb shock.

Tamahagane Steel Blade

Superior Hamon and Polish

Heirloom Quality

Overall length:  39 ¼”
Blade length:  28”
Handle length:   10 ¼”
Weight:  2lb 5oz