Tanto in the shobu-zukuri style of standard-twist forge-welded cable construction. 10 inch nagasa with dynamic hamon. Polished by Brandon Thell.

Copper habaki. Koshirae mounted with hamidashi tsuba of antique forged wrought iron with matching wari-bashi (or wari-kogai). Partially ribbed, black and red, two-tone saya.

Handle wrapped in same-kawa and black silk ito. Fuchigashira of shibuichi.  Menuki of Buddhist vajra, “lightning bolts” . By Gabriel Bell.

Here are some inital photos of the cable tanto. Please disregard the specs in the photos, which are small shavings from the freshly carved saya. These photos are at least enough to capture some of the effects in the steel.

A couple photos of the wari-bashi that are being mounted in the koshirae have been added.  Notice the small notch on one hashi that fits, mortise-and-tenon-like, into the slot on the other, which allows for the two wari-kogai to slide from their place in the saya together.

UPDATED 11/03/08

As progress continues to be made on the koshirae for this tanto, we will continue to post more photos of the process of it’s construction.  Although as an artist, we can be somehow hesitant to share work-in-progress, when its not exactly ready for public view, it is also important that those interested can get a deeper insight into really goes into every little aspect of the Japanese sword.  And because this tanto has the extra embellishments of saya ribbing and a scabbard implement in a wari-kogai, in addition to a silk wrapped tsuka and tsuba, this piece is an opportunity to share some of the details that go into making our koshirae.

Our school of swordsmithing, Tomboyama Nihonto Tanren Dojo, Dragonfly Mountion Japanese Sword Forging School, now has a new website and domain name,www.tomboyama.com

All of the information regarding our swordsmithing school, classes, other teaching events, and anything else related will now be located at the new address.

Subscribers of the this site may find that they are already registered for our new site as well under the same username.  Some people may have to resubscribe for the new website, sorry for the inconvenience.

A schedule for the schools 2009 School Year will be posted online at the new site this month.  Students will be able to pay their deposits to reserve seats in the various sword-making courses at that time.

This website, www.dragonflyforge.com, while will now serve solely to showcase our own work.

Now that the leaves have begun to change color and the cooler weather of Fall begins to descend here on the southern Oregon coast, our swordsmithing school, the Tomboyama Nihonto Tanren Dojo (Dragonfly Mountain Japanese Sword Forging School), will be closing it doors until classes are planned to resume again in April of 2009. The winter weather here can make for difficult traveling conditions, and it is for this reason that we do not schedule classes during the winter months.

Read the rest of the story at the new homepage of our swordsmithing school,Tomboyama Nihonto Tanren Dojo, Dragonfly Mountain Japanese Sword Forging School.

Available now!

Bare blade chisa-katana by Michael Bell

Single-twist cable steel construction, shinogi-zukuri, chu-kissaki, tori-zori, high shinogi.

nagasa 23” (59.7 cm)

nakago nagasa 9 1/4 inches (23.5 cm)

sori 1/2 inch (1.27 cm)

kasane at habaki 1/4 inch (64 mm)

motohaba 1 3/16 inches (3.02 cm)

sakihaba 7/8 inch (2.22 cm)

Ready for polishing stones. Mounting options also available.

$1725

Since we began teaching formal swordsmithing courses at Dragonfly Forge, we have been very lucky to teach friendly and talented students, many of which have been able to return for more instruction at the Tomboyama Nihonto Tanren Dojo. This year’s students have been as enjoyable and talented as ever, and with this years completion of our new dojo, teaching the curriculum has been a pleasure.

The rest of this story has moved to the new homepage of our swordsmithing school, www.tomboyama.com