These two bokutō and tantō sets were hand carved from the same powerful piece of locally sourced White Ash. From the start, I knew they were going to want to have separate characters, and so, one set was made with the grain of the tree running in one direction, and the other was made in the opposite direction. This not only resulted in different looks, but in different hand feels as well, since the rather complex grain in this ash demanded to be carved differently depending on its direction. To further distinguish one from the other, one was left in natural tone, while the other was ebonized.
The natural tone set feels especially robust in the hand, while retaining proper balance. It features a tsuba made of cross-laminated African Mahogany and Hickory. The cross lamination allows the tsuba to be appropriately thin while also being remarkably strong. Please note the tsuba is made with a specialized process and is not removable. Should there be any issues with the tsuba during normal use, please contact me and I will fix it at no charge.
The ebonized set (sold before I could take a proper photo) has a lighter hand feel with a handle that’s a bit thinner toward the center. Its tsuba is made of Purple Heart and Wenge.
Bokutō are deceptively complex. A perfectly gradual taper is required from end to tip in order to have the right balance, as well as having a long and very subtle curve. My bokutō are based on a standard size and are 40” long, tapering from 1 1/16” thick at the hilt to 13/16” at the tip. The tantō are 11 5/8” long, tapering from 7/8” to 11/16”.
These swords were designed for use in activities such as kata practice and demonstration. However, the air-dried ash is sturdy enough for more robust work. That being said, please be aware that any activity involving strikes will result in dings, scrapes and possibly further damage, no matter how sturdily the sword is made.
A custom handmade tool wrap is included with this purchase (the display stand is not included). The wrap is made of durable duck canvas, with a botanically hand-died cotton lining.
These two bokutō and tantō sets were hand carved from the same powerful piece of locally sourced White Ash. From the start, I knew they were going to want to have separate characters, and so, one set was made with the grain of the tree running in one direction, and the other was made in the opposite direction. This not only resulted in different looks, but in different hand feels as well, since the rather complex grain in this ash demanded to be carved differently depending on its direction. To further distinguish one from the other, one was left in natural tone, while the other was ebonized.
The natural tone set feels especially robust in the hand, while retaining proper balance. It features a tsuba made of cross-laminated African Mahogany and Hickory. The cross lamination allows the tsuba to be appropriately thin while also being remarkably strong. Please note the tsuba is made with a specialized process and is not removable. Should there be any issues with the tsuba during normal use, please contact me and I will fix it at no charge.
The ebonized set (sold before I could take a proper photo) has a lighter hand feel with a handle that’s a bit thinner toward the center. Its tsuba is made of Purple Heart and Wenge.
Bokutō are deceptively complex. A perfectly gradual taper is required from end to tip in order to have the right balance, as well as having a long and very subtle curve. My bokutō are based on a standard size and are 40” long, tapering from 1 1/16” thick at the hilt to 13/16” at the tip. The tantō are 11 5/8” long, tapering from 7/8” to 11/16”.
These swords were designed for use in activities such as kata practice and demonstration. However, the air-dried ash is sturdy enough for more robust work. That being said, please be aware that any activity involving strikes will result in dings, scrapes and possibly further damage, no matter how sturdily the sword is made.
A custom handmade tool wrap is included with this purchase (the display stand is not included). The wrap is made of durable duck canvas, with a botanically hand-died cotton lining.
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