BattleBlades – Yokai Oni Katana

The Yokai Oni Katana from BattleBlades explores what is possible when committed to making a katana that is as swift and agile as possible while retaining highly respectable cutting ability. The Unokubi-zukuri blade style pays great attention to the spine of the blade; the thickest part of a katana blade, the Unokubi-zukuri style removes weight at the base of the blade with a deep and wide bo-hi groove. This groove then deftly transitions into a narrowed spine, giving the blade a cross section closer to a stretched diamond instead of the standard wedge-shaped cross section of most katana. The change may seem subtle, but that plane change removes considerable weight from the spine of the blade. This thinned section then flares and thickens at the tip of the blade to reinforce the tip for thrusting techniques. This is a more complicated blade geometry than seen in most katana, but the attention paid to these details by the bladesmith pays dividends in the blades balance to create a sword that lends itself well to becoming a natural extension of the swordsman’s arms and will.

The blade is forged from tough and resilient T10 high carbon steel which has been differentially-tempered in the traditional manner with the use of laboriously-applied clay coating when quenching to produce a sword with a hardened, dull-resistant edge and a shock absorbing body and spine of softer steel. The hardened edge has a hardness of 59-60 HRc and the body and spine of the blade are 40-45 HRc. This process has left the blade with a natural edge hamon which was made vibrantly visible when the blade was hand polished to a high level.

The blade is matched with a hilt setting featuring highly detailed components with a Yokai Oni motif; the tsuba, fuchi and kashira are blackened antique-finished brass with intricate detailing picked out in contrasting silver and gold. The habaki and seppa are brass and the grip is crafted from well-carved wood. The grip is completed with panels of genuine rayskin which are bound in premium silk cord in a katate-maki style grip wrap. Prominent and highly detailed silvered menuki are carefully fitted beneath the grip wrap to complete the katana.

The sword is matched with a magnificently carved and detailed hardwood saya scabbard which features a sprawling dragon finished with a topcoat of glossy black lacquer. Its koiguchi, kojiri and kurikata fittings are genuine buffalo horn and its sageo cord is of knotted premium silk. Included is silk sword bag.

Like the Japanese swords of many vendors – it is common for the lacquer finish on the scabbard to have some visible scuffs, scratches and other minor cosmetic blemishes visible when examined closely.