Announcing the Lion Dog Katana / Wakizashi and Bamboo Mat Katana / Wakizashi from CAS Hanwei!
Available now, these two attractive katana join the Silver Anniversary Shinto in an exciting line of swords utilizing Hanwei’s own High Alloy Steels (HWS-1S and HWS-2S). Made in Hanwei’s new factory, these two high-tech steels are proving to be not only unrivaled in their performance and resilience but Hanwei is paying special attention during differential hardening to produce some of the most intricate hamon styles and variations we’ve yet seen. This revolutionary blade material along with the traditional sword fitting themes combine to create a high quality package at very attractive prices.
The Lion Dog Katana features an O-Kissaki blade of HWS-1S steel, which combines superior performance with an outstanding O-choji hamon. This steel offers the best edge-holding capability and resilience of any blade ever produced by Hanwei. The outstanding performance characteristics of blades forged from HWS-1S steel derive from a combination of the careful selection of alloying elements and a complex processing procedure, basically involving the manipulation of the steel’s carbon content across the blade section. This results in a very tough and resilient blade with a hard, highly abrasion-resistant edge. The sharply detailed fittings feature a Lion-dog themed black iron tsuba, with matching fuchi/kashira and golden peony menuki. The complex saya features a gloss-lacquered ribbed section at the koiguchi/kurikata with the balance spatter-lacquered for a very attractive appearance. The premium multi-colored sageo is hand-woven in pure silk.
Our Bamboo Mat Katana features a Chu-Kissaki blade in the Shinogi Zikuri style of HWS-2S steel, which combines impressive performance with a striking O-choji hamon. The fittings feature a bamboo-themed black iron tsuba, textured in a bamboo mat design with a jointed bamboo rim and highlighted with gold-tipped bamboo leaves. The fuchi/kashira follow the same theme and the golden menuki feature a pair of sparrows. The saya is finished in high-gloss lacquer with horn fittings.
James Williams of Bugei testing HWS-1S steel on yellowed bamboo