Katana Saku 咲く

Saku means to bloom — and this katana opens like a flower in the hand, every folded layer a petal of grain rising to the surface under the polish. It is the piece we reach for when a collector wants to step past the wall-hanger and own something a master smith would recognise on sight: a genuine Damascus blade, folded for a flowing, water-like pattern that no stamped steel can fake, and finished in a true Japanese master mirror polish that makes the grain glow.

Specifications

Dimensions

Forging & Steel

The blade is forged from folded Damascus steel, the layers welded and drawn out by hand until the surface carries that characteristic rippling figure. A unique hamon — the hardened temper line born in the quench — runs the length of the edge, proof of the differential treatment that leaves the cutting edge hard while the spine stays resilient. The mirror polish is no shortcut finish: it is the slow, stone-by-stone work that brings out both the hamon and the folded grain at once.

Mounting & Fittings

Saku wears a full tachi-style mounting, the older court style slung edge-down, complete with Obitori Kanagu, Kashiwaba and Kogiri furniture. The tsuba is finely sculpted premium copper, and the tsuka is wrapped in genuine stingray leather whose wrap continues elegantly onto the saya — a rare, unbroken line from grip to scabbard. A premium copper menuki kit and two bamboo mekugi secure a true full-tang build.

Is it battle-ready?

Yes. Saku is a full-tang, hand-forged Damascus blade with a real differential temper — a functional sword first, a display piece second. Treated with respect it will hold an edge through tatami cutting practice, yet its polish and tachi furniture make it equally at home on a stand. For collectors weighing it against our other top-tier pieces, see the Katana Kusa and the three-steel Katana Enyou. Browse the full katana range to compare mountings.