http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana.html The “Gold Dragon” katana started out its life as a Dynasty Forge Tachi, but it has been remounted into a beautiful Handachi style katana. Most of the Tachi fittings remain, but the katana has been flipped around to be worn edge up instead of edge down like a Tachi. This 28.5 inch blade is a Forge Folded and Stone Polished Daimyo class Tachi. It has a gunome style hamon pattern, but the overlaying Hazuya polish has been done in suguha, which was common in late Edo period nihonto and even in many Showa-to. The 12.25 inch tsuka core has been carved in hardwood poplar, and it has a full samé-kawa wrap with a hidden seam. The tsuka was then wrapped in imported Japanese silk in a traditional Hineri Maki, but with the menuki centered instead of being placed where the hands can grasp them. The saya has been lacquered black and given a rattan wrap throughout a large portion of the length. It has also been given a new Buffalo horn kurikata. The Kojiri at the end has panels of rayskin under it, mirroring the look of the kashira. All the koshirae is polished bronze, except for the tsuba and menuki which are steel. The tsuba was custom shaped as well into a black iron wrought designed tsuba. This Handachi katana would make an excellent piece to add to any collection, especially someone longing for a more out of the box, yet traditionally mounted katana. Stats Nagasa - 28.5 inches long Tsuka Core - 12.25 inches Weight - 2.1 pounds (.95 Kilograms) Price: $1330 SALE PENDING! Was $1440 http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana.html#0 d9f96905-d139-4be5-88c8-153b502953c2 http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu1.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu1.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_273_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Full length.</p></div></div> http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana.html#1 84d4deb8-0cac-4670-89e5-7fa0e17da900 http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu2.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu2.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_273_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Hineri maki with centered menuki.</p></div></div> http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana.html#2 3e0a0f85-1af1-4219-be0f-9253d06fb1a6 http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu3.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu3.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_273_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Tsuka with tsuba profile.</p></div></div> http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana.html#3 69416c96-3649-48f9-b3a1-fe99a9ab867e http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu4.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu4.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_273_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Tsuka with Kashira profile.</p></div></div> http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana.html#4 e8a3389f-8684-4d0e-be2c-843af89ca20c http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu5.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu5.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_273_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Rattan wraped saya and saya koiguchi.</p></div></div> http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana.html#5 31208196-40a1-44cf-91a5-4ebe07927b1b http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu6.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu6.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_273_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Kojiri with Samé-kawa underneath.</p></div></div> http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana.html#6 de0ebf47-5a88-41f7-858f-f7cb6beff37c http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu7.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu7.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_273_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Full length blade shot.</p></div></div> http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana.html#7 ecb3135a-c997-496a-b8bd-d299bd64fa7a http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu8.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu8.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_273_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Polished hamon pattern.</p></div></div> http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana.html#8 2d5fc0b8-22fc-4d0d-8183-63aebdae4b74 http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu9.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu9.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_273_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Closer up of contrasting hada.</p></div></div> http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana.html#9 f4d4775e-88b0-4005-a594-b1b14f74aeaf http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu10.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu10.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_273_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">The other side of the blade.</p></div></div> http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana.html#10 80b6da3a-6a18-44c9-8002-9f9849ae9dea http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu11.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kintatsu_Katana_files/Media/kintatsu11.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_273_32"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Kissaki area with Mokume hada.</p></div></div>