u/CottontailCustoms

The ShadowDancer Lion Dog Katana. This was a project for one of my longest running repeat clients and was conceptualized as a display sword more than a regular cutter. In other words, we were going fancy on this one 🤩

The lion dog themed tsuba, fuchi, kashira and menuki were all collected by the owner and sent in for the project. Black nubuck ito was requested, along with the wrap style and a nicer than average sageo. The samegawa finish choice was left to me.

The tsuka received Top level samegawa panels, lacquered in a two-tone Higo style dark red gloss under black matte finish. It was then wrapped in imported Japanese reinforced black nubuck ito in a combination of katate-maki and tsumami-maki. The sageo is an imported Japanese genuine silk Kainokuchi weave with a fractured design in black and gold, that I picked out. I was told the maker has retired so this was the last one in stock from this supplier.

The sword itself is a beauty featuring a choji hamon, O-kissaki and a two piece habaki. The new tosogu are high quality and highly detailed, featuring a prominent nanako design pattern and of course, plenty of shishi dogs.

This project was a lot of fun, though challenging on many levels but overall, I think it came out just as I pictured it. I hope my client feels the same. Well, these little guard doggies are off to their forever home to be praised and loved, as they deserve.

#tsukamaki #shishidog #LionDog #shadowdancer #samegawa #nubuckito #katanacraft

This is the tsuka to a Tozando Jisei iaito that came in for repair and a new look. There was a pretty large crack near the top but as it was a clean break and also because it's an iaito, it was able to be safely repaired with a high quality wood glue. There were other challenges with this project, which I always appreciate since it keeps things interesting and helps me learn.

One was the huge fish menuki, they were very long as well as very thick/tall. Their key features also took some creative planning in order to not cover them with the wrap and I also had to allow for the extra thickness so they didn't stand too far out from the tsuka's surface.

The second challenge was the ito itself, or rather the ito in this particular style. The whole wrap took about three times as long to complete, which as I told my client, was well worth it in the end, imho.

I replaced the original samegawa with a set of premium level panels, polished and lacquered black. I then wrapped the core in imported luxurious, plush, gorgeous dark brown, reinforced nubuck ito, in tsumamimaki style (which is very difficult with this ito). If you haven't felt ito like this, you're definitely missing out. It feels like heaven in the hands, provides great grip and it's also incredibly strong and stretch resistant. Like many quality leather items, it also ages well, gaining character as it's used. Have I mentioned I love nubuck ito? 😅

Like I mentioned, I always appreciate challenges because I learn more then I would without them and it does keep me on my toes. I also really appreciate my return clients, especially those who have dedicated so much time and effort and love to the Japanese sword arts. I hope this tsuka serves you well and I look forward to next time.

#tsukamaki #tsukamae #katanacraft #tozando #iaito #iaido #nubuckito #samegawa

I hate the aftermarket bracelet but the watch itself is a gem 😊

This ShadowDancer katana tsuka came in for a new look and I was happy to provide it. This tsuka has very nice fittings for a production katana, very detailed and in a lovely wave theme.

I added new top level samegawa, polished and bright white and featuring an emperor's node. I then wrapped it in tsumami-maki style with beautiful Tetsu silk ito, imported from Japan.

I love how the first and second primary nodules aligned perfectly on either side of the last ito crossover, before the omote end knot.

It's off to join it's blade and serve it's owner well for years to come

I just finished customizing this very iconic tsuka. As you've probably guessed, this is the tsuka from the Dragon King Ogami Itto Katana, which is a fully functional replica of the sword famously wielded by the protagonist in the Lone Wolf and Cub film series.

I have worked with this sword before, actually twice and got to handle the whole sword and while it's a fairly large and formidable katana, I was also very impressed with the quality of the fittings, especially the dimpled tsuba, fuchi and kashira. This sword even comes with a kogatana/kozuka!

Like the previous two, this tsuka was rewrapped in imported Japanese black silk ito, in the familiar katate-maki style we see in the films. The highly detailed dragon menuki are positioned prominently in the center of the tsuka. We went with top level samegawa, which I cleaned, polished and tinted to better show off it's large and impressive nodules.

I'm a huge movie buff and love these films and series and I really enjoy remaking such iconic and loved items seen in these films come to life. Plus, with the effort they put into the rest of this sword, the tsuka deserves to be as impressive.

"Choose the sword and you will join me. Choose the ball and you will join your mother, in death. You don't understand my words but you must choose. So... come boy. Choose life or death."

Thanks for looking

#tsukamaki #katanacraft #katana #samuraisword #DragonKing #ogamiitto #lonewolfandcub #silkito #samegawa #oyatsubo #katatemaki

This Nihonto Handachi tsuka came in for new duds and I was happy to help. After carefully removing everything, fixing, cleaning and adjusting the core, she received a new full samegawa wrap, polished and tinted, to replace the piecemeal sharkskin (which may have been a replacement for original samegawa)

Then she was wrapped up in Imported plush, luxurious, reinforced dark brown nubuck leather ito in tsumamimaki style. This Handachi style tsuka is now ready to go home to be reunited with her blade.

This is a Tozando Minosaka iaito tsuka that was sent in for a makeover.

The shaping of these tsuka are generally pretty well done so I don't have to change much there but the skinny samegawa panels had to go. I replaced them with wider, premium panels, polished and lacquered black.

I wrapped it in plush imported Japanese black nubuck ito, which with the glossy black samegawa underneath, really makes the silver Maru ni Tachibana menuki featuring the Kuge clan mon and ken stand out.

With soft nubuck, haichi shaping and Higo f&k, this is now one very smooth and comfortable iaito tsuka on it's way back to it's blade.

I know, I said I wouldn't work on Hanwei tsuka anymore but when it's a request to work on one of my first favorite production katana like the Hanwei Shinto, I tend to give in and make an exception.

This classic Hanwei Shinto katana tsuka came to me for a rewrap and right off the bat I was concerned about the usual gremlins that love to hide under the ito. After unwrapping it and giving it very close look, I luckily didn't find any major damage though it had its issues, but seemed healthy enough overall.

The ha and mune were pretty thin already so I wasn't able to do much reprofiling but I was able to give it an aesthetically pleasing and comfortable core reshaping. I removed some material here, added some material there and after a decent amount of work, I'm pretty happy with this core's rehabilitation.

First, new wider premium samegawa panels, lacquered in a gloss black, replaced the originals. It was then wrapped with Japanese silk ito in morotsumamimaki style. As it's always a possibility that the new maki won't follow the same pattern as the old, I had to make a couple of adjustments so that I wouldn't have to shorten the overall tsuka length. It feels strong and tight now and is ready to make the iconic Shinto katana shine even brighter.

Hey all, be aware there is a continuing scam alert regarding this account trying to sell a customized Huawei katana. Some have already lost their money. if they contact you, please report them and let others know. Huawei is in demand, especially customized ones that you don’t have to wait for. Please be careful! They usually use Facebook messenger but they might also be a member of groups on other platforms