Tetsuba 鉄馬 [The Iron Horse]

The Ronin's Katana

Featuring the Akado Gekken Blade and with Standard Fittings

A masterless samurai without a lord’s stipend to fill his belly, the ronin must sell his skill as a warrior to survive. So, the ronin lives in a world where gold leaf and flawless polish have no place and their sword is a tool for killing and earning a living. The ronin’s sword has the grit and battle scars of travel at the side of a warrior that is no stranger to conflict.  For that reason, it is simple and strong, and the functional fittings make this katana durable, reliable, and ruggedly beautiful.

A Tool for All of Your Training Needs

We designed the Akado Gekken Blade as a nearly universal training tool for Japanese swordsmanship. For kenshi (swordsmen) to practice kihon (basic movements) and kata (forms) they needed solid weight and correct balance. With a traditional saya our multipurpose swords are all ideal for iai/battou (drawing technique). In addition, with a wide edge, the Akado sword is suitable for combative fencing practice. All Akado Gekken Blades are 9260 spring steel and tempered to spring back to shape without taking a set and the blades have an edge that tapers from a maximum of 3mm down to ~2mm. The blades have a rounded tip with a large central hi (groove) to offset the weight from the thicker edge. For durability, the base of the blade is set directly against the seppa (spacers) and tsuba (hand guard) with no habaki (blade collar).

Specifications:

The Tetsuba are our standard model Japanese swords with the following features:

• Solid black iron handguard (tsuba) with copper spacers (seppa)
• Striking red artificial silk handle wrapping (tsuka ito)
• Deep black ray skin hand handle under-wrap (same)
• Dynamic Black and Red cord (sageo)
• Detailed bamboo handle ornaments (menuki)
• Fine black lacquered sheath (saya)
• Available in our four standard lengths:
  • Wakizashi: Blade Length 50cm (~19.5") / Total length 70cm (~27.5")
  • Kokatana: Blade Length 62cm (~24.5") / Total length 87.5cm (~34.5")
  • Katana: Blade Length 74cm (~29") / Total length 105cm (~41")
  • Okatana: Blade Length 100cm (~39.5") / Total length 136cm (~53.5)