Citadel Knives & Swords SC4002 Limited Edition Lotus Katana 40" Overall 27-1/2" Hand Forged DNH7 Blade Hand Carved Pure Iron Fittings! Citadel's swords and knives are completely hand-made one of customs made entirely in their small shop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We've asked them to make for us a few in the same style, but made in the same way as their custom swords. Crafted individually from start to finish, each one is of course a bit unique in it's own way. Limited to 100 swords, each is signed by the smith on the nakago with the sword number and comes with a matching certificate. Click here to read about how these exceptional samurai swords are made.

This rendition of the classical Lotusthemed katana is a light and fast sword. Hand forged from imported European DNH7 high carbon steel the differentially hardened blade features a "bo-hi" or fuller to lighten and balance the blade without sacrificing strength. This is an extremely collectible and capable sword.

The tsuba is hand cut and engraved from pure iron. The "nanako" or stippled pattern on the tsuba is accomplished by hand, quite a feat of patience with a stunning result. The tsuba also features "seki-gane", metal inserts at the top and bottom of the hole for the blade to slip through. These are of a softer metal (copper) than the iron of the tsuba and allow easier shaping of the hole to perfectly fit the tsuba to the blade. Over time if this fit becomes loose or the tsuba is fitted to another blade the seki-gane may be adjusted easily to tighten it back up. This is a small detail usually only found on hand-made Japanese tsuba and is indThis katana is made in the same manner as the more costly Citadel katana (see Ocean and Bamboo) but with a focus on cutting practice this sword's fittings have been simplified to their purest form. The blade is solid, with no bo-hi or fuller to provide a slightly higher weight and forward balance. However Citadel sharply tapers the blade geometry from the shinogi or central ridge to the mune or back of the blade. This allows for a thicker blade with more niku or apple-seed geometry behind the edge while maintaining proper balance. This means the robust blade can stand up to traditional target cutting of harder targets, usually fresh green bamboo, without worry of chipping the edge.The fittings are hand cut and shaped from pure iron, an extremely tough material that takes a deep black patina and needs minimal maintenance. Iron will bend under tremendous shock instead of break, a feature any samurai would appreciate. The Lotus design of the tsuba is in an older, simpler style (kyo sukashi, maru gata) that reflects the nature of the sword.The tsuka or handle and scabbard are hand carved to fit each individual sword ensuring a proper fit. The ito or handle wrap is of black natural silk imported from Japan. It is tightly wrapped around the full same-gawa or ray skin wrap with the proper hishigami or paper triangles present to ensure a long life of use. The saya is lacquered to a semi-gloss finish with buffalo horn mounts (koiguchi, kurikata and kojiri).This is an exceptional sword for practitioners of tameshigiri that want a unique sword. These swords are entirely hand-made by Citadel.

Key Features:

    Handmade by skilled artisans     Hand carved fittings of pure iron

    Limited Edition of 100

Bamboo Citadel Katana MSRP: $2,399.00 Currently, in stock shipping now ONLY 2 LEFT HURRY Made In Cambodia

Specifications

Overall: 40" Blade Length: 27 1/2" Handle Length: 11" Weight: 2lb 6oz Point of Balance: 4 3/4" Thickness at Guard: .25" Thickness at Tip: .22" Sori: 3/4" Blade Steel: DNH7

Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.