How does the blue ito and white samegawa handle look in person?

The 10.23-inch handle pairs blue cotton ito cord with PU white samegawa underneath. The traditional diamond-pattern wrap lets white rayskin show through at regular intervals, creating a clean blue-and-white contrast that coordinates with the blue sageo on the saya.

How does the red and black handle feel and look?

The 10.23-inch hardwood tsuka is covered in red PU samegawa with black cotton ito wrapped in a traditional diamond pattern. The red panels contrast sharply against the black cord, giving the handle a striking visual pop while the layered texture offers a firm, comfortable grip.

Are these tantos full-tang construction?

Many of the folded steel tantos in this collection feature full-tang construction, meaning the steel extends the entire length of the handle and is secured at the pommel end. This design provides superior structural integrity compared to a partial or rat-tail tang, because the handle material is essentially mounted around a continuous piece of steel. You can usually identify full-tang pieces by the presence of a mekugi pin (or pins) that pass through both the handle wrap and the tang itself. Some aikuchi and shirasaya models use a hidden tang that seats deeply into the handle with a tight friction fit, which is historically authentic for those mounting styles. Product titles and descriptions note the tang type for each piece, so you can choose the construction style that best fits your collection preferences.

What is the tsuka handle made of and how is it wrapped?

The tsuka is wrapped in blue cord over genuine white samegawa (ray skin) using traditional knot paper wrap technique. This creates the classic diamond spacing pattern in blue and white, matching the sageo cord on the black saya.

What materials are used for the tsuka and tsuba?

Updated Feb 2026

The 6.3-inch tsuka is wrapped in gold leather ito over white polyurethane leather samegawa in a tight diamond pattern. The tsuba is a black alloy round guard with a smooth profile. Bronze-tone metal fittings at the habaki area tie the handle and guard together visually.