Raptor Unokubi Zukuri Katana

The Raptor Sword Line is a new lower cost line offered by CAS Iberia based on input and discussions with Bugei Trading Company. James Williams worked closely with CAS Iberia and the smiths and designers at Hanwei forge to develop a high quality cutting sword priced for the new student of the Japanese sword. The goal was not to make a "cheap" sword. The goal was to make a performance sword with a smaller price tag. To that end we sacrificed the traditional folding and specialized heat treatment that produces the distinctive hamon of Japanese swords. So they will not look like they have traditional Japanese steel. But they will perform.

The Raptor Series is the result of this cooperative effort.

The fittings are simple and based on the raptors, birds of prey. A gaudy, flashy mount for this sword would be out of place as these swords are meant for serious use. The sword is made of high performance unfolded 5160 steel, a high carbon steel renouned for its strength and durability. The blade has been heat treated in a non-traditional fashion to create a strong, durable modern blade. As a result the Raptors do not have a hamon. This sword is non-traditional metallurgically but is made to be a modern, robust, strong, durable blade ideal for those new to Japanese Sword Arts. The blade's geometry was also designed to be fully traditional in cross section but still robust to allow for higher performance under harder usage.

This particular sword is based on the light and fast unokubi zukuri style. Unokubi literally means "Cormorant Neck" which refers to the long, graceful neck of the cormorant sea bird. The blade starts off much like a shinogi zukuri katana at the "tsuba" (sword guard) but has a "hi" (groove) along the ridge surface. About 1/3rd of the way forward the ridge angles back to create a more diamond cross section for the blade. This allows the sword to be wider and still thick enough to retain proper stiffness and edge angle but to balance out as a faster feeling blade since it moves the point of balance back towards the hands. The tsuka is wrapped with a black suede ito in katatemaki style (the so-called "battle wrap" or "one arm" style). The black saya has a simple stone texture. The habaki displays an elegant rain pattern to add extra interest to the mounts.

Key Features:
- A Tough 5160 Through Hardened Unokubi Zukuri sugata
- Traditional Construction
- Simple, elegant koshirae

Specifications:
Nagasa ("blade length"): 28.5 ”
Tsuka ("handle") length: 13”
Weight: 2lb 12oz

Please note that as these are all hand made there will be some variation from blade to blade.