Ink Edge – Hand Forged 1065 Carbon Steel Katana Sword

Ink Edge – Hand Forged 1065 Carbon Steel Katana Sword

The Chinese name for this blade – 铁装真鱼皮高碳钢武士刀 – translates directly as “iron-fitted, genuine rayskin, high carbon steel katana.” No embellishment, no styling language. That honesty carries through into the physical object: iron fittings, authentic same (rayskin), 1065 high carbon steel, salt-bath hardened. The Ink Edge is a practitioner’s blade described in the most literal terms possible.

Specifications

Steel & Construction

1065 high carbon steel at this carbon level hardens into a range that supports a durable working edge. The 马沸炉 恒温热处理 process – salt-bath furnace hardening at constant temperature – achieves this by maintaining precise thermal control through the quench cycle. Where air or open-flame furnaces create temperature variation across the blade’s cross-section, the salt bath envelops the entire blade in a uniform heat medium. The result is a blade that behaves predictably: consistent hardness, consistent edge retention, consistent toughness response under stress loading.

Forged in shinogi-zukuri (ridgeline) style, the blade profile features the raised central ridge that defines classical katana geometry. This ridge functions as a structural rib, stiffening the blade against lateral deflection and directing impact force toward the spine rather than concentrating it at the edge. The 3.2 cm blade width and 0.7 cm spine thickness are solid functional dimensions at this length.

Handling

Twenty-six centimeters of tsuka (handle) is a genuine two-hand grip – not a nominal one. The genuine rayskin (same) beneath the cotton ito is rough-textured at a tactile level that prevents the wrap from rotating under grip pressure, even when hands are wet or fatigued. Iron fittings on this blade – tsuba (guard), fuchi (collar), kashira (pommel cap) – are fitted without looseness. The draw from the lacquered hardwood saya is smooth and direct, seating and releasing cleanly without the stiffness that sometimes affects tightly fitted sheaths in varying humidity.

Care Instructions

After each session, wipe the blade free of any moisture or residue with a soft cloth, then apply a light coat of choji oil (clove-based sword maintenance oil) to the entire blade surface. Store the blade in its saya in a stable, low-humidity environment. Iron fittings are susceptible to surface rust if exposed to moisture for extended periods – a periodic light oil wipe on the metal fittings will prevent this.