John Lee - Ten Kei Katana (Premium Line)

  

Hand forged Blade in Shinogi-Zukuri-Style with fuller (Bo-Hi).
Blade construction in Kobuse-Style (see pic)
Wooden handle with real ray skin and silk wrap in Katate-Maki-Style (War-Wrap).
Black glossy lacquered scabbard (Kuroro-Style)
Blade 71 cm, Overall 101 cm, Handle length 29,5 cm.

Premium Line:
In the Premium Line the high-quality swords of John Lee are summarized.
The blade construction with several steels differently hardened cares for optimal balance between solidity and flexibility. For the sharp cutting edge a 1095 Carbon steel is used. It is always differentiated hardened to 60 HRC onthe cutting edge and 40 HRC on the bladeback. This hardness difference is visible on the fine working out polished Hamon-Line.
The elaborate designed decoration are handmade and gives each sword the personal touch. For both the Handle wrap (Ito) and the wrap on the scabbard (Sageo) exquisite silk is used. The end cap (Kojiri), scabbard mouth (Koiguchi) and the eyelet (Kurigata) are made of noble buffalo horn.

Ten Kei:
The phrase "Ten Kei" might be translated with "gift from heaven" and sum up for the beauty of nature. Inspired of it, the handmade decorations look like floral motives ennobled with gold and silver.

The blade was forged in the eloborate Kobuse-Style. A coating of hard 1095 carbon steel with a core of softer, low-carbon steel.