Blade construction: Hira-zukuri Tanto, Iori-mune, Kasane is rather on thicker side and Mihaba on base is wide with a slight curve where upper Fukura area is swelling out. (click HERE for higher resolution image of the entire blade)
Carvings(Horimono): Fudō Acala, the God of Fire in front, the other side is the Bonji of Fudō Acala encircled by a Kenjaku rope for rescuing people and animals from suffering above Rendai a lotus pedestal.
Forging(Hada): Forging is conspicuous Ko-Itame hada. The surface shows moistened beauty from sparkling glitter Ji-nie and darkish lines of Chikei that comes from carbonated steel with the order metallic content in different states.
Temper(Hamon): Hamon is rather on stronger side Nie hard metal granules base, Chu-Suguha with delicate appearance of small Ashi feet as well as Hotsure fray indication. Boundary lines is brightly sparkling with fine Nie granules.
Temper of tip(Boshi): Medium circles with Hakikake Blaze up indication then deeply turns back.
Tang(Nakago): Slightly curved Nakago forms Funazoko (ship-bottom) shape in UBU original. One peg hole large Makugi-ana. Ō-sujikai (greatly slanting left) filemarks. Back ridge of Nakago is contoured where Ō-sujikai filemark appears. Uneven U-shaped heel. Skillful chiselled inscription signature "KANEYUKI-saku 兼幸作" in front and the other side shows the date of year in terms of the Oriental zodiac "August, tiger, the 9th calender sign (of Reiwa 2022) 壬寅年八月日".
Here is a newly made Tanto in August 2022 from Akamatsu-Taro Japanese Swords Studio 木村日本美術刀剣赤松太郎鍛錬場. AkamatsuTaro 赤松太郎 is a historic family who origins to the sword maker who belonged to Sagara-uji 相良氏, the lord of Hitoyoshi 人吉藩 in Satsuma (now Kumamoto-pref). Akamatsutaro family manufacture their own steel by bellows using iron sand such as from local river Sendai river 川内川.
The subject rising sword smith KANEYUKI 兼幸, real name Kimura Yasuhiro 木村安宏 was born in 1981, a second son of master KANETSUGU 兼嗣. He joined to Akamatsu-Taro Japanese Swords Studio 木村日本美術刀剣赤松太郎鍛錬場 in 2003.
This Tanto is newly made just delivered from studio. Fudō Acala who holds sacred sword in his right hand to renounce all earthly evil passions and the other left hand does the Kenjaku rope which is the salvation of suffering mass people.
Silver Habaki collar. preserved in Shirasaya plain wood mounting.
＊member of Akamatsu-Taro Japanese Swords Studio 木村日本美術刀剣赤松太郎鍛錬場
Kurihada AKIHIDE 栗原昭秀
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Kumura KANESHIGE 木村兼重（pupil of AKIHIDE 昭秀）
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1st son Akamatsutaro KANETSUGU 赤松太郎兼嗣（木村兼定）--------------1st son Akamatsutaro MITSUHIRO（木村光宏）
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2nd son Akamatsutaro KANETERU 赤松太郎兼照（木村兼弘） 2nd son Akamatsutaro KANEYUKI 赤松太郎兼幸(木村安宏)
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3rd son Akamatsutaro KANEHIRO 赤松太郎兼裕（木村 馨）
