Handmade Japanese Wakizashi T10 Steel Clay-Tempered Samurai Short Sword Katana

The media could not be loaded. I have collaborated with Yongli on 9 swords so far. Each one was better than the last. They never cease to amaze me! This sword is not the actual one listed in the header, but rather the lesser priced model or base T10 model. Please look at the photos and enlarge them to see the true beauty and craftsmanship that went into its creation. I came up with this idea some time ago and finally approached Yongli over Christmas. I was very specific about each modification and told them to get back with me if the could meet my requirements. What you see in the pics is the result. They far exceeded my wildest expectations. It has a custom blade, custom saya, custom tsuka, custom,fittings, and real same’ grip, all to my specs. I am so happy with them I could talk all night singing their praises. I want to let the pictures do the talking so you too can see what they are capable of. The quality and feel of this wakizashi is totally amazing and the price was very reasonable. I got a custom piece for what most charge for an out shelf model. Please give Yongli a chance to show you what they can do for you. I have 7 fully functional, well crafted wakizashis (mainly because I like the short swords) that are sharp as razors, well balanced, and beautiful in the extreme, made to my specs. It doesn’t get any better than that!!! Below is a letter I wrote to Yongli swords.“Things have kinda slowed down lately and given me a chance to study my beautiful red Wakizashi. I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate the fantastic effort and craftsmanship that your team put into my sword. I could not have been happier with the outcome. In every area it was just perfect no matter wether it was the blade, the handle, the fittings, the paint, or the fitting of the scabbard. I really believe in your great team. They have always done an outstanding job on any project I have given y’all. To say I’m pleased would be an understatement. I am overwhelmed with satisfaction and gratitude. My sincere appreciation to you and your wonderful team.”JRP 🙏⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Since the red Wakizashi, I have purchased 3 more. Two for me and one for a friend as a present. I have added pics for you to enjoy. Yongli does such a wonderfully creative effort with each sword I order that I can’t say enough great things to describe what they do for me.Each is a masterpiece in itself and unique to me. Great folks to deal with. Give them a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I haven’t! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Please take a look at the newest. The blue/white Same’ covered tsuka. Yongli is amazing! They have been able to build whatever I’ve been able to dream. Please give them an opportunity to build something fantastic for you. They have an excellent catalog as well. There’s definitely something there you’ll love.

I absolutely love this sword. To start out if you read any of the other reviews that complain about the imitation samegawa (ray skin) or any other details, please know that you can reach out and customize your order. I asked that the sword have a longer Tsuka (handle), coffee brown leather ito (wrapping), gold colored Menuki (little dragons under the wrapping) and real black samegawa (ray skin). The only additional cost was $5 for the real ray skin. So, if you want something specific, just ask. The fittings are basic but well done. The fuchi and Kashira are both basic black alloy and are not fancy. I like this aesthetically. The Tsuba is simple but is magnetic, so it looks to be made of steel or iron rather than zinc alloy which is nice. The ito wrapping is reasonably tight and well done for a sword at this price. The real special part of this sword is the blade. The type is called unokubi zukuri and is usually used on Naginata (samurai pole arm) blades. It’s a really unique style and some sword makers offer it but they normally stick to a blade width that is the same as a normal Japanese style sword. I’m sure this is done to make sure they can use the same style Saya (scabbard). This sword uses this unique blade shape and like a Naginata it has a blade tip that is wider than the base. This makes it much wider than a normal Wakizashi. I’ve included several pictures with this blade next to a standard wakizashi to show the difference. This is an amazing blade with a beautiful hamon temper line.

This wakizashi is very nice. For the price, it's gonna be hard to beat. It has a nice wide blade, beautifully contoured, with impressive looking tapers & groves. Not too heavy & not too light. No rattling. Very sharp right out if the box.A great show piece, but fun to practice with.There is one bad observation. The wrap isn't the tightest, IMHO it won't last too long.I still give it 5 stars & I would buy again!

I want to start with the beauty of this wakizashi! I love the shape of this blade, the willow leaf tip with the half beveled back. The clay temper leaves a beautiful hamon line. Everything is very tight (that’s what she said😋)! Be careful Very sharp!The only flaw is a slight warp in the blade from tang to tip.Highly recommend and looking to get a second.

Overall for the price, it's great. Very sharp. Pretty. Handle doesn't rattle. Functional.The blade is a flat grind with a fair mirror polish that reveals differential hardening. The blade dimension fits the description of unokubi-zukuri where the spine becomes very thin from half the spine and turns thick near the tip (pics 1-3). Features two fullers, one near the spine that ends half way, and a thinner one near the middle of the blade that runs until near the tip. I did Rockwell hardness test on small sections near the hamon line on the hardened section and on the edge (pic 4). Got cut at 60 on my sword, so it's around 56-59 HRC. I did one on the spine as well and it tested below 40 HRC. This is my own test that doesn't reflect collectively on all swords produced by this company. The notches on the back and edge where the habaki sits is poorly done. Shown in pics 5, 6. The tip does not have a chisel point (pic 7). The balance point is shown in pic 8. Full tang, one piece by the way (pics 09, 10). The blade was coated in shipping oil that smelled terrible but it's nothing a rag and a little essential oil couldn't fix.The handle, guard and habaki are very secure. Held in place with two bamboo mekugi pins and lots of friction. I had to put it in a vice and apply some force to get it off so I could clean it. Got it back on pretty easy. Shown in pics 11-19.The scabbard has a smooth surface with glitter but the blade rattles some and is fitted poorly (pics 20-22).The YouTube channel Vegan Jutsu has a few video reviews with a cutting test, so you can check out his results for this sword as well.