This is the new version of this katana by Dragon King which features a clay tempered blade
The Spring Sakura Katana by Dragon King cuts to the heart of the soul of the samurai with its cherry blossom theme katana. The blossoms are akin to the lives of the samurai warriors, bold, beautiful and short lived. The Samurai made peace with himself to live his life like the cherry blossom and when the blossoms inevitably drift and thickly fall upon the ground it was like the aftermath of the field of battle. Cherry blossoms were a symbol for the transience of life and to march to war when the blossoms were in bloom was ideal.
The blade of the Spring Sakura katana is forged from 5160 high carbon steel which is both sharpened and clay tempered to possess a 60 HRc hardness on the edge and a 40 HRc body to ensure the sword has a wear resistant, hard edge and a durable, flexing steel core. This differential tempering leaves a beautiful and wave-like genuine hamon line on the edge. The tsuba, fuchi and kashira fittings of the koshirae are of darkened and antiqued stainless steel. and the seppa and habaki are of silver. The wood grip is fitted with genuine rayskin panels which are bound in tight, cherry-red ito cord with silvered menuki wrapped and held beneath the knotted folds. Included with the sword is a wooden saya scabbard with a glossy, black lacquer finish and a polished buffalo horn koiguchi at its base. The kurikata is of wood and the saya is finished with a black knotted sageo. A cloth sword bag for transport and storage is also included.
Joshua Masters (verified owner) –
The Dragon King Spring Sakura Katana exceeded my expectations in nearly every respect. The fit and finish are excellent, the fittings are attractive without feeling overly decorative, and the sword feels solid, well-balanced, and purpose-built rather than like a display piece. The differentially hardened blade and visible hamon give it a more traditional appearance, and overall the sword feels like a significant step above what I expected at this price point.
The only area where it did not quite match my expectations was the sharpness. The blade is certainly sharp and fully capable of cutting, but it is noticeably less sharp out of the box than my Dragon King Winter Sun. The Winter Sun has a more aggressive, almost razor-like edge, while the Spring Sakura’s edge feels slightly more conservative. That may be intentional because of the differentially hardened construction, but anyone comparing the two should be aware that the Spring Sakura may not feel quite as sharp as the through-hardened Winter Sun. Also, be aware, I’m not a real samurai so maybe it’s me…
That said, I am very pleased with the sword. Everything else about it was better than expected, and the combination of appearance, construction, handling, and traditional blade features makes it an excellent addition to my collection.