Uploaded July 2017 | Updated September 2026, 10 hours ago

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**WARNING: This is the longer process version intended for serious students of knifemaking. The first half is almost real time, the repeat steps edited out during the second half. The wood is hounoki, carve carefully and check often! Order of operations below...

In this video the tsuka is carved first, starting with the omote side and then the ura, carving each half from the mune to the ha. The saya is next, starting with the omote and then the ura, each half beginning with the fitting of the blade (from mune towards the ha) and then the fitting of the habaki area (koiguchi). Finally the halves are glued together with rice paste glue, wrapped with leather cord, and wedged tightly to dry overnight.

1. Tsuka - handle

a. Omote - "public side"
i. Mune - spine
ii. Ha - edge
b. Ura - "private side"
i. Mune
ii. Ha

2. Saya - scabbard

a. Omote
i. Mune
ii. Ha
iii. Habaki - koiguchi area
b. Ura
i. Mune
ii. Ha
iii. Habaki

3. Sokui - glue with rice paste, wrap and wedge tight overnight

The next stage is carving the outside of the handle and scabbard: youtu.be/4U9_vp-EpuQ

And after that, making the fittings: youtu.be/BLzKldYVHMs

finished work is here: islandblacksmith.ca/2017/08/aikuchi-tanto-koshirae

islandblacksmith.ca/process