Built on our new L6/Bainite blade in the Shobu Zukuri style with BoHi and featuring superb koshirae the Praying Mantis is a very desirable and functional piece.

The subdued green silk ito and deep brown of the lacquered saya provide handsome contrast to the dark copper and golden accents of the tsuba fuchi and kashira.

The stalking mantis lies in wait for his next prey mirroring the power and grace in this exceptional katana.

Bainite is a structure of highcarbon steel that combines great strength with excellent flexibility and shock absorption characteristics.

It has been known as an exemplary Katana blade component for a number of years but its use has been restricted to a few topclass master smiths due to the difficulties involved in performing the exacting heat treatment procedures necessary for the production of a Bainite blade body in combination with the very hard Martensite Yakiba edge section required for Katana blades.

Hanwei has now mastered this difficult process using billets of L6 tool steel a very tough highcarbon lowalloy steel as a starting point.

Blades are forged and shaped in the normal way then carefully heat treated to achieve the required Bainite and Martensite structures before final polishing.

Made by Hanwei.

Specifications Overall 41rdquo Blade Length 29rdquo Handle Length 11rdquo Weight 2lb 8oz Hrc Edge 6264 Hrc Back 3338 Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.

Key Features L6/Bainite Shobu Zukuri Blade Traditional Construction High Quality Koshirae