Project X Next Generation Elite Soshu Kitae Laminated Custom Katana (MkIV)

 Select Your Custom Design from the images above

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An SBG exclusive, the Project X series Custom Katana line are the pinnacle of the various custom katana projects we have been involved with since 2008. Project X blades are hands down the best quality Katana blades currently being produced in Longquan and are forged and polished by only the most senior Master level swordsmiths and swordpolishers.

The blades are hand forged by Certified Master Smiths in the Soshu Kitae tradition (seven panel steel). This school was developed by the legendary and all time greatest Japanese smith Masamune, and combines panels of hard, medium, and soft steels.

TYPES OF KATANA LAMINATION

Soshu Kitae Lamination - far right. It is by far the most complex and desirable lamination technique.

The core of the blade is formed from softer, more malleable steel (1045 carbon steel) giving it the ability to withstand shocks and resist shattering. A layer of slightly harder steel (1060 carbon steel) is bonded to each side of the core to add support. The last layers are a very hard steel (1095 carbon steel) bonded to the top, bottom, and both sides of the core forming the ha (cutting edge) mune (back edge) and shinogi-ji (blade flats). This form of laminar construction provided for a sword that could be sharpened to a razor edge due to the hardened steed used for the ha, but was extremely resilient to battle damage due to its softer more flexible core.

As a by product of the process, the blade features not only a hamon, but also attractive lamination lines, resulting in a very active and attractive blade with interplay between the lamination lines and hamon. Like a fingerprint, each blade is unique and has its own distinctive patterning.

While the blades all have a standard length of 28" (2 shaku, 3 sun, 4 bu nagasa) measured from the munemachi (the

The blade alone is hands down the finest we have ever seen outside of high end Japanese Nihonto valued at many times the price we offer these swords for - the ability to customize it to suit your personal tastes, icing on the cake.

The blades all have a standard length of 28" (2 shaku, 3 sun, 4 bu nagasa) measured from the munemachi (the back notch of the habaki/blade collar) and can be selected either with a traditionally hand shaped bo-hi or left as a solid bodied blade depending on your individual preference. From here you can design your custom sword from the ground up using our hand picked selection of only the best, top quality, highly durable fittings to make it your own unique, personalized design.

Approx 8-10 weeks later, it all comes together and we send you the tracking info as soon as it leaves the forge via email.

The blade alone is hands down one of the finest we have ever seen outside of actual Japanese Nihonto valued at many times the price we offer these swords for - and the ability to customize it to suit your personal tastes, well that's icing on the cake..!

Here's how to get started on your own personal design:

MAKE IT YOUR OWN IN SEVEN EASY STEPS

To truly make this sword your own, simply select one of the selections for each custom option in the dropdown menu as follows:

STEP ONE: SELECT THE FULLER

For the strongest blade possible (power cutter) select the solid bodied blade option. For the fastest, lightest blade possible select full bo-hi. For a mix between the two, select partial bo-hi.

STEP TWO: SELECT THE HABAKI

Choose from 6 different styles of brass Habaki blade collars to begin creating your own unique style.

STEP THREE: SELECT THE FITTING SETS

Select the Koshirae (furniture) theme that best suits your style. Either a solid iron set with plain fuchigashira, Sukashi (cut out) antiqued brass tsuba, bright brass tsuba or one of our elite work hardened copper sets - it is up to you.

STEP FOUR: SELECT ITO WRAP COLOR

Select the color of the silk ito maki wrap (now made with hishigami on EVERY sword). "Bad Boy" Black leather ito wrap is also available here for a small additional fee.

STEP FIVE: SELECT RAYSKIN COLOR

Select the color of the rayskin under the ito maki wrap. 100% real rayskin is used in all cases, and can be left white or colored black or red. It is up to you. Additionally, you can select to upgrade from quality panel cuts to a full rayskin wrap by selecting the optional upgrade here (again, none of the optional upgrades are necessary to make a fine sword - but if you want to really refine it further, we allow you this opportunity).

STEP SIX: SELECT SAGEO COLOR

Now select your choice of hard wearing, thick sageo to go on the saya. When in doubt, go with a simple color that closely compliments the ito maki wrap you have selected.

STEP SEVEN: SELECT THE SAYA

Finally, select the saya to give it that last personal touch. From simple monocolored lacquer to highly detailed mother of pearl. Basic saya are free, but the more advanced designs incur an additional cost to cover our expenses (and may occasionally add to the overall lead time, but as we try to keep them in stock this is rare). All saya come with a genuine buffalo horn koiguchi.

Then sit back and leave the rest to us!

Do not be fooled by cheap imitations, from the quality of the stunning blade to the amazing selection of best quality fittings, this is as close as you are ever likely to get to owning your own heirloom quality personalized katana..

PREMIUM OPTIONAL EXTRAS AND UPGRADES

The basic free/included options are more than enough to make a stunningly beautiful sword - but if you want to add something even more special to your design, in addition to a large and varied selection of saya, there are currently three options that can be added to your design if so desired as follows:

UPGRADE OPTION 1: Elite Premium Quality Work Hardened Copper Fitting Sets with Gold and Silver Inlay

UPGRADE OPTION 2: Hard wearing leather ito wrap

UPGRADE OPTION 3: FULL Rayskin wrap

UPGRADE OPTION 4: Custom Blade and Saya Length Option

Additionally, check this page of the SBG Sword Store Blog for more information on how these swords are made and high resolution images of all components. If you have any questions or if anything is unclear, feel free to contact us, we are only to happy to help.

How to Use