Foray Into
the Far East

The Far East is the epitome of exoticism to Americans, and even to Europeans, Africans, Italians, Australians, Scandinavians, Indians, Russians and Spaniards. The food, architecture, clothing, music, traditions, religions and hierarchy of the people of the Far East compose a fascinating cultural study, one that triggers the imagination and piques curiosity.

In the United States, kids are known to try to “dig to China,” rationalizing that since the two lands are on opposite ends of the earth, one should be able to dig a hole straight through the planet to the other side. It’s not the digging that brings out the inner child, but rather the lure of a faraway place so unlike his or her own, one that is mysterious and exotic. The history of the United States is like that of a newborn or infant compared to most places in the Far East, and that is hard to grasp for those of the New World unless they experience the Southeast Asian land, people and culture themselves.

Perhaps that all explains the fascination with the weaponry of the Far East, and the desire to replicate that which predates a good number of other knife and sword styles. Maybe it’s the exotic style that accounts for the allure, but logic says it goes beyond that. True weapons masters were born and raised in China, Cambodia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea and the Philippines.

They passed their bladesmithing, swordsmithing, blacksmithing, forging, grinding, fitting and finishing techniques down to apprentices, from generation to generation, over thousands of years. The styles are unique in the world, and the secrets of steel revealed only in the finished blades. A foray into the Far East is the trip of a lifetime, one we should all take with the open mind and natural curiosity of a child.

DAVID GOLDBERG: Amenities include a carved and pierced tsuba (guard), wispy hamon (temper line), leather-wrapped, maroon ray-skin hilt, and silver menuki (handle charm). (PointSeven Studios photo)

DAN KEFFELER: With CPM-3V blade steel reigning supreme, the maker toiled in titanium and “Timascus” for the fuchi (ornamental hilt ring), kashira (pommel cap), tsuba (guard) and menuki (handle charm). (Eric Eggly, PointSeven Studios photo)

PAUL JARVIS: Textured nickel
and bronze accent an upswept 1095-and-nickel-damascus blade, while a mammoth-ivory grip completes the Far Eastern ensemble. (Eric Eggly, PointSeven Studios photo)

PEKKA TUOMINEN: The art version of a traditional Shanghai fighting knife sports an “explosion”-pattern damascus blade, a mosaic-damascus guard and pommel, and an ebony handle. (Yrjo Korhonen photo)

DAVID BRODZIAK: The Australian knifemaker tackled a damascus tanto with an ebony, sandalwood and weeping myall (wood native to Australia) hilt and scabbard. Carol Ann O’Connor painted the cherry blossoms.

RICHARD VAN DIJK: The Wing Chung swords, or Chinese martial arts butterfly swords, grace us with 400-layer damascus blades, ebony handles, brass fittings, iron guards and a side-by-side ebony scabbard.

ZACK JONAS: The 1095 tanto may have its roots in Japan, but the rosewood hilt is all Bolivia. (SharpByCoop.com photo)

MICHAEL BELL: The forge-welded and folded cable steel blade is orchestrated via the osaraku-zukuri style, complemented by a copper habaki (blade collar), silk-wrapped hilt, dragon menuki (handle charm) and purple-lacquered saya (sheath).