The classic Japanese battle sword in all its
incarnations has been celebrated for centuries, not only for
its elegant lines and simple beauty, but also for the technique
and skill that went into its construction.
Most swords offered today
are interpretive copies of antiquities from feudal Japan. They
were made for warrior’s
of small stature who seldom rose above five and a half feet.
As skillfully designed as these swords are, they may not be perfectly
suited for the twenty first century warrior, who benefited from
contemporary advances in childhood nutrition and healthcare and
grew up to be a substantially taller, stronger, and more athletic
version of his historical counterpart.
As a way of compensating for this size disparity,
Cold Steel has created the Dragonfly Series. These swords feature
thicker, wider and heavier blades, which mirror their Imperial
Series in respect to heat treatment, polish, quality of furnishings,
and attention to detail, but with a few new departures.
Most noticeable are the distinctive
teal-green silk cord-wrap and black samé (ray skin)
used on the handles and the black iron furniture that bears
the dragonfly motif. Also, the polished blades are more strongly
curved than our Imperial blades and terminate in a long “iris
leaf” point
for maximum cutting and slashing potential. Additionally, these
swords come with two protective bags. There is a blue travel
bag and an intricately decorative display bag that’s made
from the finest heavy silk metallic brocade.
