I will be the first to admit I have somewhat of aKill Bill obsession. In the early part of my career when I first began to create modern tsukamaki handles, some people out there in the world dubbed me the “Hattor Hanzo” of knife making, and I have to say, I’m more than a little flattered. So when the opportunity arose to create the first of the new generation of the Shrike, I had to push the narrative of the legendary character. 

I started this build with some special steel, probably my favourite steel to work with, Aogami #2. A Japanese high carbon steel which loves a water quench. The blade was honed and heat treated through the forge, refined and then polished by hand to a soft mirror finish. I really prefer doing these finishes by hand as machine polishing has a harshness to it which just feels off.

The handle was constructed on the base of a brass liner, mounted with buffalo horn fittings and polished to a high mirror finish. The samegawa (ray skin) is polished and lacquered black, then finished off with gloss black leather tsukaito in the hineri-maki style. 

SPECIFICATIONS:

Steel: Aogami #2

Hardness: 64 Hrc

Blade Finish: Polished & Blued
Handle Theme: Hattori Hanzo

Liner: Polished Brass

Fitting & Pins: Buffalo Horn & Carbon Fiber (Blended)

Samegawa Lacquer: Black

Ito: Gloss Black Leather

Menuki: None

Wrap Style: Hineri-Maki

Sheath: Black Kydex