Viking/Rus Lamelar Shoulder Armor

Michael 'Tinker' Pearce designed a series of swords made by Hanwei in 5160 steel, which emphasize authenticity, functionality and performance.

To satisfy the sparring and cutting needs of Western martial artists, each of the 7 styles are made in live (sharp) and sparring (blunt) versions and each sword has excellent handling characteristics. The carefully controlled heat treatment of 5160 steel (tinker blade steel preferred) by the marquenching process produces an excellent combination of toughness and flexibility at a hardness of HRC 50-52, allowing superior edge retention in bran, anti-burrs and tip-flexing safety features in blunts.

Paul Chen's Hanwei's Orchid Wakizashi is as fast as it is beautiful, with a relatively light blade made of folded K120C steel and impressive koshirae. Or hamon is prominent and the hada shows distinct layers. This Samurai sword features a medium length kissaki. The same high quality (ray skin) is used in tsuka, and tsuka-ito and sageo are woven with premium Japanese cotton. The blackened iron tsuba features an orchid and butterfly motifs encrusted in silver, brass and copper. The saya is deeply lacquered to blue with koiguchi buffalo horn and kurikata. Or fuchi , kashira and kojiri are worked in tan iron with silver and gold details. Or habaki is a one-piece brass construction.

The corresponding Orchid Katana (Product No. SH1207) and Orchid Tanto (Product No. SH1209) are also available to complete your collection.