Hebi to Take Tanto (蛇と竹) – Snake and Bamboo

Hebi to Take (蛇と竹): the snake and the bamboo

In Japan, the serpent (hebi) is a creature of dual nature: a divine messenger associated with Benzaiten, goddess of fortune and the arts, it embodies prosperity and renewal, shedding its skin to be reborn. Bamboo (take), for its part, stands for uprightness and resilience.

This tanto brings both together in its guard, where a sculpted serpent coils around sections of bamboo. The honey-toned wood of the saya echoes the natural warmth of dried bamboo.

A brown and blue damascus steel blade

The blade is forged in damascus steel, achieved by layering and folding multiple sheets of steel. Its two-tone brown and blue wave pattern is brought to life by a bright polished finish.

The geometry follows the shinogi-zukuri tradition, with a compact ko-kissaki tip, and the blade is grooved with a bo-hi. There is no hamon.

A mount coiled by a serpent

The kawari-gata tsuba, circular in form, is crafted from gold-patinated copper. Its ring imitates bamboo segments, around which a serpent coils in raised relief (takabori), its scales rendered in fine line engraving (kebori). Openwork (sukashi) surrounds bamboo leaves, and two hitsu-ana openings complete the guard. A gilded brass seppa accompanies it.

The fuchi in gilded copper is chiselled with a dragon motif in relief, while the kashira in gilded copper presents a gently chiselled rounded cap. The handle combines wood with faux black ray skin beneath a dark brown tsuka-ito wrapped in hineri-maki, with golden dragon menuki. The ichimai habaki in gilded brass features one face pierced with geometric patterns against a nanako ground.

A honey-toned varnished wooden saya

The saya is crafted from hardwood, simply finished in a honey tone beneath a clear lacquer that allows the natural grain to show through. The koiguchi is banded in lacquered black, and the kojiri remains in varnished wood. The wooden kurikata, fitted with a gilded shitodome, accommodates a two-tone black and gold sageo.

Dimensions and handling of the tanto

With a blade of 33 cm and an overall length of 55 cm, Hebi to Take is a tanto of generous proportions. Its 17 cm handle sits firmly in a single hand. At 0.7 kg, it remains light in hand. It measures 57 cm within its saya, a format that showcases its sculpted guard beautifully on a display stand.