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Some time last year I commissioned a Czech Sword maker named Pavel Bolf to make me a new katana and below are some pictures of the (close to) final result.

Pavel is an aikido teacher and professional sword smith making traditional japanese swords that lives in Olomouc, Czech Republic. (Southeastern Moravia.)  He has been doing martial arts most of his life, including iaido and kenjutsu for over 15 years, so he is passionate in his dedication to quality and accuracy.

Last year I commissioned him to make me a “shinken” (“sharp sword” Jpn) with a blade to my size, including saya, tsuba and fittings to match the tanto he made me previously. (This way I actually have a another “Daisho,” or matching pair.)

After months and months of waiting my turn (these things do not go quickly!) I saw it for the first time after polish this past weekend. Now it is almost finished and it is beautiful!

Everything is hand made, blade, fittings, meyuki, etc. Even the tsuba cut from a solid steel plate, sawn, filed, polished and aged by hand. (Not cast pot metal as the usual copies are.)

Definitely designed to be a fighting sword, the blade is wide and solid but not too heavy, the fittings are simple, and austere, but well made and the polish is a bit more matt than the usual collectors high gloss.

Pavel’s web pages are listed elsewhere in this web site. Have a look if you are interested:

Below are some of the pictures from the sword as it nears completion. Still to do is to complete the saya and finalize some of the fittings.

(Photos taken by webmaster in Olomouc, CZ, 10 August 2003)