This is how Oda Nobunada and the Shinsengumi would remove the tags from their T-shirts.

Back in Japan’s feudal period, a samurai never left home without his sword. It was a violent era, and there was no telling when he might be forced to defend his life or honor with cold steel.

Nowadays, though, when out and about you’re unlikely to encounter brigands, invaders from a rival samurai clan, or the man who slaughtered your village and set you on the path to revenge you’ve been walking ever since. You might, however, spot a stray string on your clothes, or be faced with a pesky snack package you can’t overcome with your bare hands, and at those times you can channel the spirit of the samurai with this set of mini scissors modeled on actual historic katana.

The compact cutters are the latest creations from Nikken Cutlery, which is based in the town of Seki, Gifu Prefecture, where swordsmithing was once the largest local industry.

Nikken is offering three models, the first of which is based on the Heshikiri Hasebe, sword of 16th century warlord Oda Nobunaga.

To the untrained eye, the metal might appear smudged, but that’s actually a deliberate styling choice, replicating the hamon (tempering marks) left behind by traditional Japanese swordsmithing techniques, which is one of the first things scholars and history buffs look for when admiring a katana.

Second in the lineup is the Izumi no Kami Kanesada, which was wielded by Hijikata Toshizo, vice-commander of the oft-romanticized 19th century Shinsengumi vigilante group.

And finally, the third model also comes from the Shinsengumi, in the form of the Yamato no Kamiyasusada, sword of Shinsengumi member Okita Soji.

The mini katana come with a mini katanabukuro (cloth sword bag), a drawstring pouch adorned with the Shinsengumi’s blue-and-white tringle motif for Hijikata and Okita’s swords, or an elegant purple gradation for Nobunaga’s.

▼ Though the scissors are small enough to also fit easily into a pen case.

▼ Getting ready to deliver the finishing blow to a clothing tag.

▼ To the victor in battle go the spoils of this bag of candy.

Nikken Cutlery is offering the samurai scissors through Japanese crowdfunding site Makuake here, with scissor/pouch tiers starting at 2,310 yen (US$22).

Source: @Press via Japaaan
Images: @Press
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