Confucius is still considered by many as just a traditionalist teacher. However, those who read the Analects will recall that, when confronted with what was his interpretation of Li or Ritual, the Master replied: To question is also part of Ritual.


Maybe I should begin with my own interpretation of what is a designer. 
It is my belief, and this has been stressed in some papers that I delivered in designers' meetings as well as other seminars, that a designer is someone who interprets the Past and the Present in order to project an idea of a Future that is embedded in a consequent link with what is known, yet bearing sufficient innovation. 
In other words, a designer intermediates with his creativity between what has been seen and what is to come.
By nature I need innovation, I do not just accept passively what is given to me. It is not a question of rebellion, but rather an inquisitive attitude that is not satisfied by studying past designs. This attitude by no means represents a belittling of History. Very much on the contrary, it requires the admiration of the Past to create something that can somehow become an innovation. 
This is to say that while I enjoy tradition as a source of information and of beauty, and have experimented with some traditional Japanese fittings with the swords I bought, I feel the spiritual need to design new swords.
Now, among other areas of my design work, I decided to design swords on a professional basis, Contemporary Swords, such as the one on the left. Swords that have been designed in past centuries do bring out my admiration and I rejoice in seeing their beauty. 
I'm ready to take up the challenge of designing new renditions of swords from the Past. Just take a look at my Katsujin-ken and how I make the specifications, so that distance is but an illusion. 
Remember the old Beetle, and how they designed a contemporary version? Why should swords not receive the same treatment or approach? 
My ultimate goal however, is to assist people who can understand that not only metallurgy is an art form by itself, but the weapons that are produced require innovative designs that will substitute the traditional patterns or shapes, and bring uniqueness into swords which may be recognized everywhere as total works of contemporary art as a whole. 
It is time that contemporary swords are regarded by Art Centers and Museums as artwork pieces and not only as historical pieces, or cutters to be bashed around. 
As an example, the sword on the left was originated in my mind when I saw the metal brake of a Harley Davidson wheel. The design struck me as very contemporary, and I did recognize the shape-function relationship. Then I came home and a few days later I started to design this hybrid sword, a mixture of Eastern and Western styles. But that's exactly what I am myself. In fact the sword guard is based on the Japanese Tsuba, but it has also been inspired by the motorbike wheel. And I did a two pieces guard, exactly like if it were the two sides of the brakes. 
Then I designed a two edged blade but I added a long blackened habaki shaped in the western fashion of what I would like to call the birth of the blade so that the scabbard will allow for a nice blade hold.
Yet the blade is western, made of L-6 steel polished to high brilliance. The handle is made of precious wood, and instead of a pommel, it will bear a hybrid rendition of the kashira.
A more detailed version is visible through the menu's work samples.
While I state my preference to design new swords and also provide them to you, I am available to conceive combinations of traditional Japanese style katana, wakizashi and tanto furniture, which is from where I started to combine the fittings of my modest collection . If you have navigated through this menu and found the contents of this site to be attractive, you are welcome to contact me.
Meantime please note that the examples listed in this site are my intellectual property and are copyrighted. Thank you.

                                                                                                                Antonio Conceição Júnior