The Rockstead UN-DLC Azuki Silk Handle is a large Japanese fixed blade built around YXR7 tool steel, DLC coating, Honzukuri geometry, a fully removable handle construction derived from the logic of the Japanese katana, a friction-locking sheath, and a traditional kiri-bako paulownia box.The blade is made from YXR7, a high-performance Japanese tool steel selected by Rockstead for toughness, cutting stability, and controlled edge behavior under harder use. It is hardened to approximately HRc65 and protected with a DLC coating. On the UN-DLC, the coating is not cosmetic. It protects the YXR7 blade surface and gives the knife a darker, more restrained character while preserving Rockstead’s precise blade geometry.The blade finish is deliberately contrasted: the flat section carries a dark matte DLC surface, while the convex Honzukuri bevels retain an DLC ultra-fine mirror-polished character. Reflections along the finished bevels remain clean and undistorted, showing the discipline of the convex geometry beneath the coating and polish.
  The handle is wrapped in Azuki-colored Japanese silk cord using the Hineri-maki pattern, a twisted, diagonally crossing wrap traditionally used on katana handles. Azuki — 小豆色 — is a traditional reddish-purple color named after red azuki beans: muted, dense, and closer to classical Japanese textiles than to modern decorative purple.Beneath the silk is ray skin, with its raised white nodules visible through each diamond-shaped opening in the wrap. Between the folds, a round brass menuki carries a stylized floral motif, its low relief creating a deliberate tactile and visual interruption within the repeating geometry of the wrapping. The kashira, the handle-end pommel fitting, is machined from SUS440C.The handle is fully removable, following the construction logic of the Japanese katana, where the handle assembly can be taken apart for inspection, maintenance, or replacement. Rockstead reinterprets the traditional bamboo mekugi — 目釘 — as a special screw with a unique slot, designed for Rockstead’s dedicated tool. Owner disassembly is not recommended unless necessary. 
  The UN-DLC is supplied with a dedicated sheath made from a stabilized wood-based structure with natural leather elements. Rockstead avoids a fully leather sheath because leather can absorb moisture and may create an aggressive environment for a finely finished blade surface. The sheath secures the blade through a high-precision friction mechanism. It holds the blade by controlled contact pressure rather than by a simple latch or button. A secondary leather strap, closed with a snap fastener, adds another point of retention against accidental release during vigorous movement.
  The knife is presented in a kiri-bako made from paulownia wood — 桐. On the box, 守護 — Shugo is written by hand in the tradition of Shodō calligraphy. Inside the lid, Rockstead explains Shugo as protection through proper conduct, rules, and responsibility:“True protection (Shugo) means being protected while protecting others. To protect is to stand up for what is right and to follow true principles. By doing so, a person receives protection in return.”