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The "Black Knight" of lore, embodied in a fierce hand forged katana
Shadowy and mysterious, yet clearly capable, Shinwa’s “Black Knight” Katana embodies the fabled “dark-“ or “black knight” of lore - a rogue warrior loyal to no warlord or king, who fights only for himself and his own cryptic, deviant-yet-noble principles. Indeed, the Black Knight Katana slashes to the beat of its own drum. And despite its grim hues, the Black Knight is nothing if not vibrant and alluring; it’s teeming with distinctive appointments and captivating accents - a true masterwork of contemporary sword design. But behind this stylishly unsettling façade lurks a downright frightening beast - a formidable tanto blade hand forged from black Damascus steel.
Open your mind to dark-yet-thrilling new bladecraft possibilities
More than “muscle,” the capable full tang blade is the veritable “dark soul” of the Black Knight, and no less than hand forged bladecraft at its height. It slices effortlessly through even the most challenging materials, retaining its fine edge through even the most brutal trials. Breathtaking, downright bewitching and truly unique, the blade’s beauty is every bit as keen as the carefully honed, razor sharp edge. It pierces the depths of your imagination - opening it to wondrous new metallurgical possibilities, while slashing apart all your preconceived notions of what makes Damascus steel, “Damascus steel.”
Shinwa looks to the past, yet "forges" ahead with its own modern innovations
The Black Knight’s distinctive black Damascus steel is a tumultuous sea of contrasting lines, waves, swirls and other mesmerizing patterns, all cloaked in a shadowy dark hue. Each line is a distinct variety of steel, hammer welded and hand folded repeatedly to yield the thousands of layers in each Black Knight blade. The unique metalsmithing technique’s roots stretch back to the Middle Ages, and today it’s still painstakingly performed by seasoned hands - no automation, no mechanization. To make each Black Knight blade, a Shinwa master swordsmith fires a stack of steel blanks - each piece a different alloy - in a white-hot forge until the metal glows red hot. He then removes the stack and hammers it until it’s around half as thick as the original. Then he folds the metal onto itself lengthwise and hammers each half together. The process is meticulously repeated - hundreds of times in some cases - until the desired layering effect is achieved, at which point a final quenching strengthens the resulting blade, while an acid treatment highlights vivid contrasts in the layers. And the slow, laborious process itself it just the beginning!
Unique allure only a seasoned swordsmith could produce
In order to achieve sufficiently dramatic contrasts, Shinwa’s master smiths must expertly select an appropriate combination of steel alloys of varying color, luminescence and other visual qualities. For the sake of strength, resilience and countless additional blade factors, the smiths must also must consider each alloy’s distinct melting point, proper stacking order, forge temperature and myriad other variables. Simply put, an unbelievable quantity of blood, sweat and tears goes into every Black Knight blade.
Experience Damascus steel…after dark
As if that weren’t enough, Shinwa adds its own innovative modern twist to the Black Knight blade - an exclusive, closely guarded secret process that imparts that sinister dark veil; putting the “black” in black Damascus, so to speak. Rich amber lines swirl over a deep black void like trails of blood flowing down a blackwater river. It's Damascus steel...after dark. And of all the world’s swords, Shinwa’s Black Knight is one of a relative few to feature it. Furthermore, like a steel snowflake or fingerprint, the patterning on no two Black Knight blades are exactly alike.
A dark sword that shines brighter than the rest
“Knights in shimmering armor” are a dime a dozen, as are ordinary swords. Even the most sumptuously adorned “carbon steel” examples can’t match the shadowy allure of Shinwa’s Black Knight Katana. Like a seaside lighthouse in photonegative, the deep, dark Black Knight is a brilliant shining beacon of originality and inventiveness in a sea of ordinary, uninspired swords. And many have answered the call, as the Black Knight commands a substantial following of devoted fans. This should come as no surprise - the Black Knight has proven itself time and again, and it holds its own against far more expensive katana, outperforming many. But the old cliché is true - "action" does indeed "speak louder than words," and at this unbeatable, downright unheard-of price, why deny yourself the opportunity to experience the ever-impressive Black Knight Katana for yourself? No matter how you use it, with proper care you can enjoy the Black Knight for a lifetime, then pass the set down to your children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren! This heirloom-quality katana is built to be treasured by generations of your descendants - your legacy preserved in hand forged black Damascus steel!
- Nothing's darker than the "knight" - beautiful yet formidable, vibrant yet dark, the Black Knight Katana is spectacular fusion of breathtaking contrasts
- Full tang 28 1/8" black Damascus steel blade, hand forged by Shinwa's master swordsmiths using proven, centuries-old technique; more than 1,000 distinct layers
- Innovative, exclusive process puts “black” in “black Damascus” - result is blade with brooding dark beauty without equal
- Tsuka wrapped in faux ray skin, classic black ito; offset by brilliant brass dragon menuki; traditional wooden mekugi
- Unique, flawlessly cast tsuba features breathtaking relief design that depicts menacing dragon in extraordinary detail
- Overall length: 40" - tall, dark and handsome; the quintessential full-sized samurai sword
