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Past meets present, tradition meets innovation
From the multiple high carbon steel alloys that comprise the blade to its distinctive blend of traditional form and wicked modern accents, the Blue Knight Katana is a bold mashup of electrifying contrasts. Though it pays homage to Japan’s ancient swordcraft tradition, Shinwa developed the distinctive Blue Knight with today’s serious swordsman in mind. Master smiths painstakingly hand forge every blade, and seasoned sword artisans carefully handcraft each tsuka and saya. From vigorously hammering the molten blade steel to gingerly wrapping faux ray skin and cord around the tsuka, every step in the Blue Knight's construction receives the utmost care and precise attention to detail.
Steel has never been so captivating
Some of the world's - and indeed history's - most revered, time-tested techniques are employed, and every material meets or exceeds stringent quality standards. A quintessential example is the Blue Knight's eye-catching Damascus steel tanto blade, which teems with potency and visual splendor - a spectacular wonder in its own right with its contrasting lines, waves, swirls and other mesmerizing patterns. Each line is a distinct variety of steel, hammer welded and folded repeatedly to yield the thousands of layers in each Blue Knight blade. The unique metalsmithing technique’s roots stretch back to the Middle Ages, and today it’s still painstakingly performed by seasoned hands, unsullied by soulless automation and disconnected mechanization.
Ancient hand forging technique yields distinctly modern katana
In a nutshell, a master Shinwa swordsmith from the ancient sword-making village of Longquan fires a stack of steel strips - each a different alloy - in a white-hot forge until the metal glows cherry red. 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 until the desired layering effect is achieved, at which point a final quenching strengthens the resulting blade blank and an acid etching highlights vivid contrasts in the layers. And the slow, laborious process itself it just the beginning!
Swordcraft artistry only a seasoned hand 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 Blue Knight blade, but lay eyes on it just once, and you’ll know it was well worth the trouble. Furthermore, like a steel snowflake or fingerprint, the patterning on no two Blue Knight blades is exactly alike.
Display worthy beauty, battlefield-worthy capability and strength
But the Blue Knight is so much more than a pretty face. More like a “wild beast decked out in regal robes,” the Blue Knight’s stout tanto blade slices cleanly and effortlessly through rolled tatami mats, thick bamboo and other tameshigiri standards, retaining its razor sharp edge through it all. The Blue Knight's weight is shrewdly distributed to maximize swinging momentum and power, blow after devastating blow. This impeccable balance also improves control and responsiveness, allowing for greater agility and flexibility in combat. The faux ray skin and classic ito that encircles the tsuka affords a comfortable, no-slip grip, further enhancing the Blue Knight’s superb feel. Flawlessly cast, the tsuba adds a striking touch of contemporary appeal with its eye-catching relief work and biohazard-esque design.
Enduring quality and allure, generation after generation
The Blue Knight has proven itself time and again, and it holds its own against any of today's most 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 Shinwa's Blue Knight Katana for yourself? No matter how you use it, with proper care you can enjoy it for a lifetime, then pass it down to your children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren! The Blue Knight is heirloom-quality and built to be treasured by generations of your descendants - your legacy preserved in hand forged Damascus steel.
- Design pays homage to past, but clearly looks to the future with its bold accents and distinctive style
- Full tang 27 1/2" Damascus steel blade - expertly hand forged by seasoned swordsmiths using proven, centuries-old techniques
- Blade boasts more than 1,000 distinct layers of high carbon steel - a sea of contrasting lines, waves, ripples, swirls and other spellbinding patterning
- Impeccably cast tsuba with "biohazard-esque" design; sleek lines, sharp angles, bold relief
- Hardwood tsuka wrapped in faux ray skin same, classic blue ito; traditional mekugi
- Hand lacquered wooden saya protects blade, adds style to ensemble
- Overall length: 40" - the quintessential full-sized Japanese samurai sword; powerful yet easy to wield
