Kage (影) means shadow — and this katana is forged to live up to it. The blade is finished in a deep blackened oxide that swallows light rather than reflecting it, an aesthetic as sharp as the edge it conceals. Quiet, dark, and built to disappear until the moment it’s drawn, it is a sword meant for the practitioner who wants character without noise.
Specifications
| Blade steel | Blackened manganese steel |
|---|---|
| Tsuba | Zinc alloy |
| Saya | Ebony wood with bull-horn kurigata |
| Tsuka | Genuine shagreen leather |
| Menuki | Zinc alloy |
| Mekugi | 2 bamboo |
Dimensions
| Total length | 103 cm |
|---|---|
| Blade length | 72 cm |
| Blade width | 3.2 cm |
| Blade thickness | 0.7 cm |
| Handle length | 25 cm |
| Weight | 1.4 kg |
Forging & Steel
The blade is forged from manganese steel and then blackened. Manganese steel is valued for its toughness and resistance to wear — it shrugs off impact and tolerates repeated sharpening, which is exactly what a training blade needs over years of use. The black oxide finish is more than cosmetic: it adds a measure of corrosion resistance and dulls glare under the light. This is a sword chosen for durability, an everyday cutter rather than a display piece.
Fittings
A lightweight zinc-alloy tsuba keeps the balance forward and lively, paired with matching zinc-alloy menuki under the wrap. The saya is turned from ebony wood and fitted with a bull-horn kurigata for the sageo. The tsuka is bound over genuine shagreen, and two bamboo mekugi pin the tang in the traditional way — so the sword can be disassembled for cleaning and maintenance.
Is it battle-ready?
Yes. The manganese-steel blade is sharpened and tough enough for sustained cutting practice, and its wear resistance means it will take re-sharpening many times across a long training life. At 1.4 kg it carries enough mass to drive through a target while staying controllable through kata. Browse the wider katana collection, or look at the Katana Kakki and Katana Yougan, both built on the same resilient manganese steel.
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