Tanto – Folded Damascus Steel Raindrop Saya | Dark Pattern Series

【Overview】

This tanto is a compact, battle-ready short blade handcrafted from folded Damascus steel using traditional forging techniques. Featuring distinctive flowing patterns across the blade and a refined dark aesthetic, it offers excellent handling and cutting performance. Designed for collectors and practitioners, this tanto balances visual elegance with practical functionality.

【Blade & Craftsmanship】

The blade is hand-forged from folded Damascus steel, created by repeatedly layering and forging steel to produce unique wave-like surface patterns. A bo-hi (fuller) is incorporated to reduce weight and improve balance, while the cutting edge is finished through precise hand polishing. The entire forging process follows traditional Longquan methods, involving dozens of manual steps including heat treatment, shaping, and final refinement.

【Design & Mountings】

This tanto features a clean, integrated mounting design that minimizes unnecessary ornamentation. The streamlined construction emphasizes balance and modern simplicity while maintaining structural integrity and practical usability.

【Handle & Saya】

The saya is crafted from natural hardwood and finished with a distinctive Raindrop lacquer pattern, evoking the appearance of scattered rain droplets across a dark surface. A solid copper habaki is fitted at the blade’s base, ensuring secure alignment between blade and scabbard and enhancing overall durability.

【Performance】

With excellent sharpness and a hardness rating of approximately 62 HRC, this tanto is capable of cleanly cutting through plastic bottles with ease. Its edge retention and cutting power are comparable to professional-grade blades, making it suitable for both practice and display.

【Specifications】

Overall length: 52 cm (20.5 in)

Blade length: 33 cm (13.0 in)

Handle length: 15 cm (5.9 in)

Blade width: 3.2 cm (1.26 in)

Blade thickness: 0.7 cm (0.28 in)

Total weight: 0.6 kg (1.32 lb)

Net weight: 0.45 kg (0.99 lb)

【Usage & Gift】

Ideal for collectors, martial arts practice, fitness training, interior display, or as a unique and refined gift. Its compact size makes it especially appealing to those seeking a powerful yet highly controllable Japanese short blade.