Ninjato, 1095 Steel, 30 inches
A straight-bladed short sword with a square guard, the pattern known as the ninjato or ninja sword. At 30 inches overall it is shorter than a katana and carries no curve, which is what gives it its distinctive look. The blade is 1095 high carbon steel with a clay tempered edge, the same steel and method we use on our katanas, in a wood scabbard.
About the ninjato
The straight ninja sword is a 20th century design. There is no surviving period example and the documented shinobi of feudal Japan carried ordinary swords of their day. It became a type in its own right through film, television and games, and it is now a genuine and popular pattern, distinct from the katana it is often mistaken for. Ours is built as a real sword rather than a costume piece: full tang, hardened blade, hardwood grip.
The blade
1095 is a plain high carbon steel with about 0.95 percent carbon, roughly double the carbon of the 1045 steel used in most production swords. It takes a very hard edge, typically 56 to 58 HRC, and holds it. The blade is clay tempered: the spine is coated in clay before the quench so the edge hardens fully while the spine stays softer and more flexible.
Specifications
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Overall length: 30 inches
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Blade: 1095 high carbon steel, straight, single-edged, clay tempered
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Hardness: 56 to 58 HRC
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Tang: Full
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Handle: Wood
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Scabbard: Wood
See every ninjato we make, the wider set of ninja weapons, or the curved katana collection if you want the samurai pattern instead. Our ninjato article covers the history in more detail.
