Clay Tempered Shirasaya Japanese Sword Samurai KATANA Black Damascus Steel Blade

Black Shirasaya Katana – Clay Tempered Folded Steel Blade with Genuine Hamon

Designed around the clean and understated aesthetics of the traditional shirasaya, this handmade katana combines minimalist black hardwood mountings with a distinctive clay tempered folded steel blade.

Unlike a conventional katana fitted with a tsuba and wrapped tsuka, this sword uses a streamlined black wooden handle and saya, creating a simple continuous silhouette that places the visual emphasis on the blade itself.

The blade is forged from folded steel and finished with a dark surface treatment that allows the layered steel pattern and genuine hamon to remain visible beneath the black finish. The contrast is especially noticeable along the cutting edge, giving the sword a unique appearance when viewed under different lighting.

Clay Tempered Folded Steel Blade

The blade is produced using folded steel construction, creating visible layered grain throughout the steel. During heat treatment, clay is applied in different thicknesses along the blade before quenching.

This differential hardening process produces a genuine hamon along the cutting edge rather than an artificial etched pattern.

The result is a blade that combines traditional visual character with a distinctive dark folded-steel finish.

Distinctive Black Blade Finish

One of the defining features of this katana is its blackened blade surface. The dark treatment gives the sword a more restrained and contemporary appearance while still allowing the folded steel pattern and hamon to remain visible.

As shown in the product photographs, the blade can display subtle changes in tone depending on the viewing angle and lighting, revealing both the layered steel grain and the hardened edge pattern.

The black finish also provides an additional degree of surface protection, although normal sword maintenance and light oiling are still recommended.

Traditional Shirasaya-Style Mounting

The katana is fitted in a simple black hardwood shirasaya-style mounting without a tsuba. Both the handle and saya use the same glossy black finish, creating a clean visual transition when the sword is fully sheathed.

This minimalist configuration gives the sword a very different character from a conventional koshirae-mounted katana and makes it particularly suitable for collectors who appreciate understated Japanese sword aesthetics.

Blade Geometry

The blade uses a traditional Shinogi-Zukuri profile with a medium-length Chu-Kissaki. It is made without a bo-hi, giving the blade a clean, uninterrupted surface that better displays the folded steel pattern and hamon.

Product Specifications

Dimensions

Why This Shirasaya Katana Stands Out

• Handcrafted folded steel blade with visible layered grain
• Traditional clay tempering creates a genuine hamon
• Distinctive blackened blade finish
• Clean Shinogi-Zukuri blade geometry
• No bo-hi for an uninterrupted blade surface
• Minimalist black hardwood shirasaya-style mounting
• Full tang blade construction
• Each sword displays subtle individual variations from the handmade process

Handmade Character

Because this sword is individually handcrafted, slight variations in the folded steel pattern, hamon, polishing, wood grain and finish may occur from one sword to another. These differences are a natural result of handmade production and make each sword visually unique.

Care & Maintenance

Although the blade has a black surface treatment, it should still be treated as a carbon-steel sword. Avoid touching the blade directly with bare hands whenever possible, wipe away fingerprints after handling, and apply a thin protective layer of sword oil for long-term storage.

Store the sword in a dry environment and avoid cutting hard, metallic or inappropriate targets.