T10 Carbon Steel Katana with Red Lacquer Saya - Bamboo Tsuba, Black Cord Handle

The blade on this katana is forged from T10 carbon steel and heat-treated to produce a clearly defined hamon line running along the edge. Ground and hand-finished to a bright chrome polish, the blade measures 40.55 inches overall with a spine width of 0.275 inches - proportions that give it the slender, curved profile characteristic of traditional Japanese sword geometry. The full-tang construction anchors the blade solidly through the handle core, providing structural continuity and confident balance in hand.

The tsuka is wrapped in black cotton ito over a foundation of genuine white samegawa, stitched in the traditional hishi-gumi diamond pattern. White menuki accents appear beneath the wrap at regular intervals, visible in the gaps between stitches and adding subtle ornamentation without interrupting the grip surface. The handle color and wrap pattern create a sharp monochrome contrast that anchors the overall design.

The tsuba is cast from alloy in white, shaped as a circular guard with an elaborate bamboo-and-lattice cutwork design. The open negative space in the guard gives it a refined, almost architectural quality - detailed enough to stand as a display element on its own. Paired with the silver-toned habaki and fuchi collar, the fittings carry a consistent cool-metal finish throughout.

The saya is the most visually striking component: a deep red hardwood scabbard finished in multiple coats of natural lacquer, hand-painted with silver bamboo stalk-and-leaf motifs that trail across the body of the sheath. The imagery is rendered in fine detail, with individual leaves and branching stems painted in contrasting silver against the lacquered red ground. A black-and-white braided sageo cord is secured at the kurigata with a decorative tassel knot that adds movement and visual weight to the lower half of the piece.

At 2.8 pounds total weight and 40.55 inches in length, this katana presents well mounted on a display stand or sheathed as a full koshirae piece. The red-black-white color palette is cohesive and deliberate, making it a strong addition to any Darkred Saya Katana collection. For collectors drawn to themed fittings and coordinated colorways, it also fits naturally alongside entries in the Multi-colored Scabbard Katana category.