1095 Carbon Steel Katana with Red Pearl Rayskin Saya - Full Tang, Dark Blue Cord Handle, Bronze Samurai Tsuba

The blade is ground from 1095 carbon steel and brought to a high-polish chrome finish that catches light cleanly from tip to habaki. A real hamon runs along the edge, the natural result of differential heat treatment during the forging process - visible as a subtle undulating line that distinguishes a properly worked blade from a decorative grind. The full tang extends through the entire handle, keeping blade and tsuka locked in solid alignment. At 40.55 inches overall with a 1.259-inch blade width and 2.8 lb weight, the geometry sits well within classical katana proportions.

The tsuka is built on a solid core and covered first in authentic white samegawa - genuine ray skin whose raised nodules add tactile grip before the cord even begins. Dark blue cotton ito is then wrapped in a traditional diamond pattern, the spacing held open by hishigami paper inserts so each lozenge window reveals the white samegawa beneath. A red menuki detail sits beneath the wrap, visible at the handle's midsection and adding a subtle accent of color that echoes the saya below.

The bronze tsuba is cast with a samurai-theme relief scene - figures, foliage, and landscape details worked into warm antique bronze. Its circular form sits flush between blade and tsuka, and the earthy bronze tone bridges the chrome of the nagasa and the navy of the ito without competing with either. Fuchi and kashira fittings continue the bronze finish, unifying the koshirae hardware across every transition point.

The saya is the most immediately striking element of this Red 1095 Carbon Steel Katana set. A wooden core is wrapped in genuine red pearl rayskin - the same speckled samegawa material used on the tsuka but lacquered and presented in a deep red that reads almost luminous against a dark background. Real horn koiguchi at the mouth and kojiri at the tip reinforce the two stress points of the sheath, adding durability and an authentically traditional material contrast. A dark blue sageo cord ties at the koiguchi, its color matching the tsuka-ito exactly and tying the full koshirae into a coherent red, navy, and bronze composition.

This katana is a well-constructed koshirae-style replica suited to collectors who prioritize coordinated hardware, material authenticity in fittings, and a bold color statement. The combination of red pearl rayskin, dark blue cord, and bronze tsuba is uncommon at this construction level, making it a distinctive addition alongside other Dark Blue Rayskin Saya Katana variants for collectors building a contrasting display set.