Damascus Steel Wakizashi in Green Lacquer Saya - Dragon Tsuba, Beige Ito, 28.74" Blade

The blade on this wakizashi is drawn from manganese Damascus steel, folded to produce the rippling layered pattern visible along its 28.74-inch nagasa. Hardened to 62 HRC and hand-finished to a chrome-bright polish, the steel carries a defined hamon line that traces the edge from base to tip - the kind of detail that rewards close inspection under direct light. For collectors interested in the full range of Japanese Damascus Wakizashi, this piece represents the koshirae style at its most complete.

The tsuka measures 10.62 inches and is built the traditional way: genuine black rayskin - real samegawa - laid under a beige ito wrap. The cotton cord is wound in the standard alternating-diamond pattern, leaving the raised nodes of the rayskin visible at each opening. The result is a handle that looks correct to the form and sits firmly in the hand.

The tsuba is cast alloy in a gold-and-black finish, shaped as a round disc with a full-relief dragon winding across its face. Kanji characters appear on the lower guard, and the copper-toned habaki seats cleanly beneath it. The contrast between the warm gold tones of the tsuba and the neutral beige of the ito is one of the sharper visual decisions in this build.

The hardwood saya is lacquered in a deep matte green, 29.92 inches long, with fine speckle texture worked into the surface that catches the light in a way solid-color lacquer rarely does. A two-tone green-and-white sageo is knotted at the kurikata in a standard tie, completing the traditional koshirae presentation. Anyone building out a Real Wakizashi display will find the proportions and finish level here consistent with serious shelf presentation.

Overall length runs 40.55 inches at 4.4 lb. - a weight that reflects the full-tang steel construction rather than a hollow decorative build. Packaged in a 35 x 3.9 x 3.14 in. box with a shipping weight of 3.3 lb., it arrives ready to display without additional fitting.