Manganese Steel Tanto with Blue Dragon-Painted Hardwood Saya - White Ito & Gold Tsuba

This Japanese tanto is built around a full tang manganese steel blade - a steel grade recognized for toughness and resistance to bending. The blade carries a hand-finished edge and a clean chrome-toned surface that reflects light evenly from spine to tip, measuring 17.7 inches overall at a lightweight 0.74 lb.

The hardwood saya is finished in a deep navy blue and hand-painted with a sweeping dragon-and-wave composition. The dragon imagery is rendered in gold, white, and light blue tones against the dark lacquer ground, giving the scabbard a layered, almost luminous depth. A white sageo cord wraps near the saya mouth, echoing the handle color and completing the visual balance.

The tsuka is wrapped in white cotton ito over a real rayskin (samegawa) base. The rayskin's natural texture provides grip structure beneath the wrap, while the diamond-pattern hishigami creates the classic raised intervals seen in traditional Japanese sword construction. Black fuchi and kashira fittings frame the handle cleanly at both ends.

Separating blade from handle is a gold-toned alloy tsuba with black spacer rings. The warm gold tone bridges the white handle above and the blue saya below, anchoring a three-color palette - white, gold, and navy - that runs consistently across the entire piece.

At 17.7 inches in total length and packaged in a 20 x 3 x 3 in. box, this tanto ships securely and is ready for desktop display, wall mounting, or placement within a broader Japanese sword collection. Note: a display stand is not included.