Nightwater Katana – 夜水刀

Specifications:

• Full tang construction
• SHARP blade
• Hand-forged
• Blade material: 1060 carbon steel with artificial hamon
• Habaki material: brass
• Synthetic ray skin on the tsuka
• Finely carved iron-alloy tsuba
• Cotton tsuka-ito
• Total length: 105 cm
• Blade length: 72 cm
• Blade width: 3.2 cm
• Blade thickness: 0.7 cm
• Handle length: 30 cm

• Includes: Katana and matching scabbard

Nightwater Katana - Tidal Drip Japanese Samurai Sword with Navy Blue Scabbard

There's something hypnotic about watching those white drips flow down the blade of the Nightwater katana. They look like paint caught mid-flow, or moonlight melting down steel, or maybe water cascading over rocks at night. Whatever your mind sees, the effect is mesmerizing - each drip is three-dimensional, raised from the blade surface so you can actually feel the texture with your fingertips.

The blade itself transitions from polished silver into a deep blue section where these drips originate, creating this visual story of liquid flowing from one realm into another. It's not just decorative - there's genuine artistry in how those drips are individually sculpted with organic irregularity. Some thick, some thin, some merging together. Just like real water behaves.

Now that chrome guard is a whole other level of craftsmanship. Dragons and floral patterns intertwine in elaborate openwork relief, creating negative space you can see through. The cool silver tones create this beautiful temperature contrast with the warm golden habaki sitting right next to it - that brass collar features intricate geometric cutouts in a honeycomb pattern that's almost architectural in its precision.

The handle keeps things interesting with its blue and white accents woven into the traditional black diamond wrapping. Those pops of color tie back to the blade's blue section and the navy scabbard, creating this cohesive water-and-night theme throughout the entire piece. It's that attention to color coordination that separates a good katana from a great one.

Speaking of that scabbard - the deep navy blue is absolutely gorgeous. Not quite black, but dark enough to evoke midnight ocean waters or the sky just after sunset. The glossy lacquer finish catches light subtly, and there's this beautiful dragon carved into the surface that you might miss at first glance. It's elegant restraint - powerful imagery that doesn't need to scream for attention.

The name "Nightwater" really captures what this sword is about. That magical hour when ocean and sky blur together, when you can't quite tell where one ends and the other begins. The dripping patterns suggest tidal movements, water flowing over ancient stone, or maybe even the legendary waterfalls where dragons are said to dwell in Japanese folklore.

What's clever about this design is how it balances bold artistic choices (those dimensional drips are not subtle) with sophisticated color restraint. The navy, chrome, black, and golden brass palette is refined enough for serious collectors but distinctive enough to stand out in any collection.

For display, this piece really benefits from proper lighting - you want those drips to cast their little shadows, and you want that chrome guard to catch the light from different angles. It's the kind of sword that reveals new details every time you look at it.