Custom Sword

At Swords of Northshire, we’re proud to encourage our customers to participate in the creation process of our traditional Japanese swords. Through our Custom Sword Option, you can collaborate with our mastercraftsmen to create a piece that’s one-of-a-kind. To help you understand each part of the process, our experts are here to break down the different terminology and what they mean for the creation of your blade. Read on here to learn more!

Nagasa | Blade Length

The length of your blade is actually a major determining factor in what type of sword you order. Are you looking for a longer blade? Opt for a katana. Want something short and tactical? The tanto is the shortest blade in a samurai’s arsenal. Here are the standard blade lengths for the most common Japanese swords:

• Katana: 71 cm or 28 in

• Nodachi & Ōdachi: 90.9 cm or 36 in

• Tachi: 60.6 cm or 24 in

• Wakizashi: 51 cm or 20 in

• Tantō: 33 cm or 13 in

We currently only offer sword customization for katana, wakizashi, and tanto lengths.

Bo-Hi | Blood Groove

The bo-hi, also known as a fuller or a blood groove, is a rounded or beveled slot on the flat side of a blade. It runs down the entire length of both sides of your sword and makes the weapon lighter and easier to swing. By altering the weight and balance point of the sword, you can move faster for lighting-quick slashing and striking. The bo-hi also frequently makes a slight whistling noise when swinging the blade.

Hamon Line

The hamon line is the temper line of a sword and can often distinguish which blademaster crafted your weapon. Many bladesmiths work for years to perfect their signature hamon line. At Swords of Northshire, we offer four different styles of hamon lines including:

• Notare: A Wave Shape

• Midare: Irregular Design

• Sugu: Straight Line

• Natural: For Clay Tempered Blades

You can also choose to forgo a hamon line completely for a single toned blade with no naturally occurring design.

Saya | Scabbard

A saya is one of the included accessories you receive with your blade. Once you’ve chosen your preferences for the weapon itself, you can move on to customizing the scabbard. At Swords of Northshire, we create the scabbards from lightweight wood and then lacquer their exterior to add shine and color. Choose from matte black, lacquered black, red, natural wood, gold, and more.

Sageo | Sheath Cord

This embellishment on a Japanese blade is for more than just beauty. It actually serves to attach the blade to a samurai’s belt, or obi. We allow you to choose the color for your sheath cord and you can even match it to the handle wrap of your hilt. Some of the colors in our selection include black, dark green, purple, blue, and dark brown.

But Wait, There’s More!

These are just five of the many steps it takes to build your blade from scratch. Stay tuned to learn more about same’gawa, ito, menuki, tsuba, and the engraving options we offer!