Hand Forged 1060 High Carbon Steel Blade Full Tang Samurai Dragon Engraving Katana Sword

A stunning example of the thorough work our craftsmen put into every blade, the Dragon Sword for sale here was designed by our artists and then hand forged from 1060 high carbon steel. Standout carvings of a traditional dragon adorn both the scabbard and the blade. The carved dragon on a black sheath stands poised to attack, while a hand-engraved dragon along the blade undulates elegantly. You can customize the sageo, ito, and samegawa colors to match your personal style.

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Dragon Samurai Sword Features

Forged through traditional Japanese methods, the folding, heat treating, and oil quenching we use create a blade that showcases the perfect balance between flexibility and strength. Our Dragon Samurai sword has a number of other unique features including:

• Hand Sharpened & Polished

• Full Tang, Battle Ready

• Forged with 1060 High Carbon Steel

• Black Lacquered Saya

• Silk & Genuine Rayskin Wrapped Tsuka

• Solid Alloy Fittings

• Optional Additional Engravings

• Craft Time: 1-2 Weeks

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Measurements

• Blade Length: 27.9"

• Handle Length: 10.6"

• Overall Length: 40.9"

• Width Near Handle: 1.24"

• Thickness Near Handle: 0.30"

• Point of Balance: 5" from tsuba

• Weight (Without Saya): 2.2 lbs

• Weight (With Saya): 2.6 lbs

• Hardness (HRC): 54

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Each samurai sword is individually handmade, so specifications vary slightly between weapons. Order yours today and use it for dojo practice, display, or ceremonies.

Jonas M. on 09/28/2018

( 5 / 5 )

a:2:{s:7:"content";s:294:"This is my first sword from Nortshire, I can (and will) strongly recommend Swords of Northshire to others, and I will definetly purchase another one in the future.\r\nThe level of service was very satisfying, my contact (Bryce) helped me with all of my inquiries.\r\n\r\nThumbs up to y\'all! :)";s:6:"images";a:0:{}}

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Michael H. on 01/30/2018

( 5 / 5 )

a:2:{s:7:"content";s:509:"I was very impressed with the quality of this sword. Even though this particular sword has the least expensive steel offered by Swords of Northshire, it is absolutely beautiful. In addition to being visually impressive, the sword also feels well balanced when executing forms. Customer service was also prompt and very helpful when I asked questions both before and after placing my order. I will definitely purchase another from Swords of Northshire and I have already recommended them to several friends. ";s:6:"images";a:0:{}}

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Matteo Tomassi on 09/29/2017

( 5 / 5 )

This was my first sword from Swords of Northshire, and I’m definitely buying another soon. The quality of the sword was great, the customer service was amazing, I loved the customization, and the price cannot be beat. I have no complaints.

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Michael t on 09/28/2017

( 5 / 5 )

I ordered this for my son and he loves it. Shipping was fast considering we ordered engraving on the back of the blade. My son wanted it done in purple and he got it. Ive never seen a handle wrapping that was soo tight A++ work. You cant touch this kinda detail for the price anywhere. We are waiting on 2 more fully custom swords and ill be back with you tube links with our full reviews. And a special thanks to bryce who spent 2 weeks working with me and my son on our custom katana ideas. If you have an idea or question just ask bryce. Hes was soo helpful fast and friendly.

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Jon B. on 07/15/2020

( 5 / 5 )

a:2:{s:7:"content";s:1091:"I got this sword for myself with graduation money. I did many searches for a good sword, with most sites advertising good quality and comments on the page being all positive. Most of these sites are fakes and comment sections being made by the creators of the sites with real reviews on external sites being all negative and complaints about poor quality that was not advertised. That is when I came across Swords of Northshire and I was blown away by the great detail and effort put into these blades. Custom options for almost every sword is amazing. I got this sword with my name engraved into it, purple wrapping, and black rayskin. After buying this sword I was given an email with pictures detailing my finished sword ready to be shipped. When the sword came in the mail, it was safely packaged and after opening it, the sword had a nice cloth wrapping over it with a dragon design on it. I was not expecting this and it was a very nice surprise. The sword itself exceeded my expectations and I am very satisfied with my purchase. This site is now my #1 spot for swords and knives. ";s:6:"images";a:0:{}}

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• Are your swords full tang/functional?

  Yes, every sword on our website is full tang and functional. The full width of the blade extends into the handle and is secured with two bamboo mekugi pegs. Even our most affordable swords (1060 high carbon steel) when sharpened are very capable, and can cut through traditional tatami mats easily. 1060 steel is a great compromise between hardness and durability and is the best option for light to medium cutting and iaido forms.
  
  For heavier cutting such as thick bamboo and bone, we suggest to select one of our 1095 steel blades. It’s high hardness and excellent edge retention make it the best option for heavy duty cutting. We offer mono-tempered 1095 blades (same hardness throughout), or clay tempered blades (differentially hardened) to give the blade the dual benefit of a very hard/sharp cutting edge, and a softer, flexible spine for added shock absorption.

• How are your swords constructed?

  Our swords are constructed with traditional Japanese methods and can be fully disassembled for maintenance. The carved handle and scabbard are made of hardwood from a tree species local to Longquan called DU tree, it’s hard and durable and not prone to issues like splitting. The handles are wrapped with genuine rayskin, and the handle and tang are drilled with two holes (mekugi-ana) which will be used to secure the blade into the handle with tapered bamboo mekugi pegs.
  
  The handle is wrapped tightly with silk or genuine leather ito by an expert of the craft. The sword can be disassembled by hammering out the two mekugi pegs and pulling the handle and fittings from the blade. Every sword is fitted very tightly and securely with the highest safety standards. When the sword is shaken, you will not hear any rattling of fittings. It can even take considerable strength to disassemble the sword because of how secure the fitting is.

• Are there any issues shipping to my country?

  We can ship to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia with no customs issues. Hand forged swords are perfectly fine to possess in these countries. We’ve shipped to each hundreds of times before.
  
  We can also ship to the following countries: The Netherlands, Hong Kong, China, Macau, Mongolia, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Austria, Belgium, Finland, South Africa, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Philippines, Laos, Brazil, Cuba, Panama, Argentina, Greenland Island, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Pakistan, Niger, Nigeria, Qatar, Melta, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Senegal, Tunisia, Uganda, Bela Rus, Cayman Islands, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Croatia, and Taiwan.
  
  For other countries, we can consider using a package forwarding service. Please contact us for more information.

• How are engravings done?

  Custom Engravings are laser engraved on the blade near the handle.
  
  English engravings are done in a very nice cursive font, except if it’s in all caps we'll use serif. We’ll hand pick a font that looks best for your engraving.
  
  Japanese/Chinese engravings are done in a beautiful stylized calligraphic Kanji. When picking a Kanji engraving option feel free to write it in English in the engraving box, and we’ll translate it to Kanji for you. The smith's name on blade option is done in Kanji by default

• How long does shipping take?

  Shipping usually takes around 7-10 days to most countries including United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia. In some cases bad weather and also the pre-Christmas rush can delay shipping around 1-2 weeks. We’ll provide a tracking number when your sword ships that you’ll be able to track with both EMS and your national post office.

• How long will it take to make my sword?

  Most swords are finished within 3-4 weeks. We’ll send pictures of your sword by email for confirmation (Please whitelist sales@swordsofnorthshire.com to make sure you get our email). We have semi-finished blades ready for the most common blade designs that can be polished and assembled as needed. Tanto and wakizashi swords usually take around a week longer to make since they are not as commonly ordered. Very customized swords such as blades with custom length and custom painted scabbards will take closer to 4-5 weeks.

• How are the packages shipped?

  Our swords are shipped very securely in form-fitted styrofoam that matches the shape of the sword so it won’t have any room to rattle around, even when abused by post office workers. The foam encasing is wrapped tightly with plenty of packing tape which keeps it waterproof. The package can be opened by cutting down the middle of the thin side.

• How much does shipping cost?

  We offer 100% free world-wide shipping!

• Can I customize this sword?

  Yes, you can customize every sword on our website. Even if you’re not happy with the existing options available to you, you can request just about any change you could think of. We can change most fittings, wrappings, and blade coloring (black, red, or blue) for free, these kinds of requests can be made in the order comments section during checkout. If what you need done is more complex and might cost extra, please contact us with your request. If you make a request in the comments section when ordering your sword and it happens to cost extra we’ll kindly follow-up and explain the cost difference and send an invoice for the cost if you’re happy with it.

• Where are your swords made?

  Our swords are made in Longquan, a small town in China with a swordmaking history that goes back 2,600 years since the Spring & Autumn period. The legacy of the Longquan sword began when the legendary swordsmith Ou Yezi 歐冶子 forged a sword named Longyuan at the foot of Qingxi Mountain, an area with abundant iron ore, cold springs for quenching, and fine stones for polishing blades. The methods of traditional forging and hand crafting were passed down and improved from generation to generation, and still today Longquan is famous locally and abroad for the quality of their swords. We work directly with the most trusted swordsmiths and craftsmen in Longquan to bring you the highest quality, fully functional swords at an affordable price. Each sword comes with a certificate of authenticity from the smith.
  
  Why not Japan?
  Sharpened steel swords made in Japan, called Shinken, are considered a national treasure and there are strict laws governing sword production. Each sword must be made in the old traditional process and using the traditional blade material (tamahagane) which takes months including smelting, forging, and polishing. Also each smith is only permitted to make a small number of swords each year. Because of these restrictions, real swords made in Japan are a rare and valuable commodity. Most Shinken cost over $10,000. Swords in Longquan are also considered a national intangible cultural heritage, but smiths are not bound by the same restrictions, so they are free to combine modern and traditional methods and materials to create some of the highest quality, fully functional swords in the world at affordable prices.

• How is the steel made?

  Each sword begins with a bar of high quality carbon steel. If the sword should be folded, the master smith heats the steel in a coal furnace until it is red hot and then hammers the steel flat, chisels a cut into the center, and folds the steel on top of itself around 12-13 times (4,096-8,192 layers). Any more is unnecessary and would cause too much carbon to be lost in the process. The fold cuts are alternated cross-wise and length-wise to achieve a unique grain pattern (hada) on the blade.
  
  The blade is repeatedly heated-treated in the process of shaping to keep the steel malleable while the smith hammers the steel into the rough desired shape of the blade. It’s crucial at this stage to minimize the number of times the blade is heated up; the smith must move at a very fast pace to prevent any more carbon on the surface from dissipating. Once the blade is shaped, the smith then begins the finishing process. First he does a rough filing, and then the blade is grinded with a whetstone to achieve the desired blade geometry.
  
  This is where the forging process will differ depending on the type of sword. If the blade is mono-tempered (through hardened) like all of our 1060 steel swords, the blade will be re-heated (tempered) and then quenched in oil. This cools the blade quickly, giving it the desired hardness and durability needed to make a functional sword. Heating and quenching the blade at the perfect temperature is something of instinct that can only be mastered through years of experience by a skilled swordsmith.
  
  If the sword is clay tempered, the smith will apply a special clay mixture to the blade before tempering and quenching (performed with water in this case). The adhesive clay is made out of a mixture of charcoal, pulverized wet stone, and other ingredients; the exact proportions and ingredients are the smith’s own personal secret. After the mixture is carefully prepared, the smith applies it to the roughly ground sword with equal delicacy. The clay is painted on to the blade in a thin layer. Once the light layer of clay is applied to the cutting edge, the smith will use a thicker clay mixture for the spine of the blade. This coating is to ensure the blade does not heat up too much and over-harden. After both layers are applied, the smith will go to work with a small spatula, arranging the clay in a specific pattern on the blade to create the beautiful, unique temper line.
  
  After shaping, finishing, and tempering, it is the job of the polisher to reveal the true beauty and soul of the sword. Our swords are polished with a series of 13 different water stones by an expert polisher, starting with coarse stones that finalize the shaping of the geometry of the blade, creating crisp and proper surfaces, and ending with fine stones that bring the sword to a mirror polish, revealing the beautiful grain pattern (hada) and temper line (hamon) that laid dormant within the steel, bringing the sword to life.

• How are your swords sharpened?

  The blade attains it’s sharp edge during the polishing process, with the final stages of fine stone polishing. Our swords are made with a traditional niku edge by default, meaning the cutting edge side of the blade is convex, slightly rounded for maximum durability. Traditionally, Japanese swords are made with niku so the samurai’s blade could retain it’s cutting edge even after cutting through his enemy’s bones and clashing against iron armor. Additionally, the added thickness meant the edge could be resharpened several times which was important considering the sword’s value. While we always recommend niku sharpness which is still very sharp and functional, we also offer a razor sharp option, which offers a sharper edge but sacrifices some durability, only suggested for light cutting such as tatami mats.

• Does folded steel improve performance?

  In feudal Japan, swordsmiths used a material called tamahagane which consisted of iron sands and charcoal smelted in a clay tatara furnace. This blade material was very impure, with gaps in the steel, less desirable elements, and an uneven distribution of carbon throughout. The steel was folded around a dozen times to even out the carbon content and remove impurities, creating a strong blade without any weak points in the steel.
  
  Though folding was once a vital process in making a quality sword, modern steel is already pure and possesses even carbon throughout, which eliminates the need for folding. Now it is only done for tradition’s sake, and to create the beautiful grain pattern (hada) on the blade which samurai swords are famous for. We offer folded 1060 and 1095 steel as an option for those who value the traditional forging process and unique beauty of traditional Japanese swords.

• Do you have more custom options?

  Yes, please contact us for our full fittings catalog which features more options not listed on our website.

• Can you recreate a sword from a show or game?

  Yes we've recreated many customer's favorite swords, please send details and pictures to sales@swordsofnorthshire.com and we’ll let you know about the possibilities and quote.

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