{"product_id":"damascus-wakizashi-ash-saya","title":"Damascus Wakizashi Sword, Ladder Pattern with Pale Ash Saya","description":"\u003cp\u003eDrawn and set beside its saya, the scabbard, this one reads pale. The blade is 19.5 inches of Damascus over a high carbon core, etched so the layers show as bars across the flat. The saya is pale oiled ash with the grain showing. The handle is the odd part, cream cord over black rayskin, the reverse of how these are usually wrapped.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e19.5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOverall length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e28.5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade steel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDamascus, high carbon core\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade finish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEtched ladder pattern, bevel etched to the edge\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTsuba\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRound brass\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHabaki\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBrass collar\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTsuka\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCream cotton ito over black rayskin, bamboo mekugi peg\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSaya\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWood, pale oiled ash with the grain showing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSageo\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDark brown cord\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMade in\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eForged and finished by hand in High Point, North Carolina.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWarranty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifetime warranty against defects.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe blade\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eDamascus here is pattern welded, layers forged together over a high carbon core and etched so the boundaries come up dark. The ladder pattern lands as rungs across the face, and the bevel is etched to the edge, so it does not stop where the grind starts. The pattern is decoration. The curve is shallow and spread along the length rather than bent into one place. At the far end the kissaki, the point section, is marked off by its own line. Carbon steel darkens with age and spots if it is put away wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe tsuka, the handle, is 8 inches, wrapped in cream cotton ito, the cord wrap, over black rayskin. The rayskin is a hide covered in hard little nodes, and the ito is pulled down into them. That is what keeps the wrap from turning. The tsuba, the guard, is round brass. Behind it sits the habaki, the brass collar at the base of the blade. A bamboo mekugi, the peg through the tsuka, holds the blade in, so the handle comes off for cleaning.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe saya\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe saya is wood, ash, finished with oil instead of lacquer. Lacquer buries the surface under gloss. Oil soaks in and leaves the grain where you can see it. The sageo, the cord tied at the throat of the saya, is dark brown. Nothing straps the sword in. It is held by friction at the habaki. Wood moves with the seasons, so that fit can loosen or tighten through the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBuyers of this one look at the handle before the steel.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCollectors who want a shorter sword on a stand or wall\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone drawn to a wrap done the other way round\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuyers who want pattern welded steel over a clay tempered edge\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone keeping a piece on display and never cutting with it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat comes in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe wakizashi in its ash saya\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe dark brown sageo, tied at the throat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA care card\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo stand is included\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEvery piece is different\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery blade is forged and finished by hand, so no two come out alike. The ladder pattern lands where the billet decides, and the etch bites deeper in some places than others. Ash takes oil at its own rate, and the wrap is tied by hand, so the nodes sit differently on each one.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eLooking after it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWipe the blade with a soft cloth after handling, because fingerprints sit on carbon steel and turn into marks. Then a light film of oil. No abrasive polish, since that goes through the etch and takes the pattern with it. If the sword has been stored somewhere damp, leave the blade out of the saya until both are dry. More of it is on our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/knife-care-sharpening\"\u003ecare and sharpening page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003ePut a name on it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eLaser engraving is 20 dollars per piece. On these it goes on the saya rather than the blade, because the etched pattern is the whole face of the steel. Around 30 characters fits. We send a proof image before the laser runs. Add 3 to 5 business days. It is free on orders of 10 or more. See the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/engraving\"\u003eengraving page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eQuestions buyers ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy cream over black instead of the other way round?\u003c\/strong\u003e It looks better to us. The pale cord throws the black nodes forward.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the rayskin doing under the wrap?\u003c\/strong\u003e Giving the ito something to bite on, which stops a wrap creeping round the handle.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this blade have a hamon?\u003c\/strong\u003e No. A hamon is the wavy line a clay tempered blade shows where the hard edge meets the softer body. This one is Damascus, so what you see is the layers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it rust?\u003c\/strong\u003e Carbon steel can if it is left wet. Darkening over the years is normal. Orange spotting is not, and oil answers both.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it legal for me to own?\u003c\/strong\u003e Laws on owning and carrying a sword differ by state, city and country, so check your local rules before you buy, and we cannot advise on that.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhen will it get here?\u003c\/strong\u003e Most US orders arrive in 5 to 7 business days. Engraving adds a few days.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe clay tempered version of this length is the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/wakizashi-sword-clay-tempered-brown-saya\"\u003ewakizashi on a brown saya\u003c\/a\u003e, and the same steel at full length is the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-katana-walnut-saya\"\u003eDamascus katana with the oiled walnut saya\u003c\/a\u003e. Longer blades sit in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/katana-swords\"\u003ekatana and Japanese swords\u003c\/a\u003e, the pattern welded ones in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/damascus-swords\"\u003eDamascus swords\u003c\/a\u003e, and the rest in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/all-knives\"\u003eevery blade we make\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44145111367798,"sku":"VEF-WAK-DAM-1605","price":349.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/wakizashi-02-damascus-ash-saya_e1d6b463-2eb6-4190-8292-5646ac36fe02.jpg?v=1788843807","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/damascus-wakizashi-ash-saya","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}