Honshu Boshin Hellfire Damascus Handmade Katana Sword

A modern legend, the Honshu Boshin Hellfire Damascus Katana fuses proven, time-honored tradition with the best in 21st century innovation. Chic contemporary style and state-of-the-art appointments meld seamlessly with classic form and traditional hand-craftsmanship. Even the Damascus steel - a distinctive hand forged variety with centuries-old roots - is reimagined and reworked for an exciting new look.

Display-worthy sword that refuses to be relegated to display stand The Boshin demands real-world action
Trading delicate, traditional trappings like ray skin and cord for tough, ultramodern materials like TPR, the Boshin is designed for serious, real-world use. It's remarkably well-balanced and an all-around pleasure to wield, and it boasts savage cutting power that's second to none. The imposing wakizashi blade is rock-solid and impossibly sharp, slicing cleanly through rolled tatami mats, thick bamboo and other tenacious materials - suffering neither crack nor fissure in the process. Breathtaking, downright bewitching and truly unique, the blade’s beauty is every bit as keen as the carefully honed edge. It pierces the depths of the imagination - opening it to wondrous new metallurgical possibilities, while slashing apart all preconceived notions of what makes Damascus steel, “Damascus steel." 

A torrent of pattern and color Ancient hand forging technique yields blade of spectacular beauty 
As if swept up in some unseen current, thousands of distinct, contrasting lines twist, writhe, ripple and whirl across the surface of the Boshin's sleek tanto blade. Each line represents a distinct layer of steel, one of multiple unique high carbon alloys folded and hammer welded together as part of a technique with roots stretching back to Middle Ages Syria. Today, Honshu's master swordsmiths perform each step in much the same way as their ancient forebears: painstakingly and by hand. No automation. No mechanization. It begins with a stack of steel blanks - each piece a different alloy. The smith fires the blanks in a white-hot forge until the metal glows cherry red. He then removes the stack, hammers it until it’s half as thick as the original, then folds the metal onto itself lengthwise, hammering each half together. The process is meticulously repeated - hundreds of times in some cases - until the desired layering effect is achieved, at which point the molten steel is quenched in a cool bath, merging the layers on a molecular level and imparting lasting strength and resilience. Finally, the steel is acid etched to highlight the vivid contrasts in the thousands of layers.

Made of blood, sweat, tears and Damascus steel Boshin swordsmiths are among best in their craft
Only seasoned hands can produce blades of such incomparable majesty and allure. In order to achieve sufficiently dramatic contrasts between layers, Honshu’s master smiths must expertly select an appropriate combination of steel alloys of varying color, luminescence and other visual qualities. Each alloy’s distinct melting point, proper stacking order, forge temperature and myriad other variables must also be considered in order to produce a blade that lives up to Honshu's impeccable quality standards. Simply put, an unbelievable quantity of blood, sweat and tears goes into forging Damascus steel. And this is no ordinary Damascus steel...

Hellfire is pure bladecraft heaven Damascus steel has never been so breathtakingly bold, thanks to exclusive process
Damascus steel is beautiful, but "Hellfire" Damascus is nothing short of awe-inspiring. And the Boshin is one of the few swords in the world to bear it. In keeping with Honshu's knack for fusing tradition and innovation, the distinctive steel combines the aforementioned, age-old Damascus technique with an exclusive new process that shrouds the steel in a dark, sinister veil. Brooding onyx black collides with sultry lines of amber, garnet and burgundy for a surreal, otherworldly look that's unlike any other metal in the world. It's Damascus steel...after dark. With its rarity and eye-catching splendor, Hellfire Damascus makes the Boshin a collector's dream without equal. And like dark, flame-licked snowflakes, no two Hellfire Boshin blades are exactly alike. No doubt about it - on the Boshin blade, "Hellfire" feels like pure heaven.

Best of both worlds The Boshin has an ancient soul and modern muscle
To put it simply, Honshu's Hellfire Damascus Boshin Katana is truly the best of old and new. While it retains the noble spirit and awe-inspiring grace of the ancient samurai, it's without question a sword for the modern era - built to tackle the unique challenges and demands of today's warrior.

• Takes innovation to another level, from inventive, exclusive Hellfire Damascus forging process to unique tactical design
• 30 3/8" Hellfire Damascus steel blade is built for real-world use and the rigors of modern combat, despite its incredible beauty
• Seasoned swordsmiths painstakingly hand-forge every blade; like a dark snowflake, no two Boshin blades are exactly alike, each with its own unique patterning
• Rugged TPR tsuka - clean, functional design; textured no-slip grip; ergonomic contours boost comfort, reduce fatigue
• Offset elliptical tsuba and angled kashira with lanyard hole for tethering; both black stainless steel
• Tough wooden saya beautifully complements sword; accented with black leather sageo
• Overall length: 40 3/4" - the quintessential full-sized Japanese sword