japanese Knives, Swords, Blades

The strange sword you see here is the magical counterpart or zanpakuto of the merely physical sword called Wabisuke. In the popular manga Bleach, this unusual weapon is wielded by Izuru Kira, one of the more popular characters in the series.

Growing up in the world just beyond this one, ...

The Masahiro Empire Wheel Samurai katana goes well past display quality, giving collectors and recreational users a beautiful weapon capable of tamashigiri, or functional cutting practice. The details of this starter level sword from Fully Handmade will impress blade lovers.

Fully Handmade does produce traditional hand-forged blades using the old and ...

An engraved hand-forged katana priced this low forces me to look for faults. Although I find some, the ITO Katana Samurai Sword 402 still seems like a bargain if you're looking for a katana good enough for light cutting practice.

At two pounds and ten ounces (without the scabbard), this ...

Manual sharpeners which work well are relatively new products -- until diamond abrasive wheels were available, the results of using a manual sharpening jig were often less than wonderful. The Chef's Choice 463 Pronto Asian Manual Sharpener applies that new technology to the more acutely beveled santoku's and other Asian ...

The Combination Whetstone from KAI USA includes two grits for shaping and polishing edges plus a stable wooden stand to prevent marring the surface of kitchen workstations. The latest instruction manual was only in Japanese (with photos), but anyone who has used whetstones before should know the drill. There are ...

From Handmade Sword's mid-level series, the #132 Japanese Tanto meets practical standards and in most ways follows the classical pattern of this old samurai backup blade.

This model of Handmade's hand-forged full tang tantos features a double-edged blade of 1060 carbon steel with better edge-holding ability and a sleeker appearance than ...

This 40-inch bokken -- a wooden training version of the Japanese katana -- has some of the same parts as the real thing but in much less lethal lightweight hardwood. Use it for practicing kata but remember that even a wooden sword can do damage. Some of the old masters ...

One of the best things I can say about this Dragon Katana is that a katana never look bad. A reproduction of a European battle sword in this same price range might be laughable, but the katana is so simple and efficient that even in its most basic form it ...

Familiar to fans of the long-running Japanese anime series Bleach, this heavenly blue katana recreates the personal sword of Love Aikawa. Simpler in appearance than many of the Bleach zanpakuto (or magical tranforming weapons), the Heart Guard sword hid special powers to be released in battle by ...

Being able to cut a 2x4 at a perfect right angle with a handsaw is always one of the marks of a skilled carpenter -- with the European style of saw most of us know, accurate cuts take years of practice. With Shark's 12-inch carpentry saw, an improved version of ...

Shark's flexible Fine Cut Saw gives us the traditional Ryoba joiner's saw with a modern improvement -- pushbutton blade replacement. This double-edged saw style has been standard in Japan for centuries but is relatively new to Western woodworkers. One side bears shark-tooth shaped teeth for crosscutting and the opposite ...

The Shark Dowel/Dovetail/Detail Saw cuts one of the thinnest kerfs possible, but even though it's a great crosscut saw for tenons and tricky detail work it isn't the only saw you'll need for dovetailing.

The Shark Detail Saw is so thin and flexible that it's a little tricky to use. ...

Shark's Trim/Detail Ryoba combines a thin double edged spring steel blade with an old handle design that's not so great. The 19 tpi ripping edge and the 24 tpi crosscut edge otherwise would be a perfect combination for dovetailing and other tricky feats of joinery.

With a finer tpi ...

Tiger Claw's sharpened daito, or Japanese longsword, is certainly good enough for display or forms practice. The 440C stainless steel blade jumps up a grade from the usual 420C of display quality swords, a good move considering the extra length of this 41-inch weapon. Even in kata, the blade will undergo ...

The classic black look of this Bushido 3-Piece Katana set is more in keeping with the character of that Japanese military tradition than are many of the colorful and garish sword sets created today for collection and display. Sleek black lacquered scabbards bound with black nylon cord complement ...

Inspired by the personal weapon of Miyamoto Musashi -- one of feudal Japan's greatest swordsmen and author of the famous book of strategy The Book of Five Rings -- this daito or long sword would have been used in conjunction with a shorter wakisashi. Musashi's dual weapon style saw him through ...

Practicing the movements of Iaido, the art of drawing the sword, traditionally involves a progression of weapons which gradually lead the swordsman to competence with a real blade. Iaito, like the Tsuru Iaito from CAS Hanwei, are the step below the real thing. Built to handle with the same feel and ...

Old tempering processes became so complex and time consuming that few manufacturers today even attempt their reproduction. Higher quality modern alloy steel and new ways of producing high quality blades only occasionally compete with the old standards. Almost never does anyone manage to blend the two approaches.

Through the Kami Katana by CAS ...

If you're looking for a flexible Western-style boning knife with the performance of Japanese steel, look no further.

Global knives were the first mass-marketed Japanese kitchen knives aimed at the Western market. They won fans in restaurant kitchens everywhere with their mix of lighter weight, thinner blades, high performance molybdenum/vanadium steel which ...

Not to be confused with the butcher's cleaver well known in European kitchens, this Vegetable Cleaver from Shun's Classic series is the Asian general purpose equivalent of the western cook's knife. With the superior edge and Damascus stainless steel of the Classic line, this knife is one of ...

Primarily used for deboning and slicing raw or cooked meat, fish, and poultry, the Shun Pro Deba knife with a 6 1/2" plain edge is one of the fundamental blades of the Japanese kitchen, dating back to the Edo period in the city of Sakai. Once famous for fine ...

This fine 5000-grit synthetic waterstone from Yoshikin, maker of Global cutlery, is the recommended sharpening method for fine Global knives and an excellent way to finish the edge of any high-end Japanese plain edge blade. With a uniform density and a long-lasting wide surface, this hardened ceramic powder whetstone sits securely ...

Global's 7-inch Santoku brings modern one-piece forged design to an old Japanese pattern, and is closer in appearance to the original santoku knives than the more familiar hollow ground versions most of us now own. Global knives are the favorites of many top chefs including Anthony Bourdain, and depend ...

Always interesting and always a gamble, I see many knives of this type on the shelves of locally-owned Asian supermarkets when we're out shopping for unusual food. It's hard to know if you've found a bargain in a knife like this until you bring it home.

What you can tell ...

Made to Shun's exacting standards with the same materials as their Classic series, this 4 3/8" Chef's Knife follows a design by famous American knifemaker Ken Onion. This beautiful knife makes a practical addition to any cutlery set, with features suitable for collectors.

The curved full tang handle shows ...

A traditional styled chopping and slicing knife used in Japanese kitchens for preparing meat, fish, and poultry, this version of the Deba Bocho is like so many of the interesting knives I see on the shelves of Asian groceries--they look like good buys, but it could go either way. If ...

Japanese blades of all kinds, from swords to carpentry tools, are so refined that to many Westerners the subtle features go unnoticed. The Nakiri vegetable knife is a fine example of a craft so skilled it may cause you to rethink the basics and become a better chef.

At first ...

Inspired by the weapons of the popular game Naruto: Ultimate Ninja, these reproductions of the kunai from that series are more than the usual "for display only" fantasy knives. Kunai, a variety of shuriken (throwing weapon) used by the Ninja of old Japan, are simple edged weapons derived from ...

This bamboo cane sword, imported by Trademark Global, reproduces an old hidden weapon from Japan called the shikomizue. This particular type of weapon would have been a favorite of ninja agents skilled at concealment and disguise. Global's 41" bamboo stick sword, with a hidden 27 1/4" katana style blade ...

Honoring the first Tokugawa shogun of Japan--Tokugawa Ieyasu, an intriguing master of kenjutsu and military strategy who survived 90 battles during his long and tumultuous life, loved hawking, and habitually bit his nails--this sword is actually typical of many that personify the famed general. In small ways they may be historically ...

Finding an affordable combat quality katana can be difficult. Swordmaking has not died out, but traditional swordmakers are far fewer in number now. Though you might get an excellent deal at the foundry door, by the time the blade has traveled through several levels of importers and retailers the ...

An economically priced and functional katana with a good reputation, the Zetsurin Warrior is hard to find now. Buyers liked the simple things about it, like being able to actually cut through training targets. The black sheath, covered with imitation ray skin, and the white nylon cord wrapped handle ...

The hit Japanese anime show Bleach provides us with yet another sword to bring to your attention: a katana inspired by one of the show's main Soul Reapers, Lieutenant Renji Abarai.

The katana probably best represents Renji's character due to its crimson overtones. In the series, Renji's red ponytail sets him apart ...

Many different collectible weapons have surfaced from the popular Japanese anime show Naruto. This is the Kusanagi, wielded by the Sannin Orochimaru. The Kusanagi is more commonly known as a grass cutter sword, so you may see it listed as such.

This sword is popularized mainly by Naruto's "emo kid" Sasuke. His ...

Buying a sword with absolutely no pedigree, like this replica Ninja sword that borrows as much from schools of kitchen cutlery and pirate movies as it does from real ninjutsu, is only risky if you expect a real sword. If you want a sword for other than real reasons, ...

Inspired by ancient chokuto swords and classic mohora-zukuri double edged tantos, with modern practicality in mind, this CRKT First Strike is unlike anything that Columbia River has ever made before. Custom knifemaker Steve Corkum, based in Littleton, Pennsylvania, has been designing knives in the Japanese tradition for well over ...

Like the other knives in the Komachi line from KAI, the Japanese company best known for making the well regarded Shun knives, this knife is intended to be used to cut only one type of product or ingredient.

The pink color and animal shaped cutouts in the ...

There's no denying the fact that the Komachi knives offered by KAI, the makers of the well regarded Shun knives look a bit whimsical, if not a little silly. There are few knives on the market which bear significant resemblance to these knives.

Although a pro cook might well ...

One might take a look at these knives with their buoyant colors and whimsical flourishes and assume these knives are children's toys. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

KAI, makers of the well regarded Shun knives, have produced a knife which performs quite well, despite the unusual appearance. ...

One of the more popular and professionally portrayed killers in Kill Bill (the movie) was Oren Ishii, the vengeful orphan girl who rose to boss level in the Yakusa with the help of her Snowflake Shirasaya katana. Lucy Liu did a wonderful job in that role and still reminds me ...

The yanagi or yanagiba is loosely translated from Japanese as willow blade as it resembles the willow leaf. Like many traditional Japanese knives, this knife is a specialty knife intended for one purpose: Slicing raw fish and seafood.

Most people have never used a yanagi or have only ...

This Damascus Masame Tsukuri is a very beautiful collector's piece from Boker Knives. The crafters used different styles of ancient swordmaking techniques and blended them into one knife, making it truly unique.

The blade is forged with an elite style of traditional Damascus craftsmanship called masame tsukuri. It's a Japanese term for ...

Here's the original Hero's Axe, not the antiqued version, by Hanwei designer Paul Chen. This original model is beautifully embellished and polished, and honestly would look a lot better mounted for display than the antiqued Hero's Axe, making it a much better choice in our opinion. The biggest reason for ...

Once again Paul Chen of Hanwei fame has designed yet another timeless piece of medieval weaponry. This yari, or Japanese spear, has been forged in ancient Japanese tradition while keeping up with a few modern conveniences at the same time.

The Hanwei yari measures an impressive 79 inches long. Its ...

The naginata is quite an important weapon in the field of martial arts. It's identified by a curved blade, a long wooden shaft, and a traditional tsuba similar to the ones you'd find on an ancient Japanese sword.

Hanwei's version of a Japanese naginata is of course designed by none other than ...

At first glance, it's difficult to see any reason to criticize this short ceramic bladed slicer from Kyocera. The blade features a beautiful damascus pattern. It is a nice length for small cutting jobs and has more depth to the blade than other utility slicers of comparable size.

That extra ...

Since Shun knives are so well known for their quality and traditional craftsmanship, you shouldn't expect anything less from their storage block -- a product designed to store them carefully and keep them sharp for their next use. Fortunately, that's what it does.

Your entire cutlery collection will fit in this ...

If you were to refer to this in the proper Japanese terminology, this would be called a petty, which evolved from the term "petit gyutou" or "little cow sword".

Regardless of how you refer to this little knife, it's an excellent knife. Typical of knives from Shun, it is a blend ...

The Delica lineup is closing in on an impressive 20-year history as one of the frontrunners in lightweight, one-handed pocketknives. It's one of Spyderco's best-selling knives, along with the Endura product line.

This is the fourth knife in the Delica refining process, and it's better than ever before. The most noticeable upgrade ...

It can be tricky to keep up with all the different Chef's Choice electric sharpeners. Read our reviews of the various choices and your head might start to spin.

The long and short of it is this... If you've got exclusively Asian knives, the 316 is probably for you. If ...