Tonbo means dragonfly — in old Japan, the warrior’s emblem, the insect that only flies forward and never retreats. This master-grade katana wears it proudly: the copper tsuba captures a dragonfly mid-flight, and the whole sword carries that forward-driving spirit from the first draw to the last cut.
Forging & Steel
The blade is folded Damascus steel, worked until an intricate wave pattern flows through the metal — grain no stamped steel can imitate. Through it runs a distinct hamon, the temper line that marks the hardness of the edge against the resilience of the spine. That combination is what makes the Tonbo cut with precision and earns it a place with serious martial-arts practitioners as readily as with collectors. At 1.7 kg it has real presence in the hand, with the mass to drive a clean cut through tatami.
Fittings
The furniture matches the blade’s ambition. The sculpted copper tsuba is reinforced with silver and depicts the dragonfly’s flight; the saya is solid ebony wood, dense and dark; and the tsuka is wrapped in genuine stingray leather for a grip that locks under load. Every component is chosen to read as a coherent, master-grade whole rather than a collection of upgrades bolted onto a budget blade.
Specifications
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Blade steel | Damascus steel with hamon |
| Blade colour | Gray |
| Tsuba | Carved copper with silver |
| Saya | Solid ebony wood |
| Tsuka | Stingray leather |
Dimensions
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Total length | 105 cm |
| Blade length | 73 cm |
| Handle length | 28 cm |
| Blade width | 3.2 cm |
| Blade thickness | 0.75 cm |
| Weight | 1.7 kg |
Is it battle-ready?
Yes. The folded Damascus blade with its distinct hamon is hard, sharp and built for precise cutting — a genuine functional katana aimed at experienced practitioners and discerning collectors alike. It is among the finest pieces in the range. Browse the full katana collection, the Damascus Katana Shizen, or the master-grade Ninjato Miyamoto.
Verified owner
