There are two conflicting theories on what a Ninja sword actually looks like. One theory is that each sword used by feudal Japan’s ninja warriors was unique, a concept that has been embraced by Hollywood. Another theory is that the swords were not unique so as not to attract the attention of casual observers. This is because the Ninja were mainly spies and occasional assassins. This article explores what the Ninja sword market currently looks like.
The Ninjato sword is straight bladed and quite similar to the Samurai sword known as the Katana. However, these Ninja swords were often inferior to Samurai swords as they were made with inferior steel. One possible reason for this is that in Japan, the Ninja were considered a lower social class that could not afford to hire a skilled blacksmith. Furthermore, their own sword forgers did not have access to the resources necessary to craft curved-edged swords with well-constructed blades. A Ninja who surpasses a samurai would require great skills. A Ninja sword was used in a different way than the Katana, and it was made more as a tool than a weapon of art.
Although Ninja swords were made shorter than Katanas, they had many more uses. For example, the scabbard was generally made 3-4 inches longer than the actual sword. There was a hidden compartment at the end of the scabbard that was to hide small weapons such as spikes, small amounts of poison, or daggers. Another use of the sword was that it could play the role of a small step. By nailing it to the ground, the Ninja could use his handguard as a stepping stone to gain the extra height needed to scale a wall. Since the blade was not that sharp, the warrior could use it like a hammer by carefully holding the blade and striking with the handle. Also, with Ninja swords it was common for the tip of the scabbard to come off so that it could be used as a snorkel.
The long sword used by samurai was made from high-carbon steel, and it took several months to manufacture. For each samurai, they were handcrafted with great care to come up with a very high quality sword. Samurai swords were so sharp that they could easily cut a warrior’s opponent in two, even when wearing body armor. The length of the samurai sword averages between 26 and 37 inches.
The Ninja sword was significantly shorter, at just 24 inches, and its quality was much poorer. One possible reason for the poorer quality was the way the swords were used compared to the way the samurai used theirs. The samurai brandished their swords, slicing through opponents and severing limbs. On the other hand, the Ninja used their swords more in stabbing movements. To use the Ninja sword effectively, a sawing motion should be used when the blade comes into contact with an opponent’s flesh.