Highlander Dragonhead Katana

Geisha’s Blade version of the Dragonhead Katana from the TV series: Highlander.

The blade is made with our 2nd Gen 1045 carbon steel and has a bohi (groove). There’s a faux stone covering the bamboo mekugi on the tsuka.

This is a replica of the iconic weapon of the Highlander: The Series and the preferred weapon of Duncan MacLeod, given to him by his mentor, the samurai, Hideo Koto, in 1778. According to Hideo Koto, the dragonhead katana was forged in 1592 (the year of Duncan’s birth) by the great sword smith Masahiro, whom he called “the finest swordmaker in Japan.” It was already nearly 200 years old when MacLeod first met Hideo in 1778. Ordered by his shogun to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) for harboring a gaijin (non-Japanese/outsider), Hideo requested Duncan to be his kaishakunin (assistant), to end the pain of self-disembowelment with decapitation. Unable to convince Hideo to reconsider taking his own life in the name of honor, even revealing his Immortality to Hideo, Duncan made a vow to protect the Koto family for as long as he lived. In return, Hideo gave Duncan his treasured dragonhead katana as a token of friendship and loyalty.

SPECIFICATIONS
• Blade Material: 2nd Gen 1045 carbon steel (mono-steel)
• Edge: Fully-sharpened
• Treatment: Hand Forged, Through Hardened, Heat Treated & Tempered, Water Quenched
• Blade Length: 27 inches
• Tsuka: 13 inches ABS plastic
• Overall length w/o saya: 41.5 inches
• Saya: 29.75 inches wood, glossy black lacquered finish
• Tsuba / Fuchi: Zinc alloy
• Habaki / Seppa: Brass
• Mekugi: 1 bamboo peg
• Nakago: Full tang
• Hamon: Wirebrushed midare (irregular) pattern

NOTES
• Specs may vary slightly from sword to sword
• Cannot be disassembled
• Includes cloth bag
• Packaging: carton box

This sword features the “closed-mouth” dragon’s head handle made of ABS plastic to simulate ivory. Most, if not all, available versions in the market are either made of faux ivory or polyresin. That’s just a fancy way of saying ABS plastic. But that doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s used for a lot of products from golf club heads, protective headgears, whitewater canoes, to Lego bricks. It’s more economical to use ABS plastic. We can probably have the handle carved out of wood. But with such an intricate design, it will take a long time to make and will definitely cost a lot more. We don’t think you’ll ever find a version of the Highlander Katana with a wooden handle or real ivory, it will just be too expensive.

The video below shows the difference in flexibility between the 1st Generation and 2nd Generation. The 2nd Gen is more flexible like a 1060 blade.

More subtle wire brushed hamon which looks like a real hamon.