How to Make a Real Ninja Sword

The ninja sword was of inferior quality to the samurai sword.

Ninjas were wiry, poor mountain people and had very practical weapons. The ninja sword was not as elaborate as the katana, or samurai sword, and of inferior quality, since ninjas could not afford master swordsmiths like the samurai caste. The ninja sword was shorter and lighter than the samurai sword and its scabbard often had a hidden compartment in which small weapons would be stored. Unfortunately making a real ninja sword requires hard-to-find blacksmith equipment; however, you can still use materials that most do-it-yourselfers have in house.

Things You'll Need

• Metal plate (3.3 feet long, 2.7 inches wide, 0.2 inches thick)
• Angle grinder
• Cutting disk
• Abrasive disk
• Sanding disks
• Rubber backing pad
• Trace lacquer
• Metal/locksmith files
• Sanding paper
• Teak oil
• Power drill
• Wooden pegs (mekugi)
• Protective clothing
• Drawing compass
• Milling machine
• Wood (handle) 10.8 inches x 3 inches
• Chisel
• Glue

Instructions

Crafting the Blade

1. Spray the metal plate with trace lacquer. Wait for it to dry and scratch the desired shape outlines into the lacquer. Draw both your blade and its anchor (the habaki), as you will be cutting this as one shape. The blade should be 2.5 inches wide and have a total length of 3 feet. The habaki should be 0.1 feet wider than the blade, and 3.6 inches long.

2. Cut out the basic shape, using an angle grinder with a cutting disk. Don't try to cut too close to the outlines.

3. Grind the shape closer to your markings using an abrasive disk.

4. Use the metal file to do the final shaping of the blade. It will be a bit time consuming, but this is the most accurate way to achieve the desired result.

5. Spray the blade with trace lacquer again and draw your shinogi (the line where your cutting edge starts) as well as your cutting edge using your drawing compass.

6. Grind down the cutting edge using your abrasive disk and sanding disks. Use your rubber backing pad when sanding. Do this on both sides of the blade.

7. File the last bit by hand to prevent over-grinding. This way you will achieve a straight blade.

Making the Hilt (Tsuba)

1. Draw your hilt design onto a piece of off cut metal. The hilt should be about 2.5 inches in diameter. Measure your sword anchor to see exactly how big a gap you must leave for it.

2. Remove pieces of metal from the plate to form the pattern by drilling holes into it.

3. File the plate to form the desired pattern and shape the edges.

4. Use sanding paper to polish the hilt.

Making the Handle (Tsuka)

1. Draw the handle shape on two pieces of wood and cut it out using a milling machine or a chisel. The handle should be 10.5 inches long and 2.8 inches wide. The pieces are going to fit together, with the sword anchor in between.

2. Drill two holes at the same spots on both pieces of wood. This is where the wooden pegs are going to be inserted to keep the sword together.

3. Glue the two pieces of the handle together and use a grinder to do the final shaping.

Putting the Sword Together

1. Fit the hilt (tsuba) onto the blade, and stick the blade anchor into the handle. All components should fit together tightly.

2. Use the pre-drilled holes in the wood to drill holes through the metal. Shape the holes to fit your wooden pegs (mekugi). Mekugi is usually narrow on the one side and wider on the other. As these pegs will be holding your sword together, it should fit tightly.

3. Fit the mekugi into the holes in the handle. Use glue to seal it on both sides.

4. Polish the blade and give the handle a few layers of teak oil.

References

• Samurai Sword Shop - How to make a Katana
• Make a Sword - How to make a Katana
• Gungfu - Ninja Sword

Resources

• Swords of Might - Mekugi Pegs