SAYA

The Saya is the sheath of the Japanese Katana. It is worn and displayed with the edge of the blade facing upwards, and this Saya is designed to hold the blade, but also to be easily unhooked in order to draw the blade.

This Saya exists in different woods, colors and styles. It is a very important part of the nomenclature and is nowadays often mass-produced for entry-level Katanas.

Manufacturing

Traditionally, this scabbard was made of Honoki wood with the Kurigata of buffalo horn and the ends of the scabbard. This scabbard is lacquered several times in order to have many layers of different varieties and styles depending on the saya

Here is a video that shows the complexity of making a Katana scabbard.

Cost

If we talk about the traditional Japanese method, it is necessary to count from 500 to $1500 for a high end saya entirely handmade. We are talking about a 100% handmade scabbard, which is an extremely long process.

Nowadays, most Sayas are mass-produced, which allows you to focus on the blade and to have Katanas with interesting prices for a quality that remains quite good. In this case, you should count about $50.

Problems

One of the most common problems is the expansion of the wood when changing the environment too quickly for the display of the Katana, so we advise you to do this delicately. If you receive a scabbard, and it does not fit the blade properly, we still recommend waiting about 15 days to make sure it is not related to the environment.