Cyberblade “Dew on the Grass” Katana – inspired by a real life example of a Japanese Katana

Hello Everybody, now today I have another Katana themed design and yes I know, I said I had kinda finished the Power Rangers inspired Katanas but this style of saber is just so cool I had to do more. I also realised that on the Power Rangers blades I had forgotten to add a feature that is iconic in traditional real world Japanese sword making techniques. Because I had modified the blade to be a “lightsaber” I forgot to add what is known as the Hamon line which is the decorative curved/jagged line that stretches from the handgrip all the way to the tip of the blade. The line can be seen on traditional Japanese Katana and some people describe it as a wave or line of mountains. It is a very desirable effect to have on your blade and looks like this…

via Matsuba-Katana.wordpress.com

In this picture above you can see the blade tip and a portion of the blade. The blade appears to be two distinct shades of colour and this signifies that the steel used to make the blade has different properties. The steel is heated then flattened out into a strip which is then folded over double and hammered together till the metal forms one thick strip with two layers. This double layered strip is again heated, hammered out then folded a second time to create a four layered strip and so on till the blade has been folded upto 10 times creating 1024 layers. Then this 1024 layer ingot is shaped into the familiar Katana profile but the blade is straight. To achieve the famous curve a final treatment is needed where the blade is covered with a layer of clay along the back edge of the blade (spine) leaving the cutting edge exposed. The blade is then heated a final time before being quickly cooled (called quenching) and the rapid cooling and the clay causes the metal to cool and shrink slightly at different rates through the blade. The covered spine cools slower and produces a less hard metal whilst the exposed blade cools very quickly producing a super hard edge which can be sharpened to a razor-like finish. Because the Katana blade has a “softer” spine it is less likely to snap during battle as it is springy and absorbs impact, but it is still tough enough to have a razor sharp blade. Now this is where the name Hamon comes in. The two “zones” of tensile strength have names, the cutting edge is called the “Ha” whilst the upper softer spine is named “Mune”. When combined you get the word “Hamon” and there is actually a visible line you can see between the two – this is the Hamon Line which creates the wave/mountain effect.

When I was first introduced to Katanas whilst watching 1980’s Ninja movies on VHS tape as a kid (and reading GI’Joe comics of course) I read about these swords and learnt about a special blade called “Dew on the Grass” which had a stunningly beautiful blade and Hamon line that looked like a blade of grass with droplets of dew on it. These droplets was the area where the Hamon line bonded between the two hardened segments. I thought it was amazing so I decided I’d attempt to build a lightsaber equivalent with a cyber-age feel. This is my Cyberblade “Dew on the Grass” Katana….

As you can see this saber has a real cutting-edge look to it! Not only does this blade have a Damascus steel wave-like texture but I managed to add a glowing Hamon Line along it’s length. The Tsuka Ito wraps this time are made from a fabric texture that looks like some sort of circuitry. The semi gloss black material of the hilt body sets off this material and the electric blue neon blade and Hamon. And speaking of neon light…I felt a bit “arty” and decided to create a few avant-garde, Blade Runner-esque style pictures. Here they are in Gallery Two….

I was extremely happy when I finally managed to create a Katana with the proper Tsuka Ito wrap and the famous curved blade, and I was even happier (if that were possible) when I achieved adding the Hamon line to my models. The katanas now feel fully formed. Finally, I keep promising this is the last one but as I said these are addictive to model so I have two final versions, one from the Mutant Turtles franchise and a last hilt from a famous video game franchise (unless I make more). Hopefully they will be as nice as this one.

Anyhoo, I sincerely hope you liked this homage to traditional swordsmithing as much as I enjoyed modelling it. I hope I haven’t bored you all and that you’ll return for future posts which will feature a few very different 3D objects – as I venture again into building Star Wars themed vehicles! (There will be sabers too). But for now, I am drawing close to the end of this post but before I go, I’d like to say a big thank you to all of you for visiting and checking this saber out. All your support is much appreciated and I love reading all the comments. Till next time……

“Cyberblade Dew on the Grass Katana” is a For Tyeth Editions design created by For Tyeth/FTSabersite in Blender 3D. All 3D models and renders are Copyright of For Tyeth/FTSabersite 2016-2022.

“Max Interceptor” Saber – Inspired by Mad Max the Road Warrior

G’Day everybody and welcome back to my final telling of the tale of Max the Road Warrior. Max Rockatansky was an Australian police officer in the time after a terrible war resulted in a lack of resources and a collapse in societal behaviour. The Outback became even more lawless and biker gangs roam and pillaged in an attempt to get “black gold” or Juice for their vehicles. In what was left of the suburban areas folks tried to live as normal but it became ever more difficult. Max took his young family out to have a picnic one day but unfortunately he ran across one such biker gang. This gang had been investigated/pursued by the police including Max and his colleague friend, Goose, and in the action Goose was brutally killed in a bike crash. This damaged Max psychologically and tried to find comfort with his family with the picnic….then the confrontation occurred. Max was pushed over the edge….

Mad Max Interceptor

Max was driving his family to the countryside when he suffered a flat tire. He found a salvage yard and whilst bartering to get a new wheel his wife and child wandered off to look at the scenery. The biker gang turned up and there was a confrontation and Max’s wife and son were brutally attacked and killed. Max lost it and went on a crazed one man crusade to find the gang and gain vengeance. And he used his vehicle, the Pursuit Interceptor as a weapon. So I based my Max inspired saber on that vehicle, this is “Max Interceptor”….

As this hilt is modelled after a police car I made sure it was a tough utilitarian design with automotive detailing. The saber is solid with a very distinctive emitter and pommel. You will notice that the hilt is also a lot more black than the multicoloured Pursuit Interceptor I posted a picture of above. This saber is based on the car AFTER Max made some modifications. He emptied the boot/trunk to install larger fuel tanks, then added a new sleeker radiator grille and headlights…..then there was the Supercharger block on the famous V8 engine!

The Pursuit Special Interceptor and on the right, the mighty V8!

So, as you will have worked out, I modelled the emitter to represent the mighty engine block and supercharger. I gave the saber a black paint job but retained the yellow, red and blue stripes to hark back to the fact this used to be a police cruiser. The handle itself has a 3D modelled texture to provide MAXimum grip during combat. And finally, the pommel also features some 3D texturing with what appears to be tire treads….and that’s because the pommel is made up from the Interceptor’s rear wheel! Here’s the next gallery and some close ups….

The emitter has quite a bit of detail modelled into it, including the drive shaft socket for the radiator fan (this forms the actual emitter mouth). Above and below are rows of bolts that hold the upper and lower halves of the cylinder block together. Along the sides you can see the channels that indicate the row of four pistons that form the V configuration. The “power bulge” or inlet for the supercharger on top of the emitter also acts as one of the activation switches for the saber. Max famously boobytrapped his car so vigilantes and enemies couldn’t steal his ride, and so too is this saber rigged. It can be set to activate either by pressing the Supercharger OR by twisting the pommel cap or a combination of both ….very nasty if you tried to switch it on incorrectly as you’ll blow the saber up! Not very Jedi like I know but it is very Max-like.

And this vehicle carried Max through the Wastelands of Australia till it was finally stolen then destroyed in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. It was his home as he travelled and encountered the Toecutter gang, Bartertown and the tribe of Tomorrow Morrow people. And maybe just maybe….out on the road Max is wandering still with a For Tyeth saber by his side.

That just about brings this telling to an end and this Mad Max inspired series. Thanks so much for checking it out and please take a look at the others I posted in recent weeks. Also thank you for all the positive comments about my Uhura and Nichelle Nichols inspired tribute last week, it meant a lot to me to know I did a good job. However that isn’t the end, I still have many more designs and prop models I have built so please call back to see those in upcoming posts. Till next time…..

 “Max Interceptor” saber is a For Tyeth Editions design inspired by the movie franchise Mad Max . The design, 3D model and renders were created by For Tyeth/FTSabersite and are ©Copyright of For Tyeth/FTSabersite 2016-2022. “Mad Max 3 Beyond Thunderdome” is a Warner Bros/Universal Pictures movie directed by George Miller and George Ogilvie. “Max Rockatansky”,, “Thunderdome” and all other names, logos, images and related material are currently owned Trademarks/©Copyright of Warner Bros/Universal Pictures 2021.

“Uhura Queen of Comms” Saber – A tribute to Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols

nuqneH and welcome to the other franchise of the final frontier….Star Trek. Today I present my tribute to the actress and space pioneer Nichelle Nichols who portrayed Lt Nyota Uhura in the original Star Trek series (and the first six movies) and sadly passed away recently. It was the news of Nichelle’s passing and a conversation with my friend Resa (from Graffiti Lux and Murals – Link: https://graffitiluxandmurals.com/ ) about Star Trek, the Emmy’s and Nichelle’s role that prompted me to create a saber in Ms Nichol’s honour.

Nichelle was (and still is) THE Lt Uhura, communications officer from the original show and canon movies. Uhura however was very nearly named Lt Sulu but this was changed to help the show’s creator, Gene Roddenberry achieve a diverse cast and George Takei’s character was named Sulu instead. Whilst reading for the part of Uhura, Nichelle had a book with her titled “Uhuru” by Robert Ruark. Uhuru means “freedom” in Swahili and when this was explained to Gene he adapted the word to “Uhura”. Lt Uhura first appeared in Star Trek in the episode titled “Man Trap” and joined the crew of the Enterprise as chief communications officer. OK, I think that will do as an introduction so I had best show you the saber I designed for Ms Nichols, this is “Uhura – Queen of Comms”…

With this saber I tried to capture the physical appearance of Uhura (sort of) in a similar way that I recreated Robocop with my “Pacifier” design. The saber is the same red colour as Uhura’s Starfleet uniform and even has the same black trim around the emitter to represent the collar design, whilst there is gold trim to signify her rank insignia bands on the sleeves. The emitter has nice slotted windows to allow the blade to shine through. The emitter is also contoured to provide grip and adds a bit of curve to the handle. There are slight bulges on either side of the hilt to replicate arms and you can see the gold trim on the “sleeves”. Of course all Starfleet uniforms must have the famous Federation emblem and so too does this hilt and the emblem also doubles as the saber’s activation switch. This emblem is 3D modelled and not just a graphic pasted on. Alright, I had best quickly move on to Gallery Two as I have a special “extra” later in this post so here are some detail pictures…..

Now you can clearly see the details I mentioned already but in these shots you can see the Covertech Wheel which is used to hang the saber on your belt, but also around the bottom of the handgrip you can see further gold trim and the handgrip appears slightly misshapen. The saber isn’t misshapen, I intentionally created a flared edge to make the bottom of the handgrip look like the hemline of Uhura’s uniform skirt. Below that there are sections to represent her legs and finally her black boots form the pommel end cap with the orange/gold rings in the pommel opening. These rings reminded me of Uhura’s earrings, those classic 60’s style hooped designs.

Uhura and Nichelle herself were both great communicators and inspirational. Nichelle was one of the first African American actresses to appear as a main character and had many fans including Martin Luther King Jr, who once spoke with Nichelle when she considered leaving the show and convinced her to stay aboard the Enterprise because she was such a positive role model. Uhura travelled space but as far as I know Nichelle never made it into space but was approached by NASA to be an ambassador to try and encourage more women and ethnic minority applicants to join the Air Force and NASA. So Nichelle was sort of an honourary astronaut! And because Nichelle and Uhura were such great communicators I thought “what else can I do to make this tribute extra poignant?” The answer….I created Uhura’s iconic communications desk earpiece! Here is Gallery Three with the comlink earpiece….

The first photo shows an actual studio prop of the earpiece to compare with my recreation. I did tweak the angled earbud section slightly so it would be more sturdy and I added a small plunger button on the earbud to allow Uhura to activate it as she held the comlink in place. Otherwise I think this is fairly close to the original prop.

And that just about ends this message and post, I hope I have done both Lt Uhura and Ms Nichols justice with this design. I also hope my friend and fellow Trekkie fan Nancy enjoyed this post as she just posted an article about the 40th anniversary of Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan. You might like to see that on her blog Graphic Novelty² (link: https://graphicnovelty2.com/ ).

I’d like to thank you all for checking this post out and for all the support you give me and my little site. All the kind words and comments are much appreciated, Please call back for future posts as I conclude my Katana saber series, I complete my Mad Max collection and finish off with some “new” Star Wars vehicle models. Till next time……Live long and prosper……

“Uhura Queen of Comms Saber” is a For Tyeth Editions creation inspired by Nichelle Nichols and Lt Nyota Uhura from CBS/Paramount’s Star Trek franchise. The saber design, models and renders were created by For Tyeth/FTSabersite and are ©Copyright of For Tyeth/FTSabersite 2016-2022. Star Trek and all names, logos, images and related materials are Trademark and ©Copyrights of Desiluu Productions, and Paramount Television Pictures.

“Trooper Saber – Phase Two” Inspired by the Clone Troopers of the Republic

Hello Everybody, today we travel back to the warm surroundings of the Star Wars universe and the era of the Clone Wars once again. Last month whenever I had a spare hour to relax (not very often) I took the chance to rewatch the animated show Star Wars – The Clone Wars and I realised that whilst I had designed a lightsaber inspired by Stormtroopers from various time periods and allegiances, I hadn’t done a Clone Trooper themed hilt. The Clones were created and trained to be soldiers on the planet Kamino and hundreds of thousands were born to serve the Republic. They must have made a big impression when they first appeared bedecked in gleaming white armour and enclosed helmets. These first batches of clones were later known as Phase One Troopers and their helmets were distinguishable by a large “Mohican” like fin on the top. Their armour was also not as refined making it hard to fight in. However they were determined and made a difference. Later clones were better trained and benefitted from improved equipment and armour. They were known as Phase Two Troopers and they looked a little like this….

This particular trooper hails from Anakin Skywalker’s very own squad of troops known as the 501st Legion. They were the best around. As you can see from the picture the troopers still had full helmets but the fin was much reduced in size and the visor’s eyelets were a different shape than the plain crescent wraparound design from Phase One. Well, it is this generation of troopers that inspired me to revisit the theme of Stormtrooper/Clone Trooper hilts and so here is my “Trooper Phase Two” saber ….

As usual, the saber I have built is a non complicated hilt, perfect for battlefield use but there are some nice details included. The colour scheme reflects the 501st Legion colours with the white representing the armour the blue representing the squad markings. The markings are quite special as I used a fairly new technique I have learnt to “layer” textures to create a single material. Look closely and you will see a base blue colour, but also flecks of black and white are present. These flecks are two layers of semi transparent colours which allow the blue base to show through – creating a scratched up worn look. So the blue panels actually have THREE texture layers! I think it recreates the look nicely. Anyhoo, I’ll let you decide and show you Gallery Two featuring some close-ups….

The emitter as you can see is meant to resemble the famous Clone Trooper helmet and I think it does a good job. Because the emitter has a slanted opening it automatically gives the impression of a facial shape. Combine that with the black markings to represent the visor and you get a convincing “helmet”. The emitter is connected to the main handgrip via a “choke point” where the hilt narrows to form a indent that allows greater grip and control – useful for when you have combat gloves on. The main body has the activation switch which is shaped as the Republic star emblem and a basic wrapped grip with black synth-leather bordered by blue bands. But the details don’t end there, here is Gallery Two showing the rest of the hilt…

The first two images show the pommel and endcap which features another Republic logo on the ventilation grille, but when you unscrew the pommel and handgrip it slides down to reveal….a Clone Crystal Chamber! Yes, the Phase Two sabers have crystal core upgrade. The chamber features a new protective grille encasing the crystal – and the grille is fully 3D modelled, not just textured to look perforated.

Now I don’t know what else I can show you to top this saber…or do I? My friend and supporter of my blog, Darth Rage, is also a very keen cosplayer and has built/assembled a few costumes and his latest outfit is full replica set of Clone Trooper armour! And not only has he built it himself, but he managed to get his costume approved by a famous charity costume group known as the 501st Legion. This group is acknowledged by Lucasfilm ltd and their members are sometimes invited to attend official promotional events. So I’d like to congratulate my friend Rage (who sent me a Babu Frik plush toy as a prize from a Giveaway he held on YouTube) with a little picture….and that is really Darth Rage in a costume, not a screenshot of a TV show/movie….

All members of the 501st costume group get an ID number and Darth Rage has the ident of TKD 18175. You can see his costume on YouTube, Facebook and TikTok, where he posts numerous videos and shorts of the build process and some entertaining “Transitions”. Here are a few links:

Darth Rage Reviews YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/DarthRageReviews

Darth Rage Reviews TikTok Channel: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeyxswB3/

Darth Rage Reviews Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darthragereviews/

So please when you have a moment, have a look at my friend’s social media (he also has lots of lightsaber stuff and Star Wars content in general).

But for now that just about wraps up this next generation Phase Two Saber! Thanks so much for checking it out, and as always I do have further variants showcasing some other famous regiments from the Republic. I also have more Mad Max, some Star Wars speeder designs…maybe one or two final katana designs…some “Visions” inspired hilts and…some real life replica lightsabers and Nerf Blasters! I really appreciate all the support as it keeps me motivated to design even more. Hope to see you all again soon, Till Next Time….

“Trooper Phase Two Saber” is a For Tyeth Editions design inspired by the Clone Troopers from the Star Wars universe. The 3D model and renders were created by For Tyeth in Blender 3D and are ©Copyright of For Tyeth/FTSabersite 2016-2022. “Clone Trooper” and all other names, logos, images and related material are Trademarks/©Copyright of Disney/Lucasfilm.