Bladed weapons were ninja's number one fighting weapons. The ninja used their swords for close-range fighting, the spear for a medium distance, and throwing blades for long distant. The ninja's sword was usually shorter (length) than normal katana (samurai's sword). The samurai families cherished their swords and seeked out the finest sword smiths, the ninja considered their swords just a tool and didn't have any spirit or soul to it. The sword's handle and scabbard was normally a nonreflective black color. The sheath of the Ninja-to could be used as a snorkel, so ninjas could hide in the water for a long time. Some Ninja-to had another smaller blade inside the grips to trick the enemy.