History of the Katana Sword
The katana sword is a fan favourite. The katana is an indispensable aspect of Japanese heritage and culture. A very interesting fact about the katana sword is that it was first forged at about the late 1300s. That means the katana sword is more than 6 millenniums old.
The katana is a very vital part of samurai’s everyday life. A typical samurai would begin training to properly handle the katana from about the age of 10. Not just that, some claim that the samurai warriors were buried with their katana swords. This article will give a brief description of a hand-forged katana sword.
The katana as a sword falls into the category of long swords. It was typically hand-forged to have an overall length of about 60 – 80 cm. fun fact, this is double the length of a typical short sword such as the wakizashi. The katana has an overall weight of about 1.4 kg. This is to ensure that it can allow for a good grip while not being excessively heavy.
One could claim to be versed in folklore origination from medieval Japan without discussing samurais or shinobi (which is highly unlikely). However, it could be described as being next to impossible to properly talk about the samurai warrior without making mention of the katana. The katana is made up of three parts:
- The tsuba
- The saya
- The blade
Another interesting fact for swords fanatics out there is that the katana is different from the tachi. They are used interchangeably by some, but they are unique in their ways. First of all, the tachi swords came first.
They are similar to the description of the katana given above. The only difference is that they are curved to a greater degree than the katana. So the hand-forged katana sword could be described as a less-curved or straighter version of the tachi sword.
The beauty of a hand-forged katana Sword
The value of a hand-forged katana sword is simply “beyond money” to a true sword connoisseur. This is because they are extremely rare. With the advancement in technology, the machine came into play.
There are modern methods of forging a katana using a machine and new and improved metal alloys. Early swordsmiths made use of certain techniques to give their hand-forged katana swords a certain “air” that a machine just can`t replicate. It is due to their work that swords were described as noble weapons.
Sword collectors know the difference. If you would like to get a hand-forged katana sword, it is not impossible. We have samurai swords experts who still make use of ancient techniques in their forging process.
Conclusion
The design of the tsuba is seen as the most beautiful part of the katana sword. The blade is perfectly curved to make sure it cuts well. The hand-forged katana sword turns out to be even tougher and harder than the other types. The entire process of quenching, grinding and even forging is carried out manually. The saya is made of light and hardwood carved by professionals.
You can get your own customized hand-forged katana sword. There are over a hundred different designs to choose from.
