Samurai katana The samurai katana ranks as the best martial arts weapon ever forged by man. It beats other ancient swords that were created by ancient civilizations of the east and even Europe. The sword has been used for centuries and helped many samurai warriors emerge victorious in battle. During its existence, very little has changed in terms of design. This fact proves that the sword is an effective weapon just as it is. Today, the katana is one of the most popular ancient swords among martial artists and collectors. It’s quite easy to find katanas for sale online at affordable prices.
Design The katana comes in a unique design. It features a slim single edge blade that’s forged from carbon steel. Although other metals could also be used, real katana has to be forged from carbon steel to make it strong and easy to handle. The blade length is usually between 23 and 70 centimeters. It also features a distinct curve which is common in most swords developed in ancient Japan. The katana also features a long handle that’s usually between 30 and 36 centimeters. The long handle enables easy handling using both hands. The handle is made from wood and wrapped with fabric such as cotton or silk. It can also feature some decorations to make it unique. A hand guard is placed between the blade and the handle. It’s circular in shape and made from metal such as copper and iron. It can also feature unique designs. A sleeve is also placed under the hand guard to fasten it onto the blade.
The saya is the scabbard used to store and carry the katana sword. It’s made from two pieced of wood which are carved to fit the blade dimensions. The two wooden pieces are then lacquered and polished such that the saya looks like one piece. The saya is then wrapped with a cord that’s used to fasten the sword onto the warrior’s waist. Uses The katana was designed for close combat. It’s usually less than 1.5 kilograms in weight to make it easy to draw and handle when in battle. The blade was designed for slashing but can also be used for thrusting and piercing using the sharp tip. This sword was usually used alongside the shorter wakizashi in battle. The forging process The best katana are hand forged. Due to the medium length blade, katana forging was fairly simple. However, forging was carried out by master sword smiths. Like with other swords, the blade was heated and then hammered to harden. It was then treated with water. For high quality swords that were made using high carbon steel, clay forging was the preferred method. After the forging process was complete, the handle and other parts are designed and fitted onto the blade.