An improperly cooled blade will not have the proper strength, flexibility, and curvature. The process of cooling down the metal of a hand forged Japanese katana is just as important as the initial heating stage. $0.00 See the details Tsuchioki: Treating the New Blade with Clay The swordsmith uses hammers of various sizes and, in a process known as hizukuri HIZUKURI 火造り "hammering into shape" learn more., a chisel to shape and sand down the outline of the blade. Once the impurities have been taken out of the steel, the purified metal is beaten into the shape of a blade. The repetition of heating and cooling causes the steel’s surface to oxidize. During this process, the metal is cooled down with water and re-heated to a moldable consistency. This step, orikaeshi tanren ORIKAESHI TANREN 折り返し鍛錬 "folding step in forging" learn more., involves folding and refolding the heated metal many, many times. Next, additional impurities need to be removed from the steel. Orikaeshi tanren: Folding the Forged Steel This stage, shitakitae SHITAKITAE 下鍛え "hammering in forging" learn more., is physically strenuous and is usually done by several people. To remove these impurities, the metal is stacked, heated up, and hammered repeatedly. Raw tamahagane is filled with impurities that would weaken the finished blade. Heating the sand mixture into workable steel usually takes three days and three nights. Tamahagane is made by heating a mixture of iron sand and charcoal to high temperatures in a specially-built clay oven called a tatara TATARA 踏鞴 "iron-smelting furnace" learn more. (meaning “jewel steel”) is an extremely pure form of steel used to create katanas. The term tamahagane TAMAHAGANE 玉鋼 "jewel steel" learn more. Here are the steps a katana goes through during production, from the raw steel to the polished blade on proud display: Tamahagane: Creating the Raw Steel $129.00 See the details How to Make a Hand Forged Japanese KatanaĪt this point, you may be wondering how such a fine weapon is crafted. The weapon’s signature curved blade allows it to “glide” over a target in addition to being sharp enough to slice through a piece of silk as it falls through the air. For that reason, they’re uniquely versatile among bladed weapons.īuilt to be slim and lightweight, a katana measures between 23 and 28 inches long on average and weighs between 2 and 3 pounds. While ancient European swords were designed for either stabbing or slashing, katanas were engineered to do both. What is a Katana?Ī katana is a type of sword that was historically used by samurai warriors in feudal Japan. The culmination is a perfectly balanced sword as beautiful as it is lethal. Often, a team of swordsmiths will work together on a single blade, each smith specializing in a specific step of the process, like forging or polishing. Each sword is painstakingly crafted by master swordsmiths using techniques perfected over the course of centuries. and ninjutsu NINJUTSU 忍術 "the skill of prowling" learn more., still utilize the katana in their practices to this day.Ĭreating a hand forged Japanese katana is no easy feat. Some modern martial arts, like kendo KENDO 剣道 "the way of the sword" learn more. From the ancient battlefields of Edo Japan to the modern collector’s case, hand-forged Japanese katanas are bold, stunning, and uniquely memorable. The utmost versatility and balance are of utmost importance. With confidence and deadly grace, these weapons continue to fascinate. Over the course of months, these swords are built by master swordsmiths. Few weapons span the bridge between ancient history and modern pop culture like the hand forged Japanese katana.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |