ACTIVITY

How the Japanese Katana Sword Is Made

A samurai’s relationship with their sword was one of trust and respect. The katana, in particular, was a weapon that was designed to be both beautiful and effective in battle. The slender and portable katana was developed as a replacement for longer and heavier weapons, such as the tachi and naginata, during Japan’s civil war in the 15th century.

The katana is fashioned from a specialized Japanese steel known as tamahagane. This unique metal is created through a traditional smelting process that creates several layers of iron with different concentrations of carbon. Sword-makers utilize tamahagane because it is both very hard, giving the blade its razor-sharp edge, and tough enough to absorb shock and withstand impact. Using only one type of steel would make the blade too soft or brittle to cut effectively, so the sword-maker begins by folding and welding pieces of the material together.

When the metal is ready, it is heated in a charcoal furnace for “Yaki-modoshi.” This makes the steel pliable and more workable. The smith then cuts the tempered steel with a hammer and file, creating small marks that form the pattern of the hamon, or blade pattern.

The hamon is then polished to reveal the hardened line, or boshi, that extends from the point (kisse) of the sword. The kissaki is not a chisel-like point like in Western knives; the katana’s curved points, called yokote, are smooth and have a three-dimensional curve towards the tip. This design allows the katana to easily penetrate through bone and flesh. Best Katana

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *