

If you look closely, you will see little stripes and lines.įolded steel was the material of choice for Japanese swordsmiths. You can easily identify folded steel by the minuscule swirly lines that seem to be etched on the surface of the blade. They developed this method in ancient Japan because the steel quality was poor, and this folding technique could smooth out imperfections in the metal making the sword much stronger. Either way, you should be aware of the specific parts of the sword that classify a high-quality katana.įolded Steel, Real Hamon, and Differential Hardening.įolded steel is a technique of layering multiple steel alloys with different hardness levels, to extract the best combination of sharpness, durability, and resistance for the sword. There are many good smiths all over the world (in the US, particularly), that make beautiful battle-ready, custom-designed swords.

They work with regular, modern-day tools and techniques (simple and straight-forward). Of course, these blacksmiths don’t use tamahagane steel or the tatara furnace. These swords are more affordable (depending on your budget) than the Nihonto katana. However, there are katanas of excellent quality made outside Japan, yet using the traditional hand-making techniques by master smiths. Often, finishing this kind of blade will take months (up to a year), and the cost will reflect the hard work. A hand-forged katana of this caliber will be costly and will come with a proof of authenticity (certificate). Nihonto katanas must be made in Japan (as the name suggests), by a certified master swordsmith, following the traditional techniques. That can depend somewhat on how you define a “real” katana.
#MASAHIRO IKUNA FOLDED KATANA HOW TO#
How to figure out the differences between a real katana (a collectible) and a decor piece. The first thing you want to grasp is sword authenticity. There are a couple of important topics we should browse through before asking where to buy a real katana? To Tell the Difference Between a Real or Fake Katana? There are details you need to know before spending your hard-earned money on one of these prized swords. If you are ready to invest in a moderately substantial sum of money on a handmade sword, then this article is for you. They are highly praised weapons that follow strict rules and regulations.īuying an authentic katana is a life goal for many weapons collectors and martial arts enthusiasts.

In case the sword breaks during training it can potentially hurt someone so make sure to learn if it’s likely to happen beforehand.įor a selection of some of the best Iaito katana for reasonable prices see below.If you have developed an interest in samurai swords, you have probably asked yourself where to buy a real katana? Authentic Japanese katanas are handmade in accordance with the ancient Japanese methods.

In most martial arts bamboo swords called shinai are used when sparring, so make sure you read reviews of these samurai swords and verify they can be used for training before you commit to buying one. Some simply don’t have the durability, not because they are low quality but rather because that’s not their intended purpose. Iaito swords can as mentioned be used for safe training, but they also make amazing decorative swords which are perfectly safe to keep around the house, so if you want to decorate your home with a katana but are afraid your kids might get hold of it an Iaito is an excellent choice.Īnother thing to remember is that not all Iaito katana are well suited for combat practice. They often also have high quality fittings which can also drive the price up. Take a note that Iaito swords can often cost just as must as sharpened battle ready katana, which is due to the fact they are constructed and forged from the same materials. Although protective gear for such training can be harder to get, I’ll post an article about that soon as well so you’ll be covered. Usually the tip of the blade (kissaki) is also rounded off to prevent any kind of stabbing accidents, so you’ll be fairly safe in your training.
#MASAHIRO IKUNA FOLDED KATANA FULL#
Fortunately there are plenty of non sharpened training katana you can find that are full tang and can endure any kind of practice. You could also get a wooden sword replica or a bokken, but it’s nothing like holding a steel sword in your hands. Custom-made protective gear for sparring with katana
