Things You Should Know and Consider Before Buying A Samurai Sword

Your purchase of a Samurai sword may be a once in a lifetime event. Before you buy, please take a little time to study these few items. We would encourage anyone interested in owning an authentic samurai sword to use all of these facts in deciding what sword you should buy.

1. The Steel: The most important consideration you should make regarding the purchase of a Samurai sword is with the steel. It is after all the extraordinary steel that the Japanese smith made with the forging and folding process that “beat” the impurities out of the raw iron ore.Over the past 100 years, metallurgy technology has progressed to the point that “pure” steel is available as a beginning material. Swedish Powdered Steel is one of these new steels. It is the purest form of steel with the least impurities. Picking steel with the most even distribution of carbon will insure that there will be no weak spots in the finished forged blade. Beginning with very clean Swedish steel allows for a very controlled and precise heat treatment regimen that results in a very fine grain structure. It is this fine grain that creates a blade that is stronger and less prone to deflection and breakage.

2. Forging: This process defines the Samurai Sword. Authentic Samurai Swords are forged. Many companies are selling “stock removal” steel swords. These blades are not forged and do not have the integrity of a forged blade. Ask for forged steel blades when purchasing your Samurai Sword. The one real benefit of a forged blade often overlooked is that each blade is unique and made by a skilled craftsman. Unlike modern blades that are stamped or milled out by the 1000’s, each identical to the last, every forged blade is a one of a kind piece. Forging allows the smith to determine how much each blade needs to be worked in order to obtain the best results. As each piece of steel is worked, it is folded repeatedly. This process tightens the grain pattern of the steel making for a more beautiful blade. This personal forging means that your sword is unique. No other blade will be the same as yours. Each forged and folded blade is an individual expression of the steel, the fire, and the smith.

3. Heat Treating: The authentic Samurai Sword has a differentially heat treated edge. (Ha) The pattern you see at the sharpened edge is the signature of the heat-treating. (Mon) The name of this attribute of all Samurai Swords is the Hamon. This heat treatment changes the molecular structure of the steel into martinsite at the edge (Ha) and a softer more ductile pearlite body. The heat treated Hamon allows you to “look” into the steel and see the beauty of the activity and the different crystalline structure. Always demand a truly differentially heat-treated Samurai Sword. Some manufactures either try to “polish on” this look or use a chemical etching to achieve this look. This only gives a cosmetic look to the blade and has not achieved the purpose of heat-treating which is to change the steel into the different molecular structures.

4. Design and Shape: The design and shape of your Samurai Sword should be historically correct. Authentic samurai swords follow historical tradition. There are many shapes and designs in the market place today that have very little in common with the “feudal era” sword. The shape and balance of a properly made Japanese sword evolved over centuries. The life of the warrior depended upon his sword and he depended on the smith to make a blade that he could rely on in the direst of circumstances. You should purchase a Samurai Sword from those that honor this tradition and manifest these qualities. The evolved shape of the authentic samurai sword determined the strength, the cutting performance, and the balance. You want all these attributes in your Samurai Sword.

5. Balance: Rarely considered by most is the balance of the sword. This is a very important factor in choosing a Samurai Sword. You should think of balance as functionality. Remember that the Samurai was a highly trained warrior and his sword had to be able to function in an extreme combat situation. Many modern swords are no longer made with this function in mind and are not capable of withstanding the stresses and strains of serious use. As you practice and train with your Samurai Sword you will acquire the strength to wield it properly. It is balance that will give you this benefit of strength when using a traditionally balanced blade in your training.