Japanese Samurai Swords - Making of the Blade

Samurai Swords

History of Samurai Swords

The Japanese term Samurai formerly referred to those standing close guard to nobility but it has later evolved to include warriors. Closely associated with Samurais were swords.  However, as the name underwent metamorphosis, so did their weapons. From AD 710 to 784, it was known to be a straight blade and was called  Chokutō.  Towards the end of 900’s, a curved version appeared and it was called a tachi. Another famous sword that came around, but much shorter than a tachi, was the Uchigatan.  Finally, the katana came about and this become what is known to many now as the Samurai sword.

Sometimes, the katana is used with a smaller sword known as Wakizashi or tantō.  Together, they are called a daishō (which means big and small), and wearing them was a symbol exclusive for the samurai warriors only as it represented their honor and power.

Description of Samurai Swords

Through the course of time, the length of samurai sword had been altered to suit the ease of use during combat.  Generally, the blade length is greater than 60 cm (23.6 inches) and it is moderately curved. Samurai warriors wore this sword with the cutting edge up.

How to Check for Authenticity of Samurai Swords

Owning a samurai sword either as part of a decoration, collection or for martial arts activity,  brings also honor to some people. But with so many out in the market now, how does one find a real one over replicas?

A Japanese steel called "Tamahagane” is used in making the Samurai sword. Thus, to test if it’s really made from a metal, a magnet can be used.  Most replicas are made of aluminum and do not react with the magnet.

Another way to check for authenticity is to use a magnifying lens and check on the temper line or hamon. Tiny dots or specks are to be found along the border of such line. If it’s smooth, it’s likely to be a fake.

Going to a renowned store that has the reputation for selling authentic samurai swords 

is the best and most convenient way to stay safe. You can try to get recommendations from friends and associations who are considered experts on the field.

How to Take Care of Samurai Swords

As a general precaution, the sword must be treated with extreme care during handling. It should never be considered a toy and played around with. It should be kept away from kids and shouldn’t be handled at all by them.

The blade of the samurai sword is extremely sharp and may cause injury if mishandled. When cleaning the blade, it should be positioned with the edge away from you and it should never be touched. Even when sheathing or drawing out the sword, the blade should always be positioned away and never towards the person. 

The blade of the sword must be well- oiled, powdered and polished to prevent rust from developing. The choji oil, which is 99% mineral oil and 1% clove oil for fragrance, is the traditional oil used. However, the salts in the oil can also be a food for molds so it should be inspected and aired frequently.

When storing, the sword is kept inside the scabbard and it’s placed in a horizontal position with the sharp edge up. In such manner, the condition of the scabbard and the sword’s edge are preserved. The sword must fit well into the scabbard. If it starts to loosen up, it must be fixed to avoid accidental unsheathing and possible injury.

Making of the Blade

The metal is heated, stretched and folded as many as twenty times before the sword assume its final form. Fine layers appear on the ridge area and surface that is called the grain (hada). There are different types of grains:

Plain (muji)

Straight grain (masame-hada)

Wood or wood-vein grain (itame-hada)

Burl grain (mokume-hada)

Curved grain (ayasugi-hada)

There were a lot of problems that faced by the smiths in the ancient times. The smiths discovered that a sword with a razor-sharp blade very often broke off when used against armor.

However, an unbreakable blade made of soft steel would bend. Another issue was to make the light sword for use in combat. The smiths found that the most satisfactory weight for a sword is around 2 or 3 pounds. There are many methods of making swords. Some of the methods have to go through many times of repeating process of heating and folding of the steel.

After that, the smith engraved his signature and the blade was transferred to the polisher. Meanwhile, different artist will work on different parts of the swords like hilt ornaments, handle bindings, guards, and the sheaths.

The beauty and the value of the samurai sword are chiefly on the excellence of its flawless polish. The blade should never be touched with the hand because it is dangerous and will lead to eventual rusting. The best way to prevent rust is to keep the sword lightly oiled with lightweight oil because the heavyweight oil will soil the interior of the scabbard by causing dust to collect.

Apply oil once a month to the sword if it is kept in a salty atmosphere. If in mountainous areas, the sword should applied with oil once every three months. Do remember to wipe off the old oil from the sword with a soft fabric, such as soft tissue before we reapply the oil to the blade. Then, sprinkle special oil-removing powder or talcum powder on the blade surface.

After that, wiping off the powder by a clean before apply the light oil to the blade. Please do not use metal polish on the blade or on the metal mountings, especially the guard (tsuba). Finally, the tang should never be polished because it contains vital information about the maker.
 

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