A Katana is the most coveted sword in Japan and is renowned for its cutting prowess. Its unmatched sharpness and resilience is the result of a meticulous production process that spans weeks or even months from the smelting of raw steel to the final polishing.
To make a katana, the swordsmith starts with iron sand and charcoal heated in a clay furnace to create crude steel called tamahagane. The smith then hammers, folds and welds the steel to remove impurities and give it a unique layered structure. The smith also adds carbon to the steel, which is essential for making a blade that has both hardness and flexibility. Without this, the blade would either be too soft or too brittle to endure sword-fighting.
The smith then uses his expert craftsmanship to shape the tamahagane into a blade using techniques such as bending, filing and differential tempering. This is a critical step that can be the difference between a good blade and a great one.
When the smith has finished, he then covers the blade in a special clay slurry that protects it from damage as it is forged and heat treated. The blade is then tempered by rapidly heating and cooling the blade in water or oil to give it its distinct color. This is done to ensure that the katana blade has a high and durable edge, but is still tough enough to resist shock.
The tang of the katana is then wrapped in a silk or cotton cord called ito and the sheath is then secured with a metal ring known as a fuchi. The tsuba is then attached to the tang with a shim which helps to adjust the weight of the sword and balance point of the handle. Lastly, the menuki are carved into the tsuka of the sword. These may be simple or elaborate and can include wavy dragons, the goddess of mercy and compassion called Nure-Onna and a rain dragon that listens to prayers and gives people much needed water. find out more information