| Every wonder why so many people collect | | | | blade. The spine is given a thicker coat than |
| Samurai swords? Is it the unique beauty that | | | | the edge, which helps to shape the blade in |
| is entrenched within every beautiful blade? | | | | the next step. The blade is then placed back |
| Or perhaps the mysterious soldiers that | | | | into the furnace to be heated to around |
| wielded this mighty weapon, conquering enemy | | | | 1,500°F |
| after enemy? I like to think it's the | | | | |
| craftsmanship that went into the forging of | | | | 4. Shaping the blade. The next part of the |
| this legendary weapon which help fuel both | | | | process has been depicted in many movies |
| the Samurai's numerous victories and the | | | | through the years. The blade is pulled from |
| mystery that surrounds this masterpiece of | | | | the fire and plunged into a bucket of water, |
| metal work. Let's examine what it takes to | | | | or sometimes oil. This rapid cool-down |
| make Samuri swords. | | | | process is called "quenching". Because of the |
| | | | different thickness of coating applied to the |
| The Samuri sword is a katana sword, which is | | | | blade, the blade can be bent, creating the |
| a general term for single-edged sword. Most | | | | unique curves associated with a Samuri sword. |
| bladed weapons were designed to be either a | | | | |
| piercing or slashing weapon. The Samuri | | | | 5. Sharpening and Polishing the sword. Just |
| swords were designed to do both. | | | | as you would expect, great care is taken to |
| | | | produce a highly polished and sharpened |
| The mystic surrounding the making of Samuri | | | | weapon. The skilled craftsmen may take up to |
| swords is not so mysterious once you know the | | | | two or more weeks honing the swords |
| secrets of this age old art. There are | | | | razor-sharp edge. There are no shortcuts |
| basically 9 steps to making quality Samuri | | | | taken here. The sword maker will rub the |
| swords. | | | | blade with a series of grinding and polishing |
| | | | stones until the desired effects are |
| | | | produced. |
| | | | |
| 1. The first step is to gather the necessary | | | | 6. Adding the final piece to the blade. After |
| materials to begin the construction of the | | | | the blade is almost finished then the sword |
| mighty blade of the Samuri sword. The blade | | | | makers can add a decorative guard of either |
| is made up of two different types of | | | | iron or other metals at the swords hilt. |
| high-carbon steel, one slightly softer than | | | | |
| the other. These two pieces are then pounded | | | | 7. Now the handle is made. The handle is made |
| together, and then folded over each other | | | | out of two halves of wood. They are wrapped |
| until one piece finally emerges. | | | | in leather or some other material, then |
| | | | wrapped with silk or cotton cord into the |
| 2. The steel is then smelted. Traditionally | | | | desired grip pattern. |
| the steel is smelted over a period of three | | | | |
| days and three nights. One key ingredient to | | | | 8. The sword is then assembled and ready to |
| this process is the temperatures needed to | | | | meet with final inspection to see if it can |
| smelt the blade needs to up to 2,500°F. | | | | pass the rigorous test needed to be called a |
| The steel is continuously pounded and heated | | | | Samuri sword. |
| until it becomes long and thin. This process | | | | |
| produces a laminated effect of thousands of | | | | 9. The final step is the making of the |
| layers, strengthening the blade and making it | | | | scabbard which is made by combining two |
| flexible at the same time. | | | | halves of wood fixed together and then |
| | | | liquored or painted. As you can see, much |
| 3. Coating the blade. After the pounding is | | | | love, care, skill, patience and attention is |
| complete the metal is coated with a thick | | | | given to the creation of building Samuri |
| mixture of clay and charcoal powder onto the | | | | swords. |