A Katana is a sword of the samurai class that was introduced during the Muromachi period (1336-1573). It is a short, curved blade. Its development was influenced by the need to adapt a long sword into the smaller combat style of the time.
To create a katana, the swordsmith starts with high-carbon steel known as Tamahagane. He or she heats iron sand and charcoal in a clay furnace to generate crude steel. The smith then hammers, folds and welds the raw steel multiple times. This process removes impurities and creates a layered impression in the steel, which is essential to the katana’s design. The combination of hard, high-carbon steel in the blade’s outer skin and softer, low-carbon steel in its core allows the sword to have both durability and a sharp edge.
The forged tamahagane is then cooled down quickly by plunging it into a trough of water, a process called quenching. This allows the back edge of the blade and its inner core to contract more freely than the front edge of the katana, creating its distinctive curve.
After the katana cools down, the smith uses files and planes to shape it into its final form and then gives it a rough polish. The smith then adds the Tsuba, a metal ring that protects the hand of the warrior while allowing him or her to move the katana’s point of balance forward. The tsuba is often carved with unique traditional patterns and can be a work of art in itself. find out more information