Whether you’ve watched it on the big screen or fought imaginary battles with a plastic katana as a kid, the elegant sword is one of the most iconic weapons in history. With a rich Bushido heritage and pop culture legacy, this legendary blade is a symbol of power and elegance. Yet, few people know the story of how a katana is made. This article takes a closer look at the katana’s origins, its influential design, and its cultural significance.
To create the katana, a professional sword craftsman first heats and forges the metal called tamahagane. The smith then hammers the hard, high-carbon steel to shape it into a long channel. Then, he inserts the tougher, low-carbon steel into that channel. The resulting blade has the perfect combination of hard and soft properties that made it the samurai’s prized weapon. This special forging process also creates a unique pattern of the steel called hamon, which is considered an artistic element of the sword’s design.
Once the smith is finished with his creation, the katana undergoes a critical heat treatment called yaki-ire. A clay slurry is applied to the blade, with a thicker layer on the body and spine and a thinner one along the edge. The blade is then heated and quenched in water, which results in two distinct zones: a hard and sharp edge, and a softer and resilient spine.
After the sword is cooled, the craftsman modifies its curvature with a special plane called a Sen and grinds the blade for smoothness. He also checks the blade thickness and Jiba for uniformity. Lastly, the sword craftsman drills holes for Mekugi (fastening pins) and a sheath. The keywords I will use are