From the history of Samurai swords to the care and maintenance of your new blade

History/Culture

Samurai swords are one of the finest edged blades crafted anywhere in the world. The swords have been idolized, deified, worshipped and collected. It has been said to posses the three holy elements of purity, rarity and value, making it one of three sacred treasures of Japan. The sword has defined the warrior class of Japan for thousands of years. It has been the embodiment of power, ethics, duty and self-defense. For the warrior, samurai swords represent honor, responsibility and duty. Samurai often gave names to their swords and believed it was the "soul" of their warriorship. It is considered to be the spirit of Japan itself.

The oldest of samurai swords in recorded history was a present sent from China to Queen Himeko during the Wei Dynasty in 240 A.D. There is also an old legend from the smiths of Yamoto Province. Around 700 A.D. a smith named Amakumi and his son had examined the sword remnants that the returning soldiers had brought back from the war. They discovered that over half were broken swords that they had made. In that moment Amakumi made a vow to himself that, "If they are going to use our swords for such slashing, I shall make one that will not break." Amakumi and his son prayed for seven days and nights to the Shinto Gods. Amakumi then selected the best sand ore he could find and refined it. Both he and his son worked hard and tried to improve the design of the swords. Finally they emerged from their shop with a single-bladed sword, which had a slight curve to it. The following spring the soldiers returned from battle with their swords in perfect condition.

Around the 5th century the samurai swords were a straight, single-edged steel called chokuto. Around the 8th century the style of fighting changed from common foot soldiers to fighting from horseback. To accommodate a warrior fighting from atop a horse the blades became long curved single-edged swords known as tachi. In the medieval era of Japan a samurai sword was typically a long, straight or slightly curved blade having two cutting edges set into a hilt or tang. The Japanese sword that is commonly called a "katana" came in about the year 940.

The samurai swords forged in the 14th and 15th centuries by master craftsmen are considered to be priceless national treasures by most collectors. However, in 1867 Samurais were banned from the carrying of samurai swords. This attempt to end a thousand year tradition was not received lightly by the warrior class. One of the responses was to convert a walking cane so it now concealed the revered blades. It is this proud heritage, the "Soul of the Samurai", will always live on in collections around the world.

Forging

There were a few problems that were faced by the craftsmen in the ancient times. The smiths discovered that a sword with a razor-sharp blade often broke when used against an opponent in armor. However, a less breakable blade made from a softer steel would bend and inflict little to no damage. Another issue was making the sword light enough for use in actual combat. Somehow, these craftsmen were able to combine these two apparently incompatible attributes in various ways using what in modern times would be a "dirty" source of steel. They used methods of forging that created amazingly resilient, strong and still light weight samurai swords.

The most basic of forging techniques are said to have developed in China. China was one of the few places in which techniques were created to heat treat the edge of the blade as opposed to the entire blade. These skills were brought over to Japan in the Sui and Tang Dynasty of China in 589 AD (approx.). These techniques were then perfected by the Japanese, who used the skill labor of enslaved Chinese and Korean smiths. The most well known method of forging a samurai sword is called wrapped steel or baogang. This is the "folding" of steel onto itself, sometimes up to 10, 000 layers, to increase density and strength. And once polished had a razor-like sharpness that could easily decapitate a man with a single thrust. There is however, two other methods that are used to forge these swords of amazing beauty. One is calledinserted steel or quangang. A high-carbon edge forms as a core that is sandwiched between alternating layers of iron and steel. A truly skilled smith can use this to produce a pattern on the surface of the blade once it is polished. The last method is known in the west as twistcore. It involves twisting layers of hard and soft steel and welding them into a single unit with hammer and heat. Once polished the surface has a feather, swirling or star-shaped pattern. Other technological advancements involve hardening the blade through heat and quenching in liquid. A universal technique inmanufacturing blades even today.

Metals

There are 3 basic types of metals used in modern sword construction: carbon steel, stainless steel, and cast steel or alloys. Use and care are different for each of these types of samurai swords...which we will get into later. Carbon steel was used during the medieval and renaissance period making it the authentic material for any samurai sword. The only real problem with carbon steel is that it has a tendency to rust. So it is very important to keep your sword from getting wet. Stainless steel is the most common material to make swords out of. It has both the flexibility and hardness that is commonly desired and is easier to take care of. It is not invulnerable to corrosion, but it does take a lot more punishment than the more authentic carbon steel. Cast steel has the advantage of not rusting. However, it is not flexible like stainless or a forged carbon steel is. Your samurai sword will look and feel authentic, however, it is not useful for combat as the blade will not return to it's original form if bent. It's more likely that it will break before that.

Now, if you have done any research on a samurai sword you will notice that some merchant give what is known as a Rockwell hardness. That number may not mean much of anything. As the Rockwell hardness is used to measure the hardness of tools, not swords nor knives. Most tools, depending on use, are only measured on a small surface. The measurement on a knife or sword could vary as much as 2 to 3 degrees up the length of the blade. So the number given may not accurately measure the hardness of your weapon. However, most blades should measure between 43 to 50 on the Rockwell scale in order to hold a good edge and be easy enough to resharpen.

Factory Vs Custom Construction

There are on the market place today two ways to buy samurai swords. One is the basic factory made construction one. A factory will heat treat batches of hundreds of blades in order to ensure that most will survive within limits. These swords although pretty are mostly cheaply made and are good pieces to show off to friends that don't know anything about a samurai sword. These swords are mostly decoration pieces and should NOT be used in combat. Factory blades are still good buys and are useful, decent swords. The other type is the custom made, one of a kind. It has been hand forged by a master smith who has had years of training. Each sword though made in similar patterns will not be exact carbon copies of each other. These swords will cost anywhere from a little more to a lot more than a factory made sword. It is up to the collector to decide if the price is worth it.

Possible Flaws

There are a few things that you should look for in a blade when buying your samurai swords and the most important would be any flaws that have occurred. Flaws in the hilt or blade will lower the value of the weapon. For example, if the blade is folded improperly it may contain weak or incomplete welds, carbon pockets or impurities. Which will show up as blisters or bubbles in the skin of the blade or black pits where carbon deposits formed. There can be cracks that form after the blade has been formed. Occasionally, one will come across a tang that has been shortened or reformed. As well as chips, rust or even poorly sharpened or polished. Do not let an amateur polish or sharpen your samurai swords. If done incorrectly you may end up with it damaged beyond repair. Older blades especially that have been polished many times may end up showing it's core steel through the skin of the blade, bringing down it's value and usefulness extensively.

Basic Tips and Care

When you have bought and received your samurai swords there are a few notes to help you take care of your blade. The beauty of the blade lies chiefly with the polish of the blade. There are several products available on the market to help you take care of that shine and beauty. Some are better than others. Do not use any all-purpose lubricants such as WD-40. They were never designed to polish an authentic sword. The oils in it will evaporate quickly leaving your blade unprotected. Do not use anything that has a mild abrasive in it such as Flitz. It will damage the skin of the blade. There are specially made oils available such as Japanese choji clove oil. It has been tested for centuries on blades and will give the best polish. This oil can be gotten in most sword cleaning kits. If you live in a moist environment and wish to have better protection of your blade there is a product called Renaissance Wax. It is used to restore blades and protect them from moisture and finger marks (which should NEVER be on your sword blade, finger oil is acidic and will cause your blade to rust no matter what metal is used in it forging).

It is best to let a professional clean your blade. But not all of us can afford to send our blades to Japan to get them polished. So there are a few tips to help keep your samurai swords in the best shape possible. Be sure to wipe off any excess oil from the blade before returning it to the scabbard. Even with regular polishing the blade may pick up rust and dirt from the inside of any old scabbard be sure to replace it at once (the scabbard not the blade). Do not try to rub off the rust on a blade, you may cause permanent damage to the skin of the blade. Try to take it into to a specialist at that point. Be sure that any professional sword polisher has references as an amateur will do more damage to your blade. A blade can be vulnerable to rusting soon after any polishing. Be sure that cleaning and oiling is done every ten days for about 6 months. After that it can be cleaned on a regular basis every 6 months. Do not lean the sword on it's tip after oiling as the oil will simply slide down the blade and pool at the tip. Try to keep them in a dry place. Do not bang your sword against another sword, tree or ANY object unless you are a trained professional in sword fighting. Do not bend or try to manipulate your sword as you may end up with a shattered piece of metal on your hands. Do not carelessly swing your sword, this is a weapon and will do damage to you and your surroundings. This is a finely crafted weapon. No true samurai or collector would ever treat their sword with anything less than total respect.

Collecting Tips

As with everything there are two ways to collect samurai swords. The hard way and the harder way. The hard way includes reading every book you can get your hands on, finding other trustworthy collectors to learn from and be very careful when actually spending money on a blade. In other words, study, study and when you are done...study some more. The harder way means trial and error. Buying fakes, and low quality blades. Blades with flaws or are not worth anywhere near what you paid for them. Do not buy everything in sight. If you wish to be considered a true collector of samurai swords you must know everything about the swords and the culture they come from. Study not only the swords themselves, but also the time period, the makers, and geographical locations. All of these things can affect the value of your sword and help to improve your eye for a good or great deal.

Last Thoughts

Samurai swords are cultural icons, not just for the Japanese but for the world. It is not just a sword, or a hunk of metal. It is generations of hard work and true strength of character that went into the making of every blade. It is not just a weapon, it is a piece of history. The soul of a true samurai warrior rests in his blade. The spirit of the past exists with every stroke of that blade. When a sword of such cultural basis is placed in your hand, your first thought is not of whether it was traditional folded metal or mass produced. They speak to each of us of honor, dignity, beauty, style, grace and strength. The sword you hold in your hand is a piece of the past. One that needs to be respected, honored, and always well care for.