Buying Guide For Samurai Swords
The curved blade, or katana,
is perhaps the most famous sword of all time. Used widely by the iconic Samurai
warriors, this sword is highly sought-after by collectors of all types.
However, the katana was only one weapon used by the Samurai. In the earliest
years, Samurai used straight blade sword with a single edge called Chokuto, imported
from Korea and China. Toward the end of the 8th century, the Chokuto
was replaced by the curved blade Tachi. Samurai discovered the curved blade made
it easier to draw the sword and allowed for a more powerful attack.
There were three main types
of sword used most commonly by the Samurai:
·
Katana
A long
sword, over 24 inches in length, largely used in outdoor combat.
·
Wakizashi
One third
shorter than the Katana, between 12-24 inches long, the Wakizashi was the
indoor sword.
·
Tanto
A short knife,
used in close combat.
Fashioning the Kissaki, sword
point, is the hardest part of forging a sword. Due to the extreme difficulty
involved in hand crafting a high quality sword point, the quality of the point
is a big factor in determining the value of a sword. Experts recommend a
minimum value of a well-crafted sword should be in the $1000 range. Much cheaper
swords can be found, but they are mostly intended for decoration cannot be
considered a legitimate weapon. A quality, authentic, Japanese sword can bring
as much as $500,000. If you know what to search for, you can find a quality
Japanese sword at a much more reasonable price. Here some facts to aid in your
search:
You don't need to spend a fortune to get an excellent samurai sword. We carry functional samurai swords starting at $50 and going up to about $10,000.00. We have a huge range of customers, and the majority of people spend between $200 and $1200 on a blade. We are confident that most people out there can find an amazing blade in this price range that will meet and exceed all of their wants and needs. One of the best ways to start looking is to search by forge on the left hand side of the site towards the bottom. We list each high quality forge that makes swords, and each forge satisfies a different need, some are more decorative looks with bright colors, while others are almost exclusively black. We carry thousands of blades to meet every wish, want, and desire. One of the first steps is nailing down your price range, as it will narrow the field significantly.
·
Japanese swords typically
feature a slightly curved, single-edged, very sharp blade.
·
Authentic
Japanese swords are well balanced and should weigh no more than three pounds.
·
Real Japanese
swords are high carbon steel, never stainless steel. Another feature of
authentic swords is a “differentially tempered blade,” when the edge of the
sword is harder than the spine.
·
On a Japanese
sword, the tang, part of the sword that enters the handle, is not steel welded
on after the sword is forged.
These factors, combined with
things like the traditional appearance and proper fittings, will help you quickly
locate quality swords at a reasonable price.
The Samurai word was a
significant symbol in Japanese society, believed to embody the very soul of the
warrior. A warrior’s sword was on of his most treasured possessions. The sword
also held a great religious importance in ancient Samurai culture.
When the gun was introduced
to Japan, the sword smiths started making guns rather than swords. As swords
grew to be a less practical commodity, the secrets of the great sword smiths became much more exclusive, but still passed down through the generations. The sword still represents the strong and fearless warriors who once
wielded them proudly, and they remain a significant part of Japanese history. If
you are collector of sword, or merely desire to own a unique piece of history,
you can find a one-of-a-kind selection of authentic Samurai and other ancient
weaponry at Swords of the East.