A katana カタナ is a Japanese sword with curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip used by the samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge facing upward. During the Edo Period, the Tokugawa shogunate required samurai to wear a Katana and a second - shorter sword - The Wakizashi (sword thrust at one's side) in pairs. It was used as a backup sword. The Tachi swords were the predecessors of the Katana, and since the Muromachi period - many of them were cut from the root and shortened, aswell as the blade at the root was crushed and converted into Katana.
Honsanmai is the most common design for blades.
The official term for katana in Japan is uchigatana 打刀.
Honsanmai is the most common design for blades.
The side faces of the blade are protected by the cut iron. The blade is sturdy and has the advantage that the back of the blade (which could also be used to parry) is not hardened. This avoided breaking the blade.
Some old blades still show these marks of a struggle today. Each of these swords is a unique piece and was cut and polished with original Japanese whetstones.
The blade has been hardened in the traditional way under clay and has a Rockwell hardness of approx. 60 degrees on the edge and a hardness of approx. 40 degrees on the back.
The tsuka is made of wood, lined with real stingray skin and wrapped in black silk ribbon. There are two mekugis (bamboo dowels) attached to the handle.
The sword can be dismantled and is very sharp. This sword is best suited for cutting exercises.
- Overall-Length:
- 105 cm
- Blade-Length:
- 72 cm
- Handle-Length:
- 30 cm
