The katana, this traditional Japanese sword, is not only a weapon, but also a symbol of the Japanese samurai spirit. Making a quality katana requires exquisite craftsmanship and high-quality materials. This blog will explore the best metals for making katana swords, giving you an in-depth understanding of their craftsmanship and the importance of material selection.
Ⅰ.Selection of the Best Metal
1.Tamahagane:
This is the material for traditional samurai swords. It is made of sand iron at high temperatures. Jade steel is characterized by its high carbon content, which allows it to produce extremely sharp and durable blades.
2.Folded Steel:
Beauty and Toughness and Hardness of the Blade
This material is created by layering and forging different types of steel to create a unique corrugated texture. Folded steel is not only beautiful, its structure also enhances the toughness and hardness of the blade.
Lower Durability
While they are more traditional and possess the beautiful grain pattern, the process of folding does not benefit modern steel. Because modern steel is already pure with an even carbon content throughout. Folding of the steel opens up the possible risk of small gaps in the steel which reduce durability of the blade.
3.Modern alloy steel:
Although not a traditional material, modern alloy steel such as 440C or VG-10 is adopted by some modern knifemakers because of its excellent corrosion resistance and hardness to adapt to modern use needs and maintenance convenience.
4.Carbon Steel Katana
Carbon steel is a great steel option for a Katana sword. It is designated by the first two digits, 10, followed by a number ranging from 01 to 99 with each point signifying that 0.01% of the steel is carbon.
1045 Carbon Steel:
1045 carbon steel is the minimum acceptable standard for a katana sword. This specific type of metal can harden very well, but you’ll want to upgrade to something tougher if you want a long-lasting blade.
1060 Carbon Steel:
1060 carbon steel provides a good balance of strength and hardness. Many durable swords are made from this type of steel. It’s more popular than 1045 carbon steel but more difficult to make.
1095 Carbon Steel:
1095 carbon steel katanas can take and keep a much keener edge than katanas with lower carbon content. However, they can sometimes be a little on the brittle side compared to lower carbon alternatives.
5.Spring Steels
For the purposes of Katanas, the two main types of spring steel swords are the 5160 and 9260. Spring steels have a small amount of silicon added to them, which allows them to return to their original shape despite significant twisting or bending. As with plain carbon steels, they both have 0.60% carbon.
5160 Spring Steel:
This steel is a low chromium alloy of steel. The chromium combined with a small amount of silicon results in a tough and durable sword.
9260 Steel:
9260 spring still has a higher percentage of silicon, giving it a much higher resilience against bending and allowing it to spring back to normal from an almost 90-degree bend.
6.Tool Katana Steel
Tool steels have gained popularity recently, due to their ability to keep and hold a sharp edge as well as their toughness. While there are several out there, here are the two most common types:
T10 Tool Steel:
This is a steel alloy with tungsten. The tungsten makes it resistant to abrasions and scratches compared to most types of steels.
L6 Bainite:
The L designates that it’s a low alloy steel and is known as the toughest type of katana steel on the market. Expect to pay a hefty sum for this type of steel katana.
Ⅱ.Influence of Materials
The choice of different metal materials has a direct impact on the performance of the katana. High carbon steel katana swords are sharp but require regular maintenance to prevent rust; folding steel katana swords strike a balance between beauty and practicality; modern alloy steels offer greater corrosion resistance and less maintenance need.
Final Thoughts
Making a real samurai sword is not only a display of technology, but also an artistic creation. From traditional jade steel to modern alloy steel, each material has its own unique characteristics and applicable scenarios. Understanding the properties of these materials and how they affect the performance of the final product is crucial for every sword enthusiast and collector. When pursuing the perfect katana, choosing the right materials is key to achieving this goal.