The Japanese Katana aka The Sword of the Samurai

In here, I hope I can bring you a little information, and a few great opportunities. Now, a little about the Katana.....Katana is the word for "sword" in the Japanese language. It is also used specifically for a type of Japanese backsword or longsword in use after the 1400s: a curved, single-edged sword traditionally used by the samurai. Pronounced [kah-tah-nah] in the kun'yomi (Japanese reading) of the kanji, the word has been adopted as a loan word by the English language; as Japanese does not have separate plural and singular forms, both "katanas" and "katana" are considered acceptable plural forms in English.

The katana was typically paired with the wakizashi or shoto, a similarly made but shorter sword, both worn by the members of the warrior class. It could also be worn with the tanto, an even smaller similarly shaped blade. The two weapons together were called the daisho, and represented the social power and personal honor of the samurai. The long blade was used for open combat, while the shorter blade was considered a side arm, more suited for stabbing, close quarters combat, and seppuku, a form of ritual suicide.

The katana was primarily used for cutting, and intended for use with a two-handed grip. While the practical arts for using the sword for its original purpose are now obsolete, kenjutsu and iaijutsu have become modern martial arts. The art of drawing the katana and attacking one's enemies is iaido.

Authentic Japanese swords are fairly uncommon today, although genuine antiques and even modern forged swords can still be found and purchased. Modern nihonto are only made by the few licensed practitioners that still practice making these beautiful works of art.

Traditional katana are still made in Japan and occasionally elsewhere; they are termed "shinsakuto", and can be very expensive. These are not considered reproductions as they are made by traditional techniques and from traditional materials. Swordsmiths in Japan are licensed; acquiring this license requires a long apprenticeship. Outside of Japan there are a couple of smiths working by traditional or mostly-traditional techniques, and occasional short courses taught in Japanese swordmithing. The only Japanese-licensed smith outside of Japan, Keith Austin (art-name Nobuhira or Nobuyoshi) died in 1997.

A very large number of low-quality reproduction katana are available; their prices usually range between $20 to about $200. These cheap blades are machine made and machine sharpened. Usually they are minimally hardened or heat-treated and the hamon pattern (if any) on the blade is applied by scuffing, etching or otherwise marking the surface; there is no difference in hardness or temper of the edge. The metal used to make low-quality blades is mostly cheap stainless steel, and typically is much softer than true katana. Finally, cheap reproduction katana usually have fancy designs on them since they are just for show. Better-quality reproduction katana typically range from $200-300 to about $1000, and high-quality or custom-made reproductions can go up to $2000-3000. These blades are made to be used for cutting, and are usually heat-treated. High-quality reproductions made from carbon steel will often have a differential hardness or temper similar to traditionally-made katana, and will show a hamon; they won't show a hada (grain), since they're not often made from folded steel. A wide range of steels are used in reproductions, ranging from straight carbon steels such as 1070 to full stainless steels such as 440C or 5160, and specialty steels such as L6 or D2. Most cheap reproductions are made from inexpensive stainless steels such as 440A (often just termed "440").