Master Sword

The process of creating the sword is tedious and very detailed. Only masters of their craft can create katanas. Certain people contribute to certain stages of the process. A master forger will create the sword. A master polisher will be completely detached from the forging process and will be the master of his own craft. Special Japanese steel called "Tamahagane" is the only material used to create these swords. It is made up primarily of high carbon steel mixed with a little low-carbon steel. This special blend gives the katana the ability to hold a cutting age and remain very hard while at the same time, it is malleable and able to absorb the shock of a direct hit.

Even if it is a master sword developed by master artisans, the blade will need extra care or else the blade will wear away into a useless piece of metal. The oil most commonly and traditionally used to care for the katana is called choji oil, which is a mixture of mineral oil with a 1% mixture of clove oil. Even the way it is displayed has reverberations on its blade. The curve of the blade should be facing downwards, with the fine edge facing up and not holding the weight of the entire blade. It should always be contained in its sheath.

A katana, though notoriously known as the samurai sword, is only one of a few possible swords that a master swordsman or samurai may bear. The Japanese elite military class has famously used it for centuries, even as far as the 8th century. Indeed, this blade, this special status symbol is all throughout, from start to finish, inside out, deserving to be called a master sword.