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Katana Wearing SwordsKATANA: WEARING SWORDSBasics of wearing and carrying a Sword"Ninja Training Video Blog #2: "Katana: Wearing Swords" (Nov. 15, '09) Sensei Roemke from Santa Cruz Bujinkan Dojo demonstrates how to wear and carry the weapon commonly used in modern Ninjutsu training. |
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CAUTION: the sword's unique design and in particular its sharpness necessitate quite a few specialized precautions to handle it. Failure to observe these precautions can easily lead to damage to the weapon or severe injury. Train at your own risk and note that this weapon is illegal in some USA states.
The "katana" is a type of Japanese sword (correct term 'nihonto' or 'tachi') and is often called a "samurai sword". In a precise sense, the term in Japanese is applied to any kind of single-edged Japanese sword, although, incorrectly or habitually, some define it as the standard size moderately curved (as opposed to the older "tachi" style featuring more curvature) Japanese sword with a blade length of greater than 60 cm (23.6 inches).*
It is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, slender, single edged blade, circular or squared guard, and long grip to accommodate two hands. It has historically been associated with the samurai of feudal Japan, and has become renowned for its sharpness and cutting ability, to the point that its purported cutting capabilities have reached mythical status. The katana originated in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) as a result of changing battle conditions requiring faster response times. The weapon facilitated this by being worn with the blade facing up, which allowed the samurai to draw and cut their enemy in a single motion.[3] Previously, the curved sword of the samurai had been worn with the blade facing down.The length of the blade varied considerably during the course of its history. In the late 14th and early 15th centuries, blades tended to be between 70 and 73 cm (27.6 and 28.7 inches) in length. During the early 16th century, average length was much closer to 60 cm (23.6 inches), but late in the 16th century, it was again approximately 73 cm (28.7 in).
It was paired most often with the wakizashi or shōtō, a similarly made but shorter sword, both worn by the members of the warrior class. It could also be worn with the tantō, an even smaller similarly shaped knife.
The authentic Japanese sword is made from a specialized Japanese steel called "Tamahagane" which consist of combinations of hard, high carbon steel and tough, low carbon steel. There are advantages and setbacks to both types of steel. Having a lot of carbon within the steel allows the blade to hold a sharp edge but can be too brittle and may break in combat. Having a small amount of carbon will allow the steel to be more malleable, making it able to absorb impacts without breaking but becoming blunt in the process. The makers would use the best attributes of both kinds of steel by placing the high carbon steel in the front of the blade for a sharp edge while placing the low carbon steel in the back where it can absorb most of the impact. The blade gets its gentle curve from quenching during forging, as it is straight prior to quenching. A process of differential tempering causes martensite to form predominantly in the edge of the blade rather than the back; as the spine has lower retained lattice strain, it cools and contracts, and the blade takes on a gently curved shape.
(*This info about "Katana" is from Wikipedia)
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