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What is a Japanese katana sword?
Characterized by a long (up to 37-inch) curved blade with a single cutting edge that faces outward, Japanese katana swords were designed to allow for fast, intimate combat; ideally, the wielder would be able to unsheathe the katana sword and transition to a deadly strike in one swift, fluid motion.
What happened to the samurai without a katana blade?
Without a katana blade, the distinction between commoner and warrior blurred and eventually passed into irrelevance. The sword made the Samurai; without it, they ceased to exist. Many swordsmiths were put out of business or forced to produce other products in the Meiji era.
Are katanas good for cutting weapons?
Katanas are amazing cutting weapons, optimized for that purpose. By design, they are curbed and the edge forms a perfect triangular drop (no secondary bevel to slow down the cut). They are, without a doubt, the sharpest swords ever made. Katanas are also stiff, which means that when you hit a target, it won’t wobble and bend on impact.
What is the competitor of the katana?
Our main competitor is the Turkish tulwar (or kilij). So, let’s see who wins this battle, kilij vs katana. This ancient Turkic kilij is the grandfather of all modern and pre-modern Middle-Eastern curbed swords. The first civilization who wielded it were the Turkic warriors, in the 8 th and 9 th centuries.
What are the swords forged in Japan?
The Swords forged with Spirit of Japan. Katana (Samurai Sword) is a generic term for swords forged in the originally developed way in Japan. They are classified as Katana (Tachi, Uchigatana), Wakizashi and Tanto depending on size.
What do you call a katana Craftsman?
Craftsmen who make Katana are called ‘Toko (sword craftsman),’ ‘Tosho (sword master)’ or ‘Katana kaji (swordsmith). The Very Soul of the Samurai Its beautiful shape has symbolic meaning as well as its use as a weapon since ancient times, and many are highly appraised as art objects.