How to Make a Samurai Sword

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A samurai sword, or katana, is a curved, single-edged sword first worn by Japanese warriors in the 13th century. By learning to make a samurai sword, you can create a formidable weapon or even use it as an impressive addition to your home's décor. Follow the steps below to forge your own samurai sword.

Steps

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  1. Purchase or find a piece of steel about 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide and .5 inches (1.27 m) thick and slightly more than 3 feet (0.9 m) long (0.914 m).
  2. You must heat the material to temperatures nearing 1,600 degrees F (870 degrees C) to make it malleable for forging and to remove impurities. During the heating process, substances like sulfur and silica will oxidize and separate from the iron, creating slag. The removal of slag greatly strengthens the steel.
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  4. [1]
    • Strike the substance with a hammer, turning it as you forge. You will need to reheat the substance during the forging process to keep it malleable.
    • Bend and chisel the substance on the anvil to form the blade shape. Target your hammer strikes to help shape the blade. Focus on the basic proportion of the blade initially.
    • Forge the sword tip once you are satisfied with the basic blade shape, and then work on curvature and bevels. Bevel the blade in two sections: a long, sharp bevel extending to the tip of the sword provides the cutting edge of the sword and the shorter, thicker section runs along spine of the sword.
    • Taper the blade on the end that will join with the handle.
  5. Use grinders and files to form the final shape of the blade.
  6. You can add a mixture of clay and other substances, like grass and feathers, to the blade to achieve desired results. Coat the spine of the blade with the mixture, leaving the edge largely untreated. This will help make the spine flexible and the edge sharp. Reheat the blade in the forge.
  7. This process both cools and hardens the substance. [2] You can use water or oil for quenching.
    • Immerse the blade in water or oil along the edge and tip first. This method has a dual purpose: to make the cutting surface hardest and to keep the back of the blade softer to absorb blows meted out by adversaries. Quenching technique is important as the faster you quench the blade, the harder it becomes.
  8. Reheat the blade to about 400 degrees F (204.4 degrees C) after quenching and then allow it to cool to room temperature. This process helps balance the blade's flexibility and hardness.
  10. Use water stones to sharpen the blade. When polishing is complete, the hardened and unhardened portions of the blade will become apparent. Give the blade a final filing for cosmetic purposes. [3]
  12. [4] The sword handle, or hilt, must be long enough to accommodate both hands and provide optimum balance when joined to the blade.
    • Build the handle out of a hardwood, like yellow poplar or alder. Quarter-saw the wood at the end to provide maximum strength.
    • Install two brass or copper pegs and anchors and align them with the tang. They will hold the blade in place.
  13. Insert the hilt pegs through the holes in the blade's tang and fasten them to their anchors. Use industrial adhesive and leather wraps to further strengthen the attachment of the blade and handle.
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  • Question
    What type of steel should I use for this katana Sword?
    Community Answer
    You need a steel with high carbon content. The most common ones used in swords are 1045, 1065, and 1095 carbon steels.
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  • Question
    Where do I find all these materials?
    Community Answer
    You can check Home Depot, Lowe's, and other lumber and metal supply places.
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  • Question
    How can I make the clay?
    Community Answer
    The good thing about modern technology is, you don't have to! You can just go to Home Depot and buy furnace cement or furnace clay. You can get a small container of it for around $8. If you can't find furnace clay/cement, use a mixture of 2 parts Plaster of Paris, 2 parts sand, and 1 part water. When you mix it up, it makes a great insulation. You might have to wait a few minutes for it to partially dry, but it works perfectly.
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      Tips

      • Both water and oil quenching have advantages. Water quenching produces a harder edge, but blades quenched in oil have superior flexibility.
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      Warnings

      • Use high quality metal for the blade, such as steel.
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      • Make sure that your katana sword is made traditionally as modern katana swords lack forging process which is very essential for contributing in the quality of a sword.
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      • The steel gets very hot in the process of making the katana, so be careful not to burn yourself.
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      Things You'll Need

      • A piece of steel about 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide and .5 inches thick (1.27 cm) and slightly more than 3 feet (0.9 m) long (0.914 m)
      • Open-hearth furnace
      • Anvil
      • Hammer
      • Chisel
      • Grinders
      • Files
      • Clay mixture
      • Quenching pool
      • Water stones
      • Metal drill
      • Brass or copper pegs and washers
      • 18 inch (45.72 cm) block hardwood for the sword handle
      • Leather wraps
      • Industrial adhesive

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/VCSzzlnV0HbKDnmv9c0NFb/sacred-arts-how-to-make-a-japanese-samurai-sword
      2. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/VCSzzlnV0HbKDnmv9c0NFb/sacred-arts-how-to-make-a-japanese-samurai-sword
      3. ↑ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/samurai/swor-nf.html
      4. ↑ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/samurai/swor-nf.html
      5. http://www.quanonline.com/military/military_reference/japanese/history.html

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