| With the availability of almost anything through the | | | | time-consuming process. The steel is folded in on |
| Internet at the present days, collectors of the | | | | itself multiple times during the forging process to |
| forged Samurai swords have access to both antique | | | | improve strength and create a fine, distinctive grain, |
| and modern pieces from a variety of sources. | | | | which is unique to each piece and can't be achieved in |
| Although the number of craftsmen using ancient | | | | models stamped from a mould. |
| forging techniques is getting smaller by year and | | | | A signature trait of forged Samurai swords is the |
| imitations are filling all markets and quite often | | | | unique crystalline pattern (also call the "hamon" or |
| marketed as the real things. If you're serious about | | | | "blade pattern") that forms at the blade edge as a |
| sword collecting, consider craftsmanship and | | | | result of molecular changes in the steel during the |
| authenticity before making the investment. | | | | differential heating and hardening processes. Another |
| Distinguished by their long, single-edged and usually | | | | is a carefully calibrated balance that allows the sword |
| curved blades, forged Samurai swords were originally | | | | to withstand repeated use and gives the swordsman |
| patterned after 10th-century Chinese weapons made | | | | greater control in wielding. |
| to be gripped with two hands and designed for | | | | Particularly if you plan to display the sword, insist |
| cutting as opposed to stabbing, enabling | | | | upon a "fully finished" piece that has been refined by |
| horse-mounted warriors to fall foot soldiers with a | | | | hand to retain the original beauty and efficiency of |
| single slash. Today, Samurai swords are prized as | | | | the sword. |
| pieces of art and are used primarily for display | | | | A historically accurate forged Samurai sword will have |
| purposes and martial arts demonstrations. | | | | a wooden scabbard reinforced at the opening with a |
| Traditional Samurai swords are composed of a | | | | ring made of water-buffalo horn, metal fittings made |
| relatively soft steel core exposed at the blade edge | | | | of steel, copper, silver or gold and a handle wrapped |
| and reinforced with a harder steel casing. The steel is | | | | first with ray skin and then with either cording or |
| then heated, shaped and honed to a razor-sharp | | | | leather in a traditional pattern. |
| edge in what is historically a meticulous and | | | | |