Choosing Between a Decorative and a Functional Katana

A Japanese Samurai Sword is considered a decorative katana, if it possesses a blade that is solely for aesthetic purposes. The decorative katana cannot be used for tameshigiri (katana cutting sport) or similar activities.

Nevertheless, the craftsmanship can be of high quality down to the smallest detail. The tsuka (handle) can also be covered with real ray skin. However, the blade would likely break at the first strike, as it doesn’t have a full tang. In contrast, a real katana has a full tang blade. A full tang blade extends to the end of the tsuka (handle). Yet, there are katana that, despite having a full tang blade, are intended more for decoration.

When Is a Katana More Than Just a Decoration?

A samurai sword is considered functional, if it has a sharpened full tang blade made of at least 1045 carbon steel. However, in our opinion, 1045 and 1060 carbon steel are at best suitable for cutting paper or thin PET bottles. For a “battle-ready” katana for practical use, we always recommend a clay tempered blade.

Apart from the grade of steel, the processing and tempering of every blade are essential factors that dictate the overall quality.

Blade with and without “Full Tang”

A katana without a “full tang” blade cannot be used in practice and is only for decoration.

Various Steel Types

You can find detailed information about the katana blades we offer in our article “Katana Blade: Steel Types“.

Katana Suitable for Cutting Sport?

Real Sports Katana for tameshigiri (katana cutting sport) require a blade made of 1095 carbon steel or T10 steel. These katana typically feature a clay tempered blade (differentially hardened). These are blades designed for repeated cutting through hard materials like bamboo and tatami mats.

Additional Useful Information

• What is Tameshigiri (Katana Cutting Sport)?
• What Does “Full Tang” Mean in Katana?
• Different Katana Blades Explained
• What is a Clay Tempered Blade?
• Folded Steel or Not?