Choosing Between a Decorative and a Functional Katana

A Japanese Samurai Sword is considered a decorative katana, if it possesses a blade that...

What is a Bo-Hi (Blood Groove)?

The katana is one of the most famous swords in the world. It originated in...

What Does “Battle Ready” Mean for Katana?

A katana is “battle ready” when it features a sharpened “full tang” blade. The tang...

What Does “Full Tang” Mean for Katana?

The tang of a blade is the unsharpened, non-exposed part of the blade that extends...

Folded Steel or Not?

The folding process of steel for katana and other traditionally made Japanese samurai swords was...

What Is Clay Tempering?

The clay tempering or differential hardening of a katana blade results in a robust, fracture...

Samurai Glossary

Here you will find the essential Japanese terms explained in English, covering topics such as...

Katana Blade: Types of Steel

For those Purchasing a Katana for the first time, the question arises, “Which blade steel...

What Is Tameshigiri?

Tameshigiri is the Japanese art of test cutting (the literal translation is “test cut”). The...

Hamon – The Temper Line of a Katana

What is a Hamon? In Japanese katana craftsmanship, Hamon 刃文 (literally translated as “blade pattern”)...