Katanas

Katana - The Ultimate Sword

The katana sword is by far the most common Japanese swords in the market today. The sword is simply a curved, single-edge Japanese sword that was commonly used by the samurai warrior. In fact, it is hard if not impossible to separate one from the other. The name katana was adopted as a loan word by English. Japanese language does not have a separate plural and a singular form and as such, katanas and katana are viewed as acceptable form in the English language.

During battles, the katana sword was paired with the wakizashi or the tanto, a similar but a shorter Japanese sword. The swords were commonly worn by the Japanese warriors. The two lethal weapons were referred to as the daisho and were used to represent the social power and personal honor of a samurai warrior.

Katana swords can be distinguished by their long blades that made them ideal for open field combat. The Wakizashi or the tanto which had much shorter blades were the warrior's side arm and were used to stab and in close combat. The shorter blades were also used to decapitate beaten enemies to take their heads as well as during seppuku, which was a ritual suicide.

The scabbard for the katana swords was referred to as the saya while the guard piece, normally intricately crafted individually is referred as the tsuba.

Parts of a katana sword

For you to become proficient in using the katana swords, you need to understand the weapon from the tip to the handle. This is important especially is the katana you intend to purchase is to be used in cutting as the better understanding of each part of the swords will help you know how to interact with the swords correctly. The best thing about these swords is that, although all share the same name, there can be different materials used to create the pieces or just in the general aesthetics of each parts.

For instance, the tsuba could be made of brass, silver, gold, or even steel and can come with different artistic designs. The Tsuka usually come in leather or even a nylon wrap although they can also come in other unique materials.

The metal used to make the tsuba can also come in various steel and a rigorous forging method. Before making any purchases of the katana swords, it is imperative that you know the materials used to make the katana swords you intend to purchase. This way, you will be in a better position to invest in a blades that meets you needs and effective in the intended task.