Cool video: Japanese swords

[pronstar]

So this smelter is fired-up once per year…pretty cool vid on fine, traditional Japanese steel

 

[General Zod]

Bookmarked for later. The Japanese technique is brilliant, developed out of necessity considering how iron-poor the Japanese islands are.

 

[V-Tach]

Interesting video thanks for posting it

 

[popper]

Interesting and a good lesson on casting alloys for bullets. Materials are different but process is virtually the same for the alloy. Katana stuff is largely ceremonial ( like Shintoism), Curved blade is largely like Turk scimitar, for slicing through enemy horse riders and leather armor.

Wantō (湾刀): Early Curved Japanese Swords

Wantō (湾刀): Early Curved Japanese Swords A classic example of a curved warabitet ō, the most common style. If you have ever...

gunbai-militaryhistory.blogspot.com

 

[pronstar]

Bookmarked for later. The Japanese technique is brilliant, developed out of necessity considering how iron-poor the Japanese islands are.

Yeah the vid covers iron sand…pretty interesting.

I think our resident knifemaker(s) know most of it, but I learned some fascinating stuff

 

[Moonpie]

 

[baboon]

The wife's cousin Martin moved to Seattle like 20 years ago. He hooked up with a Japanese guy who restores old Japanese swords. Marty became an apprentice sword polisher under this guys. He has acquired some pretty cool Katanas over the years.

 

[V-Tach]

The 3 "D's" of swords............

Noted.....lol..

 

[General Zod]

Yeah the vid covers iron sand…pretty interesting.

I think our resident knifemaker(s) know most of it, but I learned some fascinating stuff

Always good to get more info, though. Smelting iron out of any unrefined source isn't something I ever want to attempt. But it's fascinating seeing the genius that went into early development of steel and forging techniques.