The oldest swords on record in Japan were sent to a queen from China in roughly 250a.d. At this period a great number of the swords came from China made of Iron. Along about the 5th century is when steel swords were finally created.
The technology to create steel from Iron involves carbon material during the smelting process. It is this additional material that creates an iron alloy or ? steel. This alloy then allows the metal to be harder (addition of carbon), but not so hard that it becomes brittle, and will therefore still maintain its? malleability from the Iron. The hardness is required to hold an edge during the sharpening process, while the iron softness allows the blade to withstand metal to metal contact during battle situations without shattering the blade as would happen with extremely rigid metal.
In the beginning Japanese swords were straight. A straight blade was very common and practical for the foot soldier. Once the calvary was introduced and fighting on horseback became an effective way to wage a war between about 800 - 1200ad, curved swords became common and the sword of practical choice. These initial long curved swords were called Tachi. Future swords were given different names and these names were given primarily due to the length of curvature of the sword. Nevertheless, Japanese swords have always typically been made with a single sharpened edge, however in the beginning of the sword making process, their did exist double-edged swords.
After 1200ad the Minomoto clan had defeated the enemy clan and came into power. It was about this time that the Samurai class came to prominence. The capitol setup by the ruling clan became a magnet for swordsmiths from all over the country, and swords making came into a greater prominence.
In 1274 and 1281 the Mongol invasions caused the future modifications of the swords being built due to the tips breaking. This kind of damage was not reparable and therefore caused changes in the way swords were made.
Then in 1334 a battle between the North and the South began between emperors Godaiko and Komyo. This struggle for power continued for several a centuries. During this time however, the need for swords increased and as often happens the sword making became a manufacturing process rather than a quality process and so the sword quality suffered. It was also during this time that the foot soldier was the primary source of military power, which caused the need for shorter swords which became the Katana.
These shorter swords were easier to maneuver in hand-to-hand combat and were more in line with the combat tactics of the time.
In the mid 1500s the gun was introduced by the Portuguese and thereby changed the face of warfare forever. Obu Nabunaga used these new weapons in a decisive battle that utterly destroyed a clan known for their skill and bravery. Although these new guns were not as accurate, they were certainly effective. The battle field now belonged to groups of men armed with guns.
Accordingly, the armor changed to accommodate this new weapon and became heavy to protect from the bullets. Swords were still used at that time and so these too also needed to be modified. The swords in this era became longer and heavier to slash through the thick armor.
The long centuries of war came to an end. The country was now unified under the authority of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who adopted a feudal system. Since a relative peace had been established, the Samurai class found themselves in a state of proverbial limbo ? there was no war to fight. And so the Samurai warrior schools were setup to teach new recruits the ways of the Samurai and maintain the ability to fight. There were many schools at this time.
In 1868, emperor Meji took control and the period of modernization began up until the present day. This new system denied the rights of the Samurai among the most notable were the priviledge of wearing the daisho ? the two sword combination typically worn to distinguish the Samurai class. During these times, the ability and knowledge to make Samurai swords was nearly lost, but recovered in the early 50?s. Today the art of making Japanese swords is exactly that, an art. People all over the world want to collect and display these works of art because they convey so much; beauty, grace, style, discipline, and a connection to a past that was our own, once upon a time.
About the Author:
Please visit Bret Borman at http://www.all-swords.com; a resource site for information regarding all types of swords and weapons.
Article Tags: samurai, sword, swords
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August 24th, 2008 by swordandknifefactory Posted in ARTICLES-Swords
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What Does Functional Swords Mean?
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| Submitted By: Lazy Submit |
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I have been selling swords and knives for the past seven years on my site Brothersmith-Swords.com and Brothersmith-Knives.com, doing research and answering questions on the different types of swords and their uses. I?ve lived for six years in Europe and seven in the Orient seen and held swords that are easier dated in centuries rather than years.
Functional Swords like the ones listed on Brothersmith-Swords.com’s Functional Swords page are made to be used and to keep an edge. However, to really answer this question you have to explain the three kinds of swords people sell. The first is a Decorative Sword. These are swords made to decorate and for display only. They are very elaborate and are sometimes heavy replicas of historical, fantasy and movie swords. They often come with a sword plaque or stand for their display in the home or office. The blades are made of stainless steel and are generally highly polished. They look really good but are not designed or made for use. The second is a Costume Sword. While they have many of the same characteristics of a decorative sword, they are generally lighter and come with a sheath or some means of wearing the sword with a costume. The last is the Functional Sword.
So What’s The Difference?
To keep it simple, quality is the thing that makes a functional or battle ready sword different. The quality of the materials, design and workmanship all play a part in a good functional sword. The materials are very important. High carbon steel is generally used to make the blades and other more durable materials are used for the guard, pommel and grips. High carbon steel is much harder. This type of steel is better suited for keeping an edge and less likely to break upon contact. The quality of the materials use in the guard, pommel and grip are of equal importance. A great high carbon steel blade with a pot metal or inferior guard and grip is a wall hanger.
Some people say the original design of a sword is the best. I agree. Swords were originally made for combat at the time they were designed and forged. Some like the samurai sword were designed to cut while others like the medieval claymore and long sword were made to bash and stab. The major design element is the tang. The tang is the part of the sword that attaches the blade to the guard, grip and pommel. Some decorative and costume swords use a rat-tail design. The blade is welded to the tang and not very durable. The best functional design is a full tang. Here the blade and tang are on piece of metal and less likely to break.
Workmanship may well be the most important. There are two basic ways to make a sword. They are machined and hand forged. The machined sword is almost entirely forged by a machine while the hand forged is done by a human. Purest say hand forged is the only way. However, I’ve seen many machined forged swords I feel more comfortable with. The key is micro-fractures. During the forging process sometime small fractures are left inside the sword. The more fractures there are the more likely the sword can break. There are many carbon steel swords not advertised as functional because of inconsistency. One sword might be great the next might not hold up. You take your chances when you buy these swords for use. One last note on design, a practical sword is made for stage plays and reenactments where safety is the key. Practical swords have rounded or dull edges and points.
Functional swords can cost much more than decorative or costume swords. Prices can run from less than $ 100.00 for an entry level sword to thousands for a made to order sword. Prices are also based on the degree of functionality. An entry level sword can cost from under $ 100 to $ 200. These are light duty swords which are great for a beginner. A medium duty sword or battle ready sword can cost up to $ 1000 and are usually used in reenactments and plays. Heavy duty swords can cost thousands. They can be used for any purpose but are better suited for extended use as in a nightly stage combat plays. After being in the US Army for 21 year, I can tell you anything can be broken. No matter how well a sword is made abuse, neglect and improper use will damage or break any sword. I’m not talking about small dings in the sharp edges. Some carbon steels are so hard it?s almost impossible to sharpen them. Most swords are forged so the edges are softer and can be sharpened. Please consult a qualified fight director on the proper use and quality of weapons needed for heavy use in stage plays.
I hope this helps to explain the term Functional Swords. One rule to use in selecting a sword is safety first. You are buying a weapon and get what you pay for, price should always be second.
About the Author:
The author is a retired Master Sergeant, US Army and owns and operates a web store that sells replicas of weapons. See http://Brothersmith-Swords.com for examples of functional swords and more information.
Article Tags: made, sword, swords
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August 23rd, 2008 by swordandknifefactory Posted in ARTICLES-Swords
Miyamoto Musashi is considered to be the greatest swordsman who ever lived. After fighting in over sixty duels, Musashi reflected on the concept of strategy and what allowed him to win so many battles. He recorded these thoughts in a book titled ?Go Rin No Ryu? ? or, in English, ?A Book of Five Rings.?
So why am I talking about sword fighting now? Well, because the book itself uses sword fighting as a metaphor for all things. The book is about strategy in general. It is considered such a masterpiece of strategy that some business schools, Harvard included, use it to teach business strategy.
In terms of the modern world and what lessons we can take from it now, I would like to quote one line from the book. Musashi says, ?the way of the warrior is the resolute acceptance of death.? These eleven words are profound and contain the secret to a great many successes in them. The statement means that in order to do his best, a warrior must accept the possibility and reality of death. A warrior who did not do this would be afraid of dying in combat, and as such would lessen his ability to fight. Ironically, the more concerned a warrior was with dying, the more likely he was to die. Only by accepting the reality of death could a warrior get past it.
Taken outside of feudal Japan, this sentiment can have a huge impact on your success in a variety of areas. Like the warrior, rather than fearing the negative consequence, once you embrace and accept it as a real possibility you can move past it.
The same rule applies to business. If you are afraid of messing up a presentation, or a project, or a sales call, the more likely you are to mess it up. Once you accept the reality of failure, you free up your energy to allow yourself to perform to the best of your ability.
Remember, all you have to accept is failure, rejection, or embarrassment ? Musashi had to accept death.
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Avish Parashar is a dynamic professional speaker who shows organizations and individuals how to get what they want using the Art and Science of improv comedy. He weaves together humorous stories, witty observations, and interactive exercises from improvisational comedy to get people laughing, learning, and motivated!
For more articles, downloads, and informations, visit: http://www.AvishParashar.com
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August 22nd, 2008 by swordandknifefactory Posted in ARTICLES-Swords
The first proofs of the existence of samurai swords in Japan date from 240 BC, during the Yayoi period, when the queen Himeko sent a tribute to the Chinese dynasty Wei, two swords. In the same time, in 280 BC, they imported numerous iron swords from China. It is supposed that the art of forging the steel came immediately after that from China, through Korea, but the details are still unknown.
In the 5th century the first samurai katana sword appeared on a major scale. They were straight and they were called chokuto. The method of hardening the steel, very specific in Japan, as far as the manufacturing of the swords is concerned, was used for the first time in the 6th century. The period of the straight swords lasted until the beginning of the Heian period (the 8th century), when the fighting style changed, and the fight on horseback became predominant. In order to cope the use of swords with horse riding, they became curve, longer, having a single blade, too, being called tachi. Between chokuto and tachi there are more intermediary styles, the most popular being kogarasumaru (short sword, having two sharp edges) and kenukigatatachi. The term Nipponto or Nihonto (which means ?Japanese sword?) refers to curve swords.
Heian period, which is considered the starting point of the history of Japanese swords, is characterized by the fact that many ideologies were imported from China and they were modified so that they become Japanese. Most of the things which we consider nowadays specific to Japan, appeared during this period. During this period, too, appeared the idea of manufacturing swords by smithing, so that the outer surface was rough and the core was soft.
The folded steel samurai swords manufactured and used during this period belong to the class tachi. In the same time, during this period occurred the habit of signing on the sword blades, therefore probably, the oldest tachi sword bears the signature of its manufacturer: Sanjo Munechika, and the oldest Japanese sword which was signed, and which also bears the date of its manufacturing, was made by Namihira Yukimasa.
The defeat of the Taira clan by Minamoto no Yoritomo was the event which marks the beginning of the period Kamakura, but in the same time, it is the event which marks the taking over of the power by the samurai warrior class. It is said that this is the golden period of the Japanese swords, and they became better and better from all the points of view, including the aesthetic one. A characteristic of the swords belonging to that period is the width of the blade ? bigger that in the previous period, a small difference between the width of the blade at its base and at its end, and the shape of its end, which most of the times belonged to the ikubi type(which means ?bull nape?).
Towards the end of the Kamakura period, two Mongol invasions took place (1274 and 1281). The discovery of new samurai weapons, technologies and strategies, proved some weak points of the tachi swords, for example the fact that the end of the blade could be easily broken and it couldn?t be repaired. These experiences accumulated during the battles, affected the future design of the swords.
When the power of the Kamakura shogunate dropped down, the imperial court took the leadership over again, but for a short time ? at the beginning of the Muromachi period.
This period is characterized by an almost continuous war. The historic conditions determined in this case the growing in importance of the foot soldier, and in the same time the occurrence of long swords, for both hands, used for powerful, devastating strikes.
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August 21st, 2008 by swordandknifefactory Posted in ARTICLES-Swords
Muromachi swords were called odachi or nodachi, and they were longer than 1 meter (they sometimes measured 120-150cm). These long katana swords, which sometimes measure almost 2 meters were used for ceremonies only. After a short peaceful period, in the middle of this interval, the fight for power started again in 1467. The whole country was involved in a constant war for over 100 years, when finally, Oda Nabunaga and Toyotomi Hideioshi succeeded to unify again and to set peace in Japan. This period is known as Senkogu (the period during which the country was on war).
The swords in this period are divided in 3 specific historical groups: 1394-1466; 1467-1554 and 1555-1595.
During the first period (1394-1466), when armies grew too, as we have already said, the number of soldiers on horseback decreased, which lead to an increasing of foot soldiers. Although tachi or odachi swords were still manufactured, the glorious period of katana swords was getting closer. Shorter swords were more easily to wear and more easily to be taken out of the scabbard. The curve (Sori) of the these swords moved to the end, being conceived to be used standing. Most of the swords had a length of 69,7-72,7 cm, and they got more narrow near the top of the sword. Towards the end of this period, almost all the swords produced are called uchigatana.
During the second period (1467-1554), when the mobility of the troops became a strategic point, the swords became shorter. Most of the swords manufactured during this period had a length of 60-65cm, and their width was almost equal to their length. This was the glory period of the katanas. This was a relatively short type of sword, which was worn attached to the belt, in the scabbard, with the cutting edge upwards. This fact permitted to the sword to be taken out of the scabbard and the strike from a single move, whereas tachi was hanging at the belt, with the cutting edge downwards. In the same time, the necessity of a continuous source of swords, determined the fact that not all the swords manufactured during this period had the high standards to which they rose during previous periods. During this period Japan exported about 100 thousands of swords to China, which was ruled by the Ming dynasty at that time.
The end of the muromachi period (1555-1595) marked the total change of the way in which the wars were conducted in Japan, by the introducing of fire arms. In 1543 the Portuguese introduced the first fire arms in Japan. Even if the first arms of this kind were very good from the point of view of the accuracy, and they needed a long recharge period, Oda Nobunaga used them for the first time successfully during the battle of Nagashino in 1573. The horse back troops of the Tadeka clan (being known during that period as an elite formation in Japan) were completely destroyed by a group of samurai, who were holding fire arms. Since that moment, horse back troops were completely useless. The battle field was used then by small troops of foot soldiers, equipped with pistols. The armors became harder and thicker to protect the bullet holder, and the swords became once again longer, harder and more solid, in order to be able to penetrate the armors.
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August 20th, 2008 by swordandknifefactory Posted in ARTICLES-Swords
I have been selling swords and knives for the past seven years, doing research and answering questions on the different types of swords and their uses. I?ve lived for six years in Europe and seven in the Orient seen and held swords that are easier dated in centuries rather than years.
To keep it simple Functional Swords are made to be used and to keep an edge. However, to really answer this question you have to explain the three kinds of swords people sell. The first is a Decorative Sword. These are swords made to decorate and for display only. They are very elaborate and are sometimes heavy replicas of historical, fantasy and movie swords. They often come with a sword plaque or stand for their display in the home or office. The blades are made of stainless steel and are generally highly polished. They look really good but are not designed or made for use. The second is a Costume Sword. While they have many of the same characteristics of a decorative sword, they are generally lighter and come with a sheath or some means of wearing the sword with a costume. The last is the Functional Sword.
So What’s The Difference?
To keep it simple, quality is the thing that makes a functional or battle ready sword different. The quality of the materials, design and workmanship all play a part in a good functional sword. The materials are very important. High carbon steel is generally used to make the blades and other more durable materials are used for the guard, pommel and grips. High carbon steel is much harder. This type of steel is better suited for keeping an edge and less likely to break upon contact. The quality of the materials use in the guard, pommel and grip are of equal importance. A great high carbon steel blade with a pot metal or inferior guard and grip is a wall hanger.
Some people say the original design of a sword is the best. I agree. Swords were originally made for combat at the time they were designed and forged. Some like the samurai sword were designed to cut while others like the medieval claymore and long sword were made to bash and stab. The major design element is the tang. The tang is the part of the sword that attaches the blade to the guard, grip and pommel. Some decorative and costume swords use a rat-tail design. The blade is welded to the tang and not very durable. The best functional design is a full tang. Here the blade and tang are on piece of metal and less likely to break.
Workmanship may well be the most important. There are two basic ways to make a sword. They are machined and hand forged. The machined sword is almost entirely forged by a machine while the hand forged is done by a human. Purest say hand forged is the only way. However, I’ve seen many machined forged swords I feel more comfortable with. The key is micro-fractures. During the forging process sometime small fractures are left inside the sword. The more fractures there are the more likely the sword can break. There are many carbon steel swords not advertised as functional because of inconsistency. One sword might be great the next might not hold up. You take your chances when you buy these swords for use. One last note on design, a practical sword is made for stage plays and reenactments where safety is the key. Practical swords have rounded or dull edges and points.
Functional swords can cost much more than decorative or costume swords. Prices can run from less than $ 100.00 for an entry level sword to thousands for a made to order sword. Prices are also based on the degree of functionality. An entry level sword can cost from under $ 100 to $ 200. These are light duty swords which are great for a beginner. A medium duty sword or battle ready sword can cost up to $ 1000 and are usually used in reenactments and plays. Heavy duty swords can cost thousands. They can be used for any purpose but are better suited for extended use as in a nightly stage combat plays. After being in the US Army for 21 year, I can tell you anything can be broken. No matter how well a sword is made abuse, neglect and improper use will damage or break any sword. I’m not talking about small dings in the sharp edges. Some carbon steels are so hard it?s almost impossible to sharpen them. Most swords are forged so the edges are softer and can be sharpened. Please consult a qualified fight director on the proper use and quality of weapons needed for heavy use in stage plays.
I hope this helps to explain the term Functional Swords. One rule to use in selecting a sword is safety first. You are buying a weapon and get what you pay for, price should always be second.
The author is a retired Master Sergeant, US Army and owns and operates a web store that sells replicas of weapons. See Brothersmith-Swords.com for examples of functional swords and more information.
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, the design always harkens back to those that were used when King Arthur and his knights lived and died so valiantly. And to magic and mystery.