How the Most Expensive Swords in the World Are Made

22 Mar 2024 (10 months ago)

Japanese Sword Making Process

Japanese swords are renowned for their strength and sharpness, capable of slicing a bullet in half.
The traditional method of making these swords has remained unchanged for centuries, with everything done by hand.
The swords are made from steel, an alloy of iron and carbon, which is stronger than pure iron.
The iron sand used to make the steel is obtained from river sand, where iron oxides accumulate due to their higher density.
The iron sand is mixed with water and charcoal and heated in a smelter to produce steel.
The smelter is lit for only one night each year, using the traditional Tatara method, which dates back 1300 years.
The process requires careful control of temperature and oxygen supply to achieve the desired properties of the steel.
Impurities in the iron sand form slag, which is removed during the smelting process.
The steel is then forged, sharpened, and polished to create the final sword.

Japanese swords are highly regarded and can be extremely valuable, with one from the 16th century appraised at $105 million.
The iconic curve of a samurai sword comes from the formation of martensite during the quenching process.
About one-third of all blades shatter during the quenching process.
Sometimes the swords are engraved with beautiful patterns.

To learn how to use a Japanese sword, Petr received a lesson from a master swordsman, Takara Takanashi, a 10th-generation student of Miyamoto Musashi.
Musashi, a renowned swordsman, killed his first opponent in single combat at the age of 13 and went on to win over 60 duels to the death.
During a snowy duel, Musashi remained so calm and still that snowflakes accumulated on his sword's blade.
Despite initial expectations, a lesson on using a katana focused on properly drawing and sheathing the sword rather than actual combat techniques.

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