| When it comes to Samurai Swords, there is quite | | | | steel blades. When choosing?Japanese |
| a bit of terminology for the new collector to | | | | Swords?there are basically 3 different styles to |
| understand. But we want to make it easy for | | | | consider, the katana sword, the Wakizashi sword |
| anyone to find a good quality samurai sword that | | | | and the Tanto sword. The Japanese Katana |
| will last a lifetime, no matter if | | | | Sword is the most popular among collectors and |
| ¢re looking for one of the very sought | | | | martial arts students alike. The katana sword was |
| after Paul Chen Katana swords for battle or just | | | | the first and is still the most popular of all samurai |
| a quality sword to hang over the mantle. The first | | | | swords. The blade is typically |
| thing to consider for your new samurai sword is | | | | long with an overall length around |
| the type and quality of the blade. If | | | | The Wakizashi sword is the shorter companion |
| ¢re looking for a you want to be sure and | | | | blade of the katana sword. We first see the |
| choose a full tang blade, which all of our authentic | | | | Wakizashi sword during the Muromachi period |
| samurai swords feature as well as all of our battle | | | | (1568-1603). The Wakizashi was about |
| ready swords. The term | | | | long and only allowed to be carried by a |
| â€Å"full | | | | samurai. Carrying both the katana and the |
| means that the blade and the part of the | | | | Wakizashi was popular for the next few hundred |
| sword under the Tsuka (handle) is one long piece | | | | years. The smallest samurai sword would be the |
| of steel. If you get a sword that is not full tang | | | | tanto sword or dagger. Originally tanto swords |
| then | | | | were |
| ¢re basically buying it to hang on the wall | | | | in length or less but |
| and nothing more. The next thing to consider | | | | ¢s not out of the ordinary to come across a |
| when choosing a sword is the type of steel that | | | | Tanto that is |
| the blade is made of. There are basically 3 types | | | | long. Samurai sword collecting is a very popular |
| of steel, 420 J2 (Stainless steel), High Carbon, and | | | | past time for many Americans. Something that is |
| Folded steel. If you are looking for a battle ready | | | | becoming even more popular is martial arts that |
| sword | | | | make use of samurai sword for fighting and |
| ¢ll want to stay away from the 420 J2 | | | | cutting exercises. The most popular and |
| Stainless. High carbon steel is very high quality | | | | affordable authentic samurai swords are the Paul |
| steel; however folded steel is the strongest. | | | | Chen Swords. You can find decent Paul Chen |
| Actually | | | | Practical Katana Swords?for under $200. However |
| ¢s not that the folded steel is a different | | | | for less than a hundred more you can get |
| type of steel, but how the blade is forged. A | | | | yourself a Paul Chen Practical Plus Katana. If |
| folded steel blade is typically made from high | | | | ¢re looking for something a little more |
| carbon steel. The difference is that a folded steel | | | | pricy the Paul Chen Bushido Katana or the Orchid |
| blade is just like it says; the steel is folded over | | | | Katana will last a lifetime and can take quite a |
| and over again until the smith believes that it is | | | | beating. The Orchid and Bushido also come in a |
| adequate. Some people say that a good high | | | | Wakizashi and Tanto. In conclusion, the most |
| carbon steel blade can be just as strong as a | | | | important thing when buying your sword is that |
| folded steel blade. The smiths for the Thaitsuki | | | | you know what kind of blade you're getting. If |
| Nihonto Swords claim to have mastered a form | | | | you want a functional sword be sure that you're |
| of forging high carbon steel blades that is just as | | | | not getting one that's only made to hang on the |
| strong if not stronger than many of the folded | | | | wall. |