Friday 27 July 2018
Thursday 26 July 2018
Is 1095 Steel Any Good?
Steel doesn’t just come in one type, in fact, there are more than a dozen types of steel in common use today. This is largely due to the variety of functions that steel is used for. It is mixed and alloyed with a variety of compounds and metals, these combinations affect the properties of the steel making it better suited to certain tasks, which is why so much effort is made in creating the types we have available today. Carbon is found in every steel type, regardless of the purpose, while the exact amount of carbon present varies depending on what the intended purpose of the steel is.
1095 Steel Properties
1095 Steel is a standard type of carbon steel and it is most often used in the forging of swords and knives. The 95 in the name of the steel indicates the carbon content, in this case, it’s 0.95% carbon content. The inclusion of carbon helps harden the steel and toughens the resulting blades, making them more impervious to wear and tear over time. Despite the toughness provided by the carbon content, other types of steel are tougher still due to increased levels of manganese. The trade-off with higher manganese levels is a more brittle blade, which has an increased chance of snapping or shattering.
1095 Steel for Swords
1095 steel, when forged into a sword is capable of holding an excellent edge and are straightforward to sharpen. However, if not cared for correctly, the steel can easily rust. Often swords will be delivered with a coating of oil which helps prevent rusting, it’s important to maintain this coating over time to avoid unsightly rust spots. Any rust that does occur can usually be removed with some very fine sandpaper and a bit of patience.
1095 steel is often more brittle than steels with lower carbon content, so it’s quite well suited for blades which are not too think, swords are an ideal fit due to their robust nature. They are very easy to sharpen and will maintain the edge through use. However, proper techniques and methods must be used when using a 1095 carbon steel sword, a misplaced cut or mishandled strike can lead to a snapped blade.
1095 can be differentiated hardened to create an ever harder cutting edge and more flexible spine, but care must be taken in this process to avoid weakening the overall strength of the blade. Even though 1095 steel is a great choice for swords, it can be frequently found in thicker knives. If so inclined, it is possible to polish 1095 steel to create a shiny blade, while other metals such as Stainless steel are better suited to polishing, 1095 can take a polish with a little bit of effort.
Caring for 1095 Steel
In order to keep your sword in tip-top condition and rust free for as long as possible, a few minutes of maintenance every week is recommended. Wipe the blade clean after every use to remove fingerprints, dust, and other contaminants, and ensure it’s oiled at least once a fortnight. If long-term storage is required, consider coating the blade in vaseline or Renaissance which has been specifically designed to preserve items. The oil creates a physical barrier from the elements such as water and oxygen from reaching the blade and will prevent rusting. The coating of oil will also give the sword a nice shine.
Other Uses for 1095
As we’ve already established, 1095 steel is perfect for functional swords such as Katana and Wakizashi. It’s also well suited for daggers and replica blades. Other types of steel such as stainless are better suited to display only pieces or to be used as utensils, this is due to the rust resistance this type of steel has natively. 1095 may also be used in machetes or gardening tools. Any application that requires a wear resistant sharp blade may benefit from 1095 steel. It is our recommended choice for anyone that needs a functional blade.
from
https://www.katanasale.com/blogs/katanasale/is-1095-steel-any-good
Friday 20 July 2018
Legandary Swords from History
History is jam-packed full of stories, legends, fables and rumours of mystical and powerful swords. Quite often, the weapons described in these tales have a certain amount of grounding in reality. In this article we’ve brought together 10 of the most fascinating legendary swords from history, each has an interesting if not fully understood saga with tales of incredible feats, mystery and intrigue.
The Sword in the Stone
The legend of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is known to be a tale with more myth and legend rather than facts. However, a small sanctuary located in Monte Siepi, Italy plays host to a real world ‘Sword in the Stone’. The legend states that the sword once belonged to a 12th century Tuscan Cavalier who later became Saint Galgano. Before the sainthood stuff happened, Archangel Michael appeared to Galgano and ordered him to cease his sinful ways.
Galgan being a man that enjoyed a little bit of sin now and then protested at the Archangels demands, saying that stopping his ways would be as stabbing a stone with a sword. In order to illustrate his point, he thrust his weapon at a nearby bolder, but rather than snapping, then buried itself in the stone all the way up to the hilt where it remains to this day. Needless to say that Galgan turned his life around and even became a Saint in the process. It’s easy to understand why this sword is often considered to be the inspiration for the legend of Excalibur.
The Kusanagi
The Kusanagi is a true mystery with very little in the way of solid evidence and a very mysterious mythical origin story. According to the well-known folklore, Kusanagi or the “Sword in the Snake”, was originally retrieved from the remains of an eight-headed serpent which had met its demise at the hands of the god of seas and storms. This is understandably a little bit out there in terms of verified histories, however, the sword in all likelihoods did exist. It’s an essential component in the ceremony and imperial regalia of Japan. The sword is meant to be a sign that the imperial family is descended from the sun god and cements their right to a rule.
Legend also states that a monk stole the sword during the 6th century but it was later lost at sea when the monk’s boat sank. A group of dedicated Shinto priests recovered the sword from the seabed and it was returned to the imperial family.
Given that the sword has not been seen since and the priests refuse to let it see the light of day, in all likelihood the sword remains lost.
Durandal
For millennia a mysterious sword has been lodged into the cliffs located behind and above the Notre Dame chapel located in Rocamadour, France. The legend states that the sword was previously owned by the paladin Roland, who had named the sword Durandal.
When surrounded and with little chance of escape or victory, Roland is said to have thrown the sword at the cliffs in order to save it from being taken and used by his enemy. The sword pierced the cliffs and remains there to this day.
The chapel is something of a pilgrimage site with many making the journey to pray and see the sword with their own eyes. The sword was temporary moved in 2011 for an exhibit taking place in the Cluny Museum in Paris.
The Cursed Muramasa
The Muramasa swords are a fascinating piece of history. The tale goes that Muramasa wanted to his swords to be the most prestigious weapons around. He was already an accomplished swordsmith, but he increased their potency by praying for his swords to become ‘prodigious destroyers’.
As the gods were already impressed by his significant skill as a swordsmith they imbued his weapons with a malevolent and dangerous spirit with a lust for blood. If the blades were not regularly sated with combat they would eventually drive the owner to commit atrocious murders or commit suicide. There are many tales of previous owners being driven mad and being killed out of necessity. Such was the conviction that the swords were cursed that an imperial decree forbade the swords from being owned by anyone.
Many examples still exist today, so even if you can’t own a cursed sword you can still see one.
St. Peter’s Sword
There are more than a few legends surrounding the sword said to have been used by Saint Peter to slice off the ear of a deserving high priest in the Gethsemane gardens. One version of the story has the sword being transported to England by Joseph of Arimathea accompanied by the Holy Grail.
However, there is another version of the story which has the Bishop of Jordan taking the sword to Poland in 968 AD. The Bishop’s sword is considered by many to be the authentic version and is now relocated to the Archdiocese Museum in Poznan.
The Wallace Sword
If you’ve seen the film Braveheart then you’re probably well aware of the story of William Wallace and his rebellion against the English. What you might not know is that there are rumours that William Wallace used the flesh and skin from a defeated opponent to create the sheath, hilt and belt. The unlucky donor was said to have been Hugh de Cressingham who was defeated by Wallace at the battle of Stirling Bridge.
Other twists on the same tale say that Wallace and his comrades used Cressinghams skin for their sword sashes and flesh for their saddle girths. However, modern analysis of the Wallace sword indicates that this is unlikely to be the case.
The Sword of Goujian
In 1965, and absolutely outstanding discovery was made when a pristine sword was unearthed in a moist tomb in China. Despite the swords dating back nearly 2000 years not a hint of rust or corrosion was found on the sword, despite the unfavourable conditions it was stored in.
Additionally, the blade remained exceptionally sharp, a point that was proven when an archaeologist cut his finger when testing the edge of the blade. The workmanship of the sword was incredibly detailed and used techniques and methods that many believed didn’t come into existence for many hundreds of years later.
The sword is engraved which translated as ‘King of Yue" and "made this sword for his personal use’.
While it is true that sword incorporated methods which would provide some protection against corrosion, the real reason why it’s barely aged is down to some good fortune. The scabbard of the sword was able to create an airtight seal around the sword which prevented the elements from reaching the blade. It’s for this reason why it lasted so long and in such good condition.
The Seven-Branched Sword
In 1945 a very mysterious and unusual sword was found in Japan’s Isonokami shrine. The sword was a peculiar design, boasting six protrusions from the sides of the sword. The sword itself is well weathered and the inscriptions are hard to decipher, but it is thought that the sword was presented to the Japanese monarchy by the King of Korea.
from
https://www.katanasale.com/blogs/katanasale/legandary-swords-from-history
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Tamahagane is a steel originating from Japan which often used to create traditional Japanese swords. In a metallurgical sense, the metal is primarily made up of two parts, steel ore, and carbon. The steel ore originates from iron sand and the carbon is derived from charcoal. These two components are heated and smelted in a traditional bloomery, which is also known as the Tatara. Once this mix is sufficiently heated the two components are melted into a steel slag called Tamahagane.
Tamahagane
The process used to create Tamahagane is quite labor intensive and it’s carefully regulated and supervised by the NBTHK (Nittoho) organization. Only steel made in the traditional manner and in an authentic Tatara (which there is only a handful left in the country) can be called tamahagane. The NBTHK also control the sale and regulate the distribution of iron sand ore sand, ensuring all resulting steel meets their strict guidelines.
A ‘Nittoho Tatara’ is only allowed to be lit for a three week period in the deepest part of winter, this ensures the humidity is at its lowest which creates a purer steel. During this three week period of activity, each forge can create a maximum of three batches of steel, with each batch taking 7 days to process and complete.
Due to the very limited and regulated supply of Tamahagane, prices are extremely high and competition between sword smiths to acquire the steel is fierce. Due to this limited supply of traditional steel, many smiths will use a steel blend called orishigane (leftovers). These leftovers can be made up from old nails, steel shavings and other types of iron-containing materials. By supplementing the steel with additional charcoal, the swordsmiths are able to control the amount of carbon present in the resulting Oroshigane steel ore. Most traditional swordsmiths will use smaller versions of the Tatara, which are often bespoke made by the swordsmiths themselves.
Due to the heavy regulation imposed on Tamahagane production by both the government and the NBTHK corporation, it’s very unlikely that any swordsmiths that are not registered will be able to acquire Nittoho Tamahagane.
Anyone that is located outside of Japan is free to create their own Tatara and smelt tamahagane. However, the traditional iron sand (ore) that is used in the production of Nittoho tamahane is only found in the Northern tip of Japan. The sand (satetsu) is unique in terms of chemical makeup and color (green / brown), and it’s these impurities that give Tamahagane it’s unique visual feel and looks. So, even if you have your own forge up and running, you’ll not be able to replicate the coloration and features present in genuine Tamagane without access to the genuine iron ore sand.
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