Tagahagane

Tamahagane!

How To

Make The Japanese Katana Sword!

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Content!

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Iron Sand And Tamahagane!

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The Inside Of The Tatara Furnace!

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Flattering Tamahagane!

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Re Melting Pieces And Creating Layers!

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Hamon, Heating, And Quenching!

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Polishing and whitening Blade!

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Making The Sword Hilt!

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Tying The Tatsumaki!

Introduction!

This is the process of making the traditional Katana this process has been passed down through centuries of sword smiths.

The katana is the traditional weapon of the great samurai, the honourable warriors of Japan since around 800 AD. The quicker draw of the sword was well suited for combat where live verses death depended on the weapon one brought into battle.

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Iron Sand And Tamahagane!

Iron sand is formed when rocks within the sea are heated. The heat oxidises the rocks creating iron within them. When the rocks are broken apart the iron rusts and eventually is washes up on the beach within sand. Sand is then collected by swords smiths to be smelted into Tamahagane steel.

IR

VS SAND ON

50/50

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The seperation of sand from iron begins at the bottom of a iron furnice called a “Tatara” a rare traditional smelting furnice. The process starts when the carbon in the charcoal used conbinds with the iron sand to form a unique kind of steal “tamahagane”.

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The Inside Of The Tatara Furnace !

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Keys: 1 = Iron Sand 2 = Coal 3 = Tamahagane 4 = Tatara 5 = Air Pipes 6 = Air Chamber 7 = Ash 8 = Air Channel

9 = Drain Channel

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Flattering Tamahagane!

The selected pieces are then heated and pound flat by large hammers. The swords maker does this so he can see the right amount of carbonization on the side of the pieces, its is important to choose the right “Tamahagane� pieces.

Fact: sword maker apprentices must train for at least 10 years, 6 days a week to become a master sword maker. It is not an easy Job title to uphold.

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The selected pieces now get rapped in paper and get a light covering of clay and ash to prevent Oxidation. It is then reheated to 1300 degree’s prepares the steel for hammering which welds or the pieces into one. The steel finally takes shape into a single welded block.

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Re-Melting Pieces And Creating Layers The block is then reheated again and then folded and bent to spread the carbon content evenly.

A dozen or more folds creates over 5000 individual layers per one centimetre of steel. It is these layers that produce a pattern called the “Yehada� the skin of the metal.

The Sword smith folds the steel up to 1000 times.

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A Cla y Re -

in nd e B

1

g!

nd

pe r !

Pa

2 Fact: the finished product will almost way 50 percent less then the raw materials.

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Hamon, Heating And Quenching!

The sword smiths understood that if they were to make a sword with hard metal the sword might become sharp but would chip and break. But if they were to create a sword with soft metal it may not break but may not become very sharp. This is why two metals were combined to create the samurai sword. Hard material (steel) on the edge of the sword while softer material (iron) on the back of the sword this created a sharp but durable sword.

Keys: 1 = Taking Heated Metal Out Of Furnace!

2 = Combining Metals!

3 = Applying Hamon!

4 = Heating Sword!

5 = Quenching Sword In Water!

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g

n!

Pain ti n

etals

Co m bi

M ng i d

mo a H

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The blade is then dipped into water and the thin layer of clay cools very rapidly and becomes very hard. During the hardening process the katana slowly comes to life.

A secret mixture of clay and charcoal powder pasted over the surface of the blade will insulate and protect the blade during the hardening process. This insulation line is an art form in its self, it is known as the “Hamon�.

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Polishing and Whitening Blade!

The sword maker has already determined the size and the outlines of the blade when he first designed the sword. He now sets to work grinding on a lime rock.

The contour of the sword begins to take shape along with the blades razor sharpness. The swords maker looks for any defects the blade might have during this process.

Keys: 1 = Picking Polishing stones 2 = Sharpening Blade 3 = Polishing And Whitening Sword

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1

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ing Bla lish de o P !

W

Whiting reveals the line where the soft and hard steel meet.

The polisher uses different kinds of unique oils to do this.

After the body of the blade is done he turns his attention to the tip of the blade.

ening Blade t i h !

rpening Bla d

e!

a Sh

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Making The Sword Hilt!

The sword carpenter splits the magnolia wood in two pieces and planes it flat. Once the appropriate thickness is reached he lays out the measurements of the sword hilt. He then cuts the general shape and cuts the wood in half at the point of the hilt, “habaki�.

Measuring the outlines of the blade chisels the depth of it and places both pieces of wood together; the sides are now glued with a traditional rice paste. The handle is made the same way and fits nicely within the two pieces.

Keys: 1 = Planning and measuring hilt 2 = Cutting wood for hilt 3 = Carving Hilt

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3

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1 Keys: 1 = Connecting Hilt 2 = Glued with Traditional rice Paste.

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Tying the Tatsumaki!

The final step to the process for making a katana is the traditional tsukamaki, which is the string that wraps around the sword handle to give the unique katana handle look. The string is wrapped around the handle overlapping its self to create the unique Japanese triangle pattern.

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sumaki!

Tat The Katana is finally ready for the skilled user. The Process was an art-form within itself and shall be passed down to many generations to come!

na Fi

l sword tip !

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