The Samurai’s Katana didn’t happen over night. It’s not known exactly when it’s design was established, but it evolved over a matter of several years. Only specialists were allowed to make the true Katanas. Though each maker had his own unique style, there were a few who stood out above the rest.
Tradition says that a man called Amakuni, and his son Amakura, were the originators of the true Katana. Legends say that after losing favor with the Emperor, Amakuni and his son locked themselves inside their forge and prayed. On the seventh night, divine inspiration came to both of them in a dream, and they created the first Katanas.
More historically, in the 1300’s came a master sword maker called Masamune. His swords were said to be the finest ever made, and any that are still in existence are national treasures in Japan. These swords are characterized by the aquiline features of the temper line that flows from one end of the blade to the other.
Some 200 years later, came the next great swordsmith. He was called Muramasa and most of what is known about his Katanas is clouded in myth. It is said that his blades cry out for blood, and that if one is unsheathed, it must draw blood before replaced in its sheath. Some say that the blades of Muramasa are cursed.
Creating the perfect Katana
Creating a single Katana was seen as an art form. It could take several hours, or even days, to create a single sword. Also, there were as many as four different people who would work on one sword. A blacksmith would begin the process by forging a rough shape, followed by an apprentice who would begin the folding process. Once this was accomplished, a third specialist would polish the sword, and finally, another specialist would work on the blade.
The true strength of the Katana lay in the folding process. Most metals used were impure due to smelting ore at low temperatures. The folding process offered a way of keeping the metal from bubbling, caused the carbon in the metal to be distributed evenly through the blade, and decreased the number of weak points in the sword.
The full process had to been maintained by qualified smiths, as too much folding will eventually lead to a soft metal and a sword that easily breaks. Most true Katanas have only about 12 folds to their blades, though this isn’t always the case. It was said that the best Katanas were folded between 8 and 10 times.
Over time, the Katana became a highly specialized work of art. Though no two swords were exactly alike, a person could tell which school created the sword by the folded grains in the blade. Yet, each Katana was both a weapon and a social status.
