When it comes to Samurai Swords, there is quite a bit of terminology for the new collector to understand. But we want to make it easy for anyone to find a good quality samurai sword that will last a lifetime, no matter if you’re looking for one of the very sought after Paul Chen Katana swords for battle or just a quality sword to hang over the mantle.

The first thing to consider for your new samurai sword is the type and quality of the blade. If you’re looking for a you want to be sure and choose a full tang blade, which all of our authentic samurai swords feature as well as all of our battle ready swords. The term “full tang” means that the blade and the part of the sword under the Tsuka (handle) is one long piece of steel. If you get a sword that is not full tang then you’re basically buying it to hang on the wall and nothing more.

The next thing to consider when choosing a sword is the type of steel that the blade is made of. There are basically 3 types of steel, 420 J2 (Stainless steel), High Carbon, and Folded steel. If you are looking for a battle ready sword you’ll want to stay away from the 420 J2 Stainless. High carbon steel is very high quality steel; however folded steel is the strongest. Actually it’s not that the folded steel is a different type of steel, but how the blade is forged.

A folded steel blade is typically made from high carbon steel. The difference is that a folded steel blade is just like it says; the steel is folded over and over again until the smith believes that it is adequate.

Some people say that a good high carbon steel blade can be just as strong as a folded steel blade. The smiths for the Thaitsuki Nihonto Swords claim to have mastered a form of forging high carbon steel blades that is just as strong if not stronger than many of the folded steel blades.

When choosing?Japanese Swords?there are basically 3 different styles to consider, the katana sword, the Wakizashi sword and the Tanto sword. The Japanese Katana Sword is the most popular among collectors and martial arts students alike.

The katana sword was the first and is still the most popular of all samurai swords. The blade is typically 29” long with an overall length around 40”

The Wakizashi sword is the shorter companion blade of the katana sword. We first see the Wakizashi sword during the Muromachi period (1568-1603). The Wakizashi was about 18” long and only allowed to be carried by a samurai. Carrying both the katana and the Wakizashi was popular for the next few hundred years.

The smallest samurai sword would be the tanto sword or dagger. Originally tanto swords were 12” in length or less but it’s not out of the ordinary to come across a Tanto that is 15” long.

Samurai sword collecting is a very popular past time for many Americans. Something that is becoming even more popular is martial arts that make use of samurai sword for fighting and cutting exercises. The most popular and affordable authentic samurai swords are the Paul Chen Swords. You can find decent Paul Chen Practical Katana Swords?for under $200. However for less than a hundred more you can get yourself a Paul Chen Practical Plus Katana. If you’re looking for something a little more pricy the Paul Chen Bushido Katana or the Orchid Katana will last a lifetime and can take quite a beating. The Orchid and Bushido also come in a Wakizashi and Tanto.

In conclusion, the most important thing when buying your sword is that you know what kind of blade you’re getting. If you want a functional sword be sure that you’re not getting one that’s only made to hang on the wall.

By: Anil Kumar Pammidimukkala

About the Author:

Elegant Japanese Samurai swords are living artifacts.  Widely used as early as the 1400’s a well made Samurai sword was the mark of a Japanese warrior.

In these modern times these exquisite swords are primarily purchased by collectors and weaponry enthusiasts. Advanced martial artists also use the weapons for training purposes refining their dexterity and swordsmanship with careful practice.

Before you purchase your Japanese Samurai sword there are some things you should know.  Here are some tips for choosing a Samurai sword.

Samurai Sword Styles:

Samurai sword styles can be categorized in a couple of main classifications.  While assembly and embellishments can vary according to the artists, there are some basic characteristics that make each sword fit a particular category.  We’ve broken these down for you to give you the best tips for choosing a Samurai sword.

The Katana:

The more traditional and most commonly used sword is the Katana.  A Katana has a long curved blade.  The handle or Tsuka is usually 1/3 the length of the blade.  The Katana’s blade is sharp on one side with a chiseled tip.

The Katana comes with a scabbard that can match a highly embellished blade handle.  The Katana was used in single combat and was meant to be used alone.  There is another sword that is similar to the katana.  It is called tachi.  A Tachi sword is slightly longer than the Katana and a bit more difficult to use.

Katana can be stored in their scabbard but many people like displaying the sword and scabbard separately on a display stand.  When choosing a Katana sword pay attention to the detail.  Although it’s a curved blade, it should be smooth.  The center of the blade is supposed to be the thickest.  A Katana sword is a wonderful display sword.  A real conversation piece!

The Wakizashi:

The Wakizashi is slightly shorter than the Katana but longer than a Tanto sword.  Wakizashi swords can be used in pairs, one for each hand.  This sword has a dark history and is often referred to as the honor sword.  While the blade is shorter than the Katana’s it is still curved with a chiseled tip.

The Wakizashi will often have a family name embossed on the blade and it was traditional to hand the weapon down from generation to generation.  This sword is also lovely for display along side it’s scabbard. Continue reading »