EarlFun fact, samurai swords were a little bit flexible. I know right? It is a bit difficult to reconcile the usually unbreakable samurai sword with flexibility at all. But there was a reason the swordsmiths made the handmade swords with that particular feature. Give the sword room to adapt to pressure. Allowing the sword to bend to the tiniest degree while maintaining its spine was the key. We could find out more about swords through the work of handmade sword experts across time. But for this article will find out what else we did not know about the handmade samurai sword parts.
How Were Samurai Sword Parts Forged?
The ancient methods of forging and quenching these swords were the secrets to this very interesting features of samurai swords. The earlier swordsmiths viewed their forging processes as part of their culture and tradition. They believed that at its pinnacle level, sword forging was a form of art which was to be respected.
Because of their beliefs they did not teach their secret forging methods to just anybody. They had apprentices and trusted subordinates or descendants to carry on their forging techniques. This is because not all swordsmiths used the same methods. Each swordsmith was unique in his own way. They had individual methods of smelting metals. Not to mention the quenching and folding techniques. Every single master swordsmith had something that made him unique.
Typical Samurai Sword Parts
When discussing samurai sword parts, there are a whole lot of intricacies that one needs to understand. However, for this article, we will be sticking to the basics.
The basic samurai sword parts are:
1. The Handle or the hilt: This is typically made from strong wood before being wrapped in a relatively softer material. The handle is built in this way to make it very resilient yet easy to grip. The material used to wrap also provides a strong grip (friction). This way the sword is not too slippery.
2. The Tsuba: The tsuba has a very practical effect while using swords. It provides support for the hand while thrusting the sword. If not when a thrusting sword is obstructed (probably by armour) the hand could slip forward and most likely be cut.
3. The Blade: The blade is considered the most important among other samurai sword parts. I mean, without the blade, wouldn’t one just have a staff? The blade is the offensive part of a sword. Forged to be neigh unbreakable, the blade of the sword of a samurai could determine how victorious a samurai would be in battle. A blunt blade could make one nothing short of a sitting duck. Blunt bladed swords were used for practice sessions and for educating young ones in the ways of the Samurai.
Conclusion
The samurai himself is just as important a factor in a battle as the sword he wields. But concerning samurai sword parts we at least now know the basics. Since we, unfortunately, have no access to real-life samurai, how about the next best thing. Order your very own samurai sword today.