The antique samurai swords were straight bladed, single edged weapons called chokuto. It was only in the 8th century that the curved samurai swords were first introduced. The reason it was introduced was that samurais found these samurai swords easier to draw from the scabbard.
There are basically three types of Japanese samurai swords. The longest samurai sword that is over 24 inches is the Katana that is preferred for use in outdoor combat. The Wakizashi is a samurai sword that is slightly shorter than the Katana and is about 12 to 24 inches long. This samurai sword is usually used for indoor combats. The Tanta is a samurai sword, which is a small knife, and is used for indoor combat too.
To make sure the samurai sword is up to the mark, sword testers pass the blade through the bodies of corpses. First the small bones are cut through, and then the large bones. The results of the test are recorded on the nakago, which is the metal piece that joins the samurai sword blade to its handle. Your guarantee on the authenticity of the samurai sword is confirmed with these recordings.
It is interesting to learn that the samurai swords with a quality point are considered authentic samurai swords. This is because it takes great skill and effort in hand creating the point. The polish of the samurai sword is also taken into consideration when choosing a samurai sword. With its polish, the final shape of the samurai sword is determined. Ancient samurai swords were usually hand polished, and this proved to be a rather long and tedious process.
There are many sites and stores offering cheap samurai swords and discount samurai swords. However, these are not authentic samurai swords which don’t have forged steel blades. When buying samurai swords, you have to ask for samurai swords with forged steel and heat treated blades. The design and shape of the samurai sword should also be like ancient samurai swords which are designed to have the right balance.
Samantha Clark heads consumer reviews at http://www.dealsdepot.com.auOne of the web's most popular Online Shopping sites.
Source: www.articlealley.com
