#Deferentially tempered Katana

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Searching for the perfect katana? Our quick guide has you covered. Discover the key factors to consider when buying a sword, from your intended use to your skill level. Dive into the world of quality components and find the balance between price and value. Get ready to make an informed decision and wield a katana that truly reflects your style.

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Mono tempered Katanas for dojo use

Katana the great swords of Japan were used extensively for warfare by the Samurais almost until the second world war since the time it evolved. The Samurais were very passionate about their swords and carried it wherever they went. Just as they liked to carry it with them, they also paid great attention to how it was made. That is why the samurai swords are considered as one of the swords with anultimate edge and equally great resilient body which ensured its durability. A short katana for dojo usecan be monotempered or differentially hardened.

Katana The katana swords of ancient times were forged from Tamahahagane which was obtained through a laborious smelting process. The blade of the katana was usually very long as there were no upper limits. The differential hardening process that the swordsmiths applied to the blade helped to bring out steel with two different carbon structures such as pearlite and martensite within the same blade separated by the distinct hamon. The martensite structure was evolved at the edges by heating it at a high temperature and cooling it at a faster rate than that of the body and the spine of the sword. While long blades had to be made this way, the short katana could be monotempered.

Mono tempered katanas The short katana had a blade that was just slightly more than the short swords such as the wakizashi. At present, since the steels used for making the sort katana or even the long katana are of high-quality, there is a tendency to make mono tempered swords among sword smiths to cut costs. In a mono tempered katana, there is no hamon as you do not have two different carbon structures. The blade is heated and tempered to produce a blade of uniform hardness. There is no complaining about the cutting edge but the strength of the blade and its durability is questionable.

comparison When you compare a mono tempered short katana with a deferentially hardened katana you will see that the mono tempered steel blades have an HRC of 50 which is low while that of deferentially hardened katanas have HRC of 40 at the spine while it is as high as 60 at the edge. Which means it will retain its edge better than mono tempered counterparts. The mono tempered steel was good enough for short katana but as the blade became larger, it was not suitable at all. Last but not the least, the soft steel structure in the spine of the blade is what gives it a resilient wear-resistant body when struck. But the mono tempered blades might break when striking or struck by a hard object.

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Kult of Athena offers 100's of katanas on our site and seen 1000's over the years. How do you choose one? Consider your purpose and these two categorizations to ensure you invest in the right place.

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