“Science Meets Tradition!”
This may well be one of the most revolutionary swords ever made..
A bold statement, but the Muramasa Katana by Forge Direct is truly quite unique.
Here is why:
The hamon, while real, is created through metal extraction and not clay. It’s achieved by grinding through the jacket layer of 1065 steel until the middle layer of T-10 is reached. The color of the steel is the natural unpolished look of the steel.
The five layer composition from side to side is: 1065, T-10, 1045, T-10, 1065.
Because the steel is placed in layers and welded together, they blend differently down both sides of the blade. The entire blade is then given a polish before the extraction on the edge. The reveal of the lamination is going to be different every single time, as the blend of the steels is never going to be the same, resulting in unique waves and patterns.
The process provides an edge hardness of 62-64, a spine in the mid 40’s, and a medium carbon core that is very good at diffusing shock.
The goal was to find a way to get the harder edge of a differentially hardened blade, but with the resilience of being through hardened.
The overall theme and design of this sword may be a little sinister (after all, Muramasa was an infamous sword smith with a very dark reputation – a reputation shared by his blades) and may not appeal to everyone, but to those of you who is “speaks” to, you are in for a real treat…
As with all the swords in the Forge Direct line up, the sword is made to order and ships within 4-6 weeks. At $700 (with free shipping in North America) it may not be the cheapest sword on the market, but for such a revolutionary design, it is actually quite a bargain (following industry standard pricing forumlas, it should sell for a LOT more)..
