Demystifying Chinese "Katana" production
Oct 28, 2012 4:05:45 GMT
Post by ineffableone on Oct 28, 2012 4:05:45 GMT
SBG owner and founder Paul Southren has been on a trip to China, and recently posted these great videos on the SBG youtube channel. www.youtube.com/SwordBuyersGuide
I figured I would post them up here in the beginner section to help spread the knowledge of how production swords are made. This is a nice window into the way production swords are crafted and produced in China, where most of the sub $300 swords come from these days. Showing what kind of work actually goes into them. People often have this romantic image of a smith hammering away on their swords, but that sort of forge work is not very common anymore. Even in Japan, most swords are made with power hammers mostly rather than hand hammering. There is a lot more machine work involved in swords these days, and there is a lot more of a production line happening. One sword sees many different workers as it passes through stages of completion.
Enjoy Paul's tour of a Chinese forge.
Japanese sword making in Longquan, China
Now the show room for the forge. A place to see the finished results of the forge on display.
Sword Showroom Tour, Longquan China
I figured I would post them up here in the beginner section to help spread the knowledge of how production swords are made. This is a nice window into the way production swords are crafted and produced in China, where most of the sub $300 swords come from these days. Showing what kind of work actually goes into them. People often have this romantic image of a smith hammering away on their swords, but that sort of forge work is not very common anymore. Even in Japan, most swords are made with power hammers mostly rather than hand hammering. There is a lot more machine work involved in swords these days, and there is a lot more of a production line happening. One sword sees many different workers as it passes through stages of completion.
Enjoy Paul's tour of a Chinese forge.
Japanese sword making in Longquan, China
Filmed on location in Longquan China, this video is a behind the scenes look at the production sword industry - from decorative 'wallhanger' swords' to high end blades forged by certified master smiths and everything in between.
We start our journey looking at what constitutes the bulk of the sword industry - cheap decorative swords and the machines that turn them from a flat sheet of steel into a 'sword like object' (and even get to see them first hand spot welding a rat tail tang!).
We continue into the sub $300 market with power hammers, hand grinding and hand polishing to create functional blades - and finish with the work of master smiths and master polishers who make swords the old fashioned way.
Naturally enough, the price fluctuates depending on how much time is spent on each sword and the production methods involved. Our aim in releasing this video is to reinforce the message that 'you get what you pay for' but also to help banish some of the marketing BS used by sword sellers who claim their swords are 'hand forged by master smiths in longquan' yet sell for under $100..
We start our journey looking at what constitutes the bulk of the sword industry - cheap decorative swords and the machines that turn them from a flat sheet of steel into a 'sword like object' (and even get to see them first hand spot welding a rat tail tang!).
We continue into the sub $300 market with power hammers, hand grinding and hand polishing to create functional blades - and finish with the work of master smiths and master polishers who make swords the old fashioned way.
Naturally enough, the price fluctuates depending on how much time is spent on each sword and the production methods involved. Our aim in releasing this video is to reinforce the message that 'you get what you pay for' but also to help banish some of the marketing BS used by sword sellers who claim their swords are 'hand forged by master smiths in longquan' yet sell for under $100..
Now the show room for the forge. A place to see the finished results of the forge on display.
Sword Showroom Tour, Longquan China
... here is a video having a look through the showroom of the forge in Longquan, China. A lot of very interesting stock pieces here, including quite a few swords not seen outside of the domestic Chinese market (the domestic market for swords in China is huge - though by law no Katana).
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