Would you buy a spring steel katana?
Oct 11, 2014 15:17:39 GMT
Post by aussie-rabbit on Oct 11, 2014 15:17:39 GMT
Timo Nieminen wrote
It isn't specifically any problem with Japanese iron ores, but a general problem with bloomery furnaces (the tatara is a bloomery furnace).
It isn't specifically any problem with Japanese iron ores, but a general problem with bloomery furnaces (the tatara is a bloomery furnace).
"A charcoal fire is started from soft pine charcoal, then the smelter will wait for the fire to reach the correct temperature. At that point, he will direct the addition of ironsand, known as satetsu. This will be layered in with more charcoal and more ironsand over the next 72 hours. 4 or 5 people need to constantly work on this process."
Ironsand "satetsu" is only 1-2% iron by weight. A poor substitute for ore, this is one of the reasons why the processing of ironsand was so intensive, in the early part of the 1800's small amounts of ore began to be imported along with coal and coke, the transitional phase from tatara-based iron making to western-style iron making (1858-1900), began in December of the fourth year of Ansei (January 1858 by the solar calendar), when the operation of a western-style blast furnace was started at the Ohashi Iron Mine in Kamaishi in the Nambu fief (today's Iwate Prefecture).
The fact that sword steel was produced prior to this period was a testament to the dedication of both the producers of the steel and the smiths forging that steel.
Timo Nieminen wrote
Note that tachi, worn rather like many longswords, were, on average, longer than katana.
Note that tachi, worn rather like many longswords, were, on average, longer than katana.
Timo Nieminen wrote
The katana is also essentially a single-handed sabre with a long handle.
The katana is also essentially a single-handed sabre with a long handle.
Given the periods covered it is probable better to suggest a sabre is a light weight one handed katana
Timo Nieminen wrote
It isn't that Japanese people were too small to use larger swords, but that larger swords are less convenient sidearms.
It isn't that Japanese people were too small to use larger swords, but that larger swords are less convenient sidearms.
As also the case in Europe with the advent of the smallsword/sidesword small-swords developed in the late Renaissance as a personal dueling tool and weapon of self-defense. Most popular in the 1700's and 1800's
