The katana is the long curved single edged sword of Japan, worn edge up through the belt and drawn in the same motion as the cut. What separates a real one from a wall hanger is the tang, the temper and the fittings: a blade that runs full width into the handle, a heat treatment that leaves the edge hard and the spine tough, and a tsuka, tsuba and saya made to that specific blade.
The blades and their furniture
Overall lengths run 36 to 41.5 inches with blades from 27 to 29 inches. Steel is plain 1095 high carbon at 54 to 58 HRC or forge welded 1095 and 15N20 Damascus at 58 to 60 HRC. One carries a bo hi fuller cut down the blade, which lightens it and gives a cut its sound. The furniture is where they separate: an oval iron tsuba, a polished steel tsuba, a blackened tsuba, a steel tsuba, tsuka wrapped in cord over rayskin or in black leather, and saya in black lacquer or plain hardwood, most with a cord sageo. Several carry Norse etching, a valknut on two blades and a knotwork band on a third, which is where this range meets the rest of the catalogue. One listing is a two piece daisho set pairing a katana with its wakizashi, both with iron tsuba and lacquered saya. Prices run from 385 dollars to 649 dollars.
Buying and maintaining one
Decide whether the sword will be handled or hung before you look at steel, because that answers the sharpening question. Our background on the katana covers the terminology and the construction. Keeping a curved edge takes a different approach from a straight one, set out in our notes on sharpening a curved blade. Buy a stand at the same time, from sword stands and displays, and the full Japanese range is in katana and Japanese swords.
Ransack Viking is a US company based in North Babylon, New York. These pieces are handmade in the Czech Republic, then imported, inspected and shipped from New York. Engraving is done in the US after arrival: text 19 dollars, symbol 39 dollars, family crest 49 dollars.
Free US shipping
On most pieces. Heavier and oversized ones carry a flat charge.
Hand Forged
Heated, hammered and ground by hand.
Engraving available
Names, dates or Norse runes on most pieces.
