# Samurai swords



## Phil Pascoe (4 Jan 2019)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b ... urai-sword

I came across this by chance, it's a glimpse of a bygone age. Of interest to any amateur blacksmiths.


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## woodbloke66 (4 Jan 2019)

It's actually not a bygone age; there are still quite a lot of craftsmen or blacksmiths who make the blades. I swung a hammer in Japan to help make a blade in 2012 and hard work it was too :shock: It takes around two weeks to forge one and it's then passed onto other artisans who complete the finished sword so the whole process takes about three months. Fujiyasu-san mentioned that one of his finished swords could be bought for around £30,000. Were he ever to be made a 'living national treasure' in Japan, the price would double :shock: - Rob


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## Phil Pascoe (4 Jan 2019)

Yes, you get some idea of the price when he tells you it takes two months to sharpen one. :shock:


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## woodbloke66 (4 Jan 2019)

phil.p":20x4z2zm said:


> Yes, you get some idea of the price when he tells you it takes two months to sharpen one. :shock:


Yep, the smith only forges the blade; other craftsmen finish it off. In those dim n'distant days I did a blog and this is the entry for the swordsmith May be of some interest - Rob


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## Bm101 (4 Jan 2019)

Thanks Phil.
Much appreciated. The world just got a little bigger again after a long day at work dealing with tiny minds. 

(Woodbloke I'll take a look at that once I get the kids in bed! )

Regards as always,

Chris


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## sunnybob (5 Jan 2019)

Get outa here. :shock: 
I watch forged in fire. Those guys make one of those in 6 hours flat. And get paid 10K for it.
Thats 50K a week at one a day. =D> =D> =D>


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## Rorschach (5 Jan 2019)

sunnybob":xe0zuob6 said:


> Get outa here. :shock:
> I watch forged in fire. Those guys make one of those in 6 hours flat. And get paid 10K for it.
> Thats 50K a week at one a day. =D> =D> =D>



You laugh, but using modern steel and hardening techniques, those 6 hour swords would outperform a traditional samurai sword any day.


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## sunnybob (5 Jan 2019)

I'm not laughing at the modern swords :roll: 
Maybe some at folk who will pay a kings ransom just because thats the OLD way of doing things. =D> =D>


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## Rorschach (5 Jan 2019)

sunnybob":3pu4udy5 said:


> I'm not laughing at the modern swords :roll:
> Maybe some at folk who will pay a kings ransom just because thats the OLD way of doing things. =D> =D>



Sorry that didn't come across right, I meant more laughing at the forged in fire type stuff. It's silly and over the top modern TV hype, but the stuff they make in that time is still far superior to the old stuff. Deffo not worth the silly money though.


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## sunnybob (5 Jan 2019)

forged in fire is currently my go to program. I love it. Having a background in metalwork, and being taught hot forging and metal bending as a teenager (admittedly over a half a century ago!) It entertains me no end. =D> =D> =D>


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## Racers (7 Jan 2019)

I have t shirt with Doug on saying "it will cut"

Pete


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## sunnybob (7 Jan 2019)

WHERE! WHERE! :shock: :shock: :shock: 
I want one before the fire gets quenched!

Although, thinking about it, I'll wait for the "this sir, will kill" version
8) 8) 8) 8)


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## Racers (7 Jan 2019)

https://www.redbubble.com/people/hydrax ... gLnGfD_BwE

Enjoy!

Pete


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## Tasky (7 Jan 2019)

phil.p":2p7goie7 said:


> Yes, you get some idea of the price when he tells you it takes two months to sharpen one. :shock:


What on earth are they _doing _for two whole months? Arguing on forums about whether diamond plates or sandpaper are better??!!

End of the day, it's still 3' of sharpened steel and will behave like 3' of sharpened steel. It's not going to cut through machine-gun barrels, or be quenched by the blood of twenty convicted criminals... even if you're Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod (which my dog is), it's still a sword... and I'd rather have a standard English broadsword. Maybe a nice pattern-welded one, if there's any going spare.


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## Bm101 (7 Jan 2019)

I've seen A Knight's tale I know what European medievel blacksmiths looked like. They looked like this. 






So fair play to them for taking 2 months to sharpen a sword they made for the English army before Agincourt or similar. It's a wonder they had time to do their mascara between the forging and the dysentry..
Tasky, TBH, you're not buying the into the mystique old son. Next thing you'll be telling me Camelia Oil isn't an expensive and cheaply replicated form of metal protection in modern times. And I'll be forced into making up a base and tasteless joke about Prince Charles, Prince Philip and the Sultan of Oman instead. Don't test me now! I'm already formulating one in my mind just in case.
I think it's going to contain a reference to Traditional Ground Nuts. 
In the end there is always a market for those with enough wealth to buy prestige from those willing to bow the knee to it. Walk into any grand building and the entrance hall is designed to make you know your place.
It's no different from a Patek Philipp, a high end sports car or a million other examples of how to spend endless amounts of money.
We all know it.
What I mean is, I bet there_* is *_a market for some fella to buy a sword that _actually has been sharpened_ by hand for two months. I'm not saying it's sharper or better than modern steel. Just that there are people in the world who have enough money they enjoy being played.


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## Tasky (8 Jan 2019)

Bm101":2na9s8kb said:


> I've seen A Knight's tale I know what European medievel blacksmiths looked like. They looked like this.


If they did, I'd own a lot more swords...!!



Bm101":2na9s8kb said:


> So fair play to them for taking 2 months to sharpen a sword they made for the English army before Agincourt or similar.


That's the thing - They didn't. The whole thing cost about 40 shillings for a good one, which was only around a month's wages for a skilled labourer. Sharpening took a few minutes, maybe an hour. 
I honestly doubt most historical katanas and such took even a day to sharpen. 

And no, I'm not buying into the bloody mystique... any more than I'm buying a bookmatched set of Karl Holtey handplanes! :shock: 



Bm101":2na9s8kb said:


> And I'll be forced into making up a base and tasteless joke about Prince Charles, Prince Philip and the Sultan of Oman instead. Don't test me now! I'm already formulating one in my mind just in case. I think it's going to contain a reference to Traditional Ground Nuts.


I hereby force said joke, and await your delivery promtly.....!



Bm101":2na9s8kb said:


> Walk into any grand building and the entrance hall is designed to make you know your place.


Walk??!!
Pfft.... Any buildings I enter are designed in tribute to me, not in dictation of me. :lol: 



Bm101":2na9s8kb said:


> It's no different from a Patek Philipp, a high end sports car or a million other examples of how to spend endless amounts of money.


At least those actually get used in some fashion... although my personal favourite would have to be a custom-designed 80' motor yacht, of course!



Bm101":2na9s8kb said:


> What I mean is, I bet there_* is *_a market for some fella to buy a sword that _actually has been sharpened_ by hand for two months. I'm not saying it's sharper or better than modern steel. Just that there are people in the world who have enough money they enjoy being played.


Oh, I know... But I really would question the actual 'craftsmanship' compared to actual historical examples, as well as the BS claims behind it. Certainly it's not something designed to ever see use of any kind, and the expensive 'artistic merit' seems to hinge on making a bunch of workers labour for months using pretty inefficient methods. That's not craftsmanship, so much as abuse of apprentices!


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## Bm101 (8 Jan 2019)

Tasky":1l9y3c2e said:


> Bm101":1l9y3c2e said:
> 
> 
> > So fair play to them for taking 2 months to sharpen a sword they made for the English army before Agincourt or similar.
> ...


My tongue was planted firmly in my cheek at this point mate! You missed that one fella. :wink: 



Tasky":1l9y3c2e said:


> Bm101":1l9y3c2e said:
> 
> 
> > And I'll be forced into making up a base and tasteless joke about Prince Charles, Prince Philip and the Sultan of Oman instead. Don't test me now! I'm already formulating one in my mind just in case. I think it's going to contain a reference to Traditional Ground Nuts.
> ...


Let's just say it _might... theoretically...._ have involved the Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla.... ) and I don't want to upset anyone on a family friendly forum... or risk my inevitable Knighthood so you'll have to wait till we meet up for a pint one day.  

I get your last point Tasky. But It's been a long day and I gotta cook the kids tea. What is Art might take a bit too long. :wink:


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