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Modern sword smiths often use shortcuts during
production: mono-tempered blades, buffing wheels and grinders to polish
their swords. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you know
what you’re buying. Some of these time-saving techniques are used by
Mantis Swords – for example, in making our entry-level Shoden class,
where value and solid workmanship are the primary goals – but what
sets us apart is our dedication to traditional process in crafting our
higher-end swords.
These swords, in the Tamahagane line are made
in an elaborate process. This begins when the smith hammers and folds
the raw iron. The folding action removes impurities from the metal and
introduces the Hada, a rich yet subtle grain patterning of the blade.
Our Bushi line also undergoes a similar folding process but uses modern
steel as its base material rather than raw iron. All swords in these
three lines have full tangs and all tangs are one inch shorter than
handle length.
This company is
always changing its stock so not all swords are in stock and any one
time nor will they appear on out out of stock list. Feel free to email
us before placing your order. Single sword orders can take 2-4
weeks for delivery. All sets of Katana and wakizashi or Katana,
Wakizashi and Tanto are special orders. The customer will be charged
half the cost and the order will take 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. |
| Traditional polishing of the
blade is perhaps the most labor-intensive (and thus costly) step in the
making of a Japanese sword. Both lines of swords in the Tamaagane Class are
hand-polished by a series of graduated stones imported from Japan, an
artistic procedure that requires more than 30 hours of meticulous
handwork. Each stone is finer than the one before – the scratches left
by the very last stone are so minute as to actually be smaller than the
structural variations in the steel. |
| To the inexperienced eye,
every blade looks glorious. Full appreciation comes through knowledge.
Our goal at Mantis Swords is to promote a fundamental understanding of
the lore of the Japanese sword, perhaps the most recognizable blade in
the world. As one famous sword expert, Inazo Nitobe, one said. It is no
wonder the Japanese sword thrills “with mixed feelings of power and
beauty”. |
| Click
on Picture to See each Class |
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| Musha Class |
Bushi Class |
1095 Forged Folded Katana |
| The Musha class of weapons offers
practicality at an elevated level. The focus is on durability and
performance – these swords are a perfect introduction to the arcane of
the Samurai warrior tradition. These well-balanced, robust blades are
made of exceptionally resilient 1060 steel. The utilitarian design,
offering no more than what is required to fulfill its purpose, makes
this a superior handling sword offering surprisingly strong cutting
performance at a very reasonable price. |
In the mid-price range, the Bushi Modern Forge-Folded swords are ideal for those who admire and appreciate
traditional Japanese esthetics. Our Bushi class unites meticulous
craftsmanship with modern metallurgical techniques to create blades that
clearly exhibit the traditional Hada and Hamon. The blades are
forge-folded eight to ten times, hand-forged to shape, clay-tempered and
machine-polished to a brilliant finish. |
The Daimyo 1095 line is the quintessence
of a Japanese sword – beauty and function perfectly united. This is a
result of a sophisticated process, revealing a Japanese weapon’s
traditional form enclosed in a hand-forged blade, brought to a deadly
and beautiful mirror finish. At the heart of this blade is a high-carbon
steel, a material so pure it does not demand the folding techniques used
to removed impurities from lesser metal. The 1095 blades exhibit
outstanding durability, a superior edge and the ability to outperform
traditional materials. |
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