Choosing the Steel of Your Katana

Steel type	Composition	Carbon content	Specific advantages	Flexibility	Strength	Suited to
T10 steel	Carbon and tungsten alloy	~0.95-1.04%	Good balance between hardness and flexibility, wear resistance	Medium	High	Display, collection
T10 steel with hamon	Carbon and tungsten alloy	~0.95-1.04%	Distinctive hamon, attractive appearance, a favourite with collectors	Medium	High	Collection, display
1045 steel	Carbon steel	~0.45%	Good first sword, more affordable, easy to look after	High	Medium	Display, cosplay, gift
1095 steel	Carbon steel	~0.90-1.03%	Very hard and durable, but can be more brittle	Low	Very high	Collection, display
Manganese steel	Carbon and manganese alloy	Variable	Impact resistance, durability	High	High	Display, cosplay
Damascus steel	Layered carbon and/or stainless steels	Variable	Attractive layered pattern, corrosion resistance, striking finish	Variable	High	Collection, display
Damascus steel with hamon	Layered carbon and/or stainless steels	Variable	Hamon aesthetics, corrosion resistance, layered grain pattern	Variable	High	Collection, gift
Kobuse steel	Hard steel outside, soft steel inside	Variable	Combination of hardness and flexibility, traditional	High	High	Collection, traditional craft
San-mai steel	Three layers: hard steel between two layers of softer steel	Variable	Protection against breakage, durability, traditional	High	Very high	Collection, traditional craft

There are several types of steel and forging methods for a katana. This is one of the factors that most influences the price of a katana, because the blade is its main element.

All Tetsuren swords are supplied unsharpened, as decorative display and collector pieces. When you choose a steel, what matters is the look of the blade (hamon, grain, finish), its durability, the care it needs, its weight and its price.

We will therefore explain, in simple terms, the advantages and drawbacks of each type.

Maru steel katanas

In a maru blade, the blade is made of a single steel. This is the first forging method, and it allows greater simplicity and lower costs.

The carbon content varies from one steel to another and matters a great deal in this type of forging. It directly affects the hardness, the price and the quality (generally between 0.4 and 1% carbon).

>T10 steel: this is the top of the maru range. It has the highest carbon content (slightly over 1%). Its blade is more flexible and tougher than all the other maru steels. A blade of this kind is well suited to those with a mid-range budget who want a durable, good-looking display piece that will last for years.

>1045 steel: this steel is hard, yet offers useful flexibility. It makes it possible to have an interesting blade, made with traditional techniques, as a first sword at a fairly low price.

>1095 steel: this steel is slightly higher-end than the others in its price range. Its blade is harder and very durable, which makes it a lasting collection piece. On the other hand, it is less flexible and can be more brittle, so it should be handled with care and never knocked against hard surfaces.

>Manganese steel: little known, manganese steel makes it possible to own a katana at a very attractive price. Aimed above all at display, manganese katanas often stand out with distinctive blades and scabbards.

More about manganese:

Manganese steel is quite particular. When between 2 and 4% manganese is added to steel, it becomes very brittle and breaks easily. However, as the manganese content is increased further, the steel becomes tough and fairly flexible.

This is exactly what is wanted in a katana: a steel that is at once tough and flexible, thanks to a carefully chosen manganese content.

It is worth knowing that this steel is intended above all for enthusiasts and for display, and it makes an affordable first piece for a collection or a cosplay outfit.

Folded (layered) steel katanas

With Damascus steel, the blade is made of two different types of steel: a hard steel and a softer one. The steel relies on combining these two layers by stacking them. A Damascus blade has several thousand layers.

This forging method is more complex than the maru method and requires more resources. As well as offering a good balance between hardness and flexibility in the blade, it has a distinctive appearance that is easy to recognise.

This higher-end steel is often collected for its blade: the layered grain gives a special touch to a display.

In our collection, we also have Damascus blades with a clay-tempered hamon. These blades combine the layered grain with the hamon line and are among the most striking pieces on display.

>Damascus steel

>Damascus steel with hamon

Kobuse-type forging katanas

This is a composite blade made of several steels using a traditional Japanese forging method.

The blade is forged with a hard steel (hagane) on the outside and a soft steel (shingane) on the inside. This gives a hard outer skin that can readily withstand knocks without breaking, thanks to the flexibility of the inside of the blade.

This katana is intended for collectors who want a traditionally made sword that will stay with them for life.

>Kobuse katanas

San-mai-type forging katanas

San-mai forging is made up of three parts, with a soft steel on the inside and a harder steel on the outside. It offers a distinctive combination of hardness on the surface and flexibility at the centre to absorb knocks without risk of breaking the blade.

The two outer parts are made of steel folded in several layers, which can be 1060 steel or even Damascus steel, which gives a distinctive appearance.

More often than not, T10 steel is used with Damascus steel and a hamon. This combination is higher-end than 1060 + 1095 and gives a more interesting blade design.

A katana with this blade is fairly flexible and comes close to the katanas that samurai carried in the Edo period.

San-mai katanas are prized by collectors for this traditional construction. Katanas with this type of forging are fully hand-forged and are detailed throughout the nomenclature.

>San-mai katanas

Care, rust and weight

Carbon steels such as T10, 1045, 1095 and manganese steel can rust if they are left in a damp room or handled with bare fingers. A thin coat of sword oil from time to time and storage away from humidity are enough to keep the blade bright on display.

The weight of a katana depends mainly on the length and thickness of the blade and on whether it has a groove (hi), more than on the steel itself. Check the dimensions on each product page before choosing a wall mount or stand.