To be able to cut and break through highly defensive armor, Japanese katanas had to be strong, but at the same time heavy and practical enough to be handled easily.ДЄ typical ancient sword measures about 2 shaku 3 sun (about 27.5') and weighs between 5.1В ozВ and.

The forging method used for koto is different from that used for shin-to (new swords), but the details of the technique are not known.ДЇrom the middle of the Heian period to the Muromachi period (1336-1573), when the ancient katana was mainly used in horseback fighting, it had to be practical and easy to handle when wearing armor. The koto (ancient sword) is a Japanese sword made during a period of about 700 years, from the middle of the Heian period after 901 to 1595, just before the Edo period (1603-1868). Changes in time and weight of Japanese swords Considering that they moved on foot, it would have taken considerable strength to carry a Japanese sword around the waist on a daily basis. The average weight of a sword with only the hilt and the tsuba attached to the blade was about 3.2lbs, with the heaviest swords weighing about 5lbs. To carry a Japanese sword, a number of parts are needed, including the scabbard and the hilt (tsuka: the handle of a Japanese sword) in addition to the sword itself (toshin: the drawn blade). The inside of a Japanese sword is therefore not a solid object, but is made of many thin layers of steel, and despite its thin appearance, the sword is very heavy. The smith strikes the steel repeatedly to stretch it, then laminates it to create a denser sword. The original material is high quality iron sand, which is then melted down in the traditional Japanese tatara method to produce tamahagane, the core material of the Japanese sword. The Japanese katana, a long thin blade, is made by repeatedly bending and forging a very pure metal called tamahagane.

So, what load did they really carry? We will explain it to you based on the weight of a Japanese sword. At that time, there were no means of transportation, and it was normal to walk several dozen kilometers. How much does a katana weigh?Дuring the Edo period, warriors carried two Japanese swords at their waist, one Uchinata and the other Wakizashi. Let's take a closer look at the weight of Japanese katanas and the differences in the way they feel when held in the hand. We see brilliant katana wielding in period wars, but how heavy is a real Japanese katana? Katanas are quite heavy because they are weapons from a time before the advent of light metals. Compared to the swords of other countries, Japanese katanas have a slim and elegant appearance, which gives them an image of lightness and weightlessness.

Katana handle