Japanese Sword Buyer's Guide

If you follow these basic guidelines when purchasing a sword, you'll most likely come away with a nice Japanese sword for your collection.

What kind of sword do you want: Functional, Decorative, or Practice?




• A functional Samurai sword is a steel sword that can actually cut through medium to hard targets. It's designed for action, not just good looks.



• A decorative Samurai sword (or "wall-hanger" as they are sometimes called) is a sword meant to be displayed only. They are usually made of stainless steel or aluminum. You can't nor should you try to cut with one of these. They may be sharp, but that doesn't mean they are designed to cut. However, they can look extremely beautiful.



• A practice Samurai sword is a steel or aluminum sword that is typically not sharp. A practice sword is usually called an Iaito (used in the practice of Iaido). It is sometimes lighter than a functional sword, but cannot be sharpened.




Is it made of high carbon steel, stainless steel, or aluminum?




• A fully functional Samurai sword should be made of carbon steel and nothing else (high carbon count is better than low carbon, but it's all good). If it's made of stainless steel, you can't be sure that it's a decorative sword and not meant for cutting. If it's made of aluminum, it's either a decorative sword or a practice sword (Iaito). Aluminum and stainless steel swords are sure indicators that the sword has been stamped out by machine and not hand/heat forged. Heat forged carbon steel is the only thing strong enough to be sharpened, hold an edge, and not break upon impact. (read about Japanese sword making for more details)




Does it have a full tang?




• Many decorative Samurai swords do not have a full tang; the tang is shortened to save money. For a decorative sword, this is fine, but for a cutting sword, this is dangerous as the blade can easily break off at the hilt and/or come loose. For functional, cutting swords, a full tang is a must.




Has it been heat forged, hand-folded, or machine stamped?




• Heat forged and hand-folded swords are the best option for cutting swords. There are some machine stamped swords (swords that are cut from a sheet of metal) that might be ok for cutting, but I wouldn't recommend buying one of these. Heat forged and hand-folded carbon steel blades are strong enough to cut, hold and edge, and not break upon impact. (read about Japanese sword making for more details)




Does it have a deep curve, or a shallow curve?




• Swords with a dramatic or "deep" curvature in the blade tend to cut a little easier. HOWEVER, a sword with a deep curve can also be cumbersome and strange feeling to the beginning sword student (the drawing and cutting feel are different). AND, it can also be slightly dangerous if you aren't very experienced with the sword.
  
  Why is it dangerous? When swinging a deep-curve blade, the point is exaggerated more towards you and can actually poke you in the back or the thighs if you're not careful. I recommend going with a "slight" or "average" curve (most swords fall into this category, so don't worry too much about this). They cut just fine and are a better representation of a normal Samurai sword.




What are you going to cut with your sword?




• There are light, medium, and heavy use cutters. Most manufacturers will tell you right up front what a particular sword is designed for:



• Light cutting: beach mats, pool noodles, water bottles, etc



• Medium cutting: regular cutting of light targets and occasional cutting of tatami omote



• Heavy cutting: regular cutting of Tatami Omote and occasional cutting of heavy targets such as 3"+ bamboo, multiple rolls of tatami omote, or mats wrapped around an oak dowel



• There are also swords designed specifically for tatami (goza) cutting in the dojo. The only difference between a "Goza cutter" and a "normal cutter" is that the Goza cutters are broader and thinner than a "normal cutter." "Is this good or bad?" It depends entirely on your taste. Goza cutters are just as good as a normal cutter. Some people scoff at Goza-specific cutters because they say they are not "traditional." I say, to each his own.
  
  I personally have cut with some broad Goza cutters that are awesome! The blades feel big and heafty, but extremely precise when cutting through tatami. Would a Goza hold up on the battlefield? Not nearly as well as a standard cutting blade, but I don't plan on invading a castle anytime soon.
  
  All of the usual guidelines should be followed when purchasing one of these type of swords (some Goza cutters are weighted slightly forward for easier cutting. I personally don't like this. Ask the seller if the sword is evenly balanced or weighted forward toward the tip. I recommend an evenly balanced sword until you get a feel for what you really want out of a sword).




Does it have a real hamon, or an acid etched or brushed hamon?




• This is probably the hardest thing for a beginner sword owner to determine. Private sellers will often claim that the hamon is real, when in fact it's been acid etched, or brushed with steel wire. A real hamon is an indication that the sword has been heat forged.




What is your budget?




• A descent cutting sword will start in the $200 range. They can range in prices well up into the thousands of dollars. A $200-$500 functional sword is more than suitable for the beginning sword owner. You'll be quite pleased with most swords in this price range.




Are you buying from a private seller, or a sword company?




• Unfortunately, many private sellers on auction sites (like eBay) are just out to make a quick buck. They get their hands on mass-produced junk swords and try to pass them off as "real" Japanese swords (or they honestly don't know the difference and are just ignorant). Bottom line is, private sellers don't have much to lose when selling you a sword where a sword making company has a reputation to protect.
  
  If you're buying from a website with a physical forging facility somewhere, you can be sure that they want to protect their reputation and won't try to pull the wool over your eyes. However, that doesn't mean that a company manufactured sword is automatically superior to something a private seller is selling. It just means that you're less likely to get burned by an established company. Buyer beware.