Wrapping the high-carbon steel around a low-carbon steel creates a hard, but flexible, blade. Samurai sword blades produced a thousand years ago represent the pinnacle of swordmaking.

We’ll follow the blacksmith as he forges a samurai sword, paying close attention to the intricate folding and hammering techniques that result in the unique, layered structure of the blade.

Making a Masterpiece It has been said that the samurai's sword was his soul. Perhaps this deep attachment had something to do with the perfect melding of form and function found in the katana, as ...

4. Creating the blade (hizukuri) The shape of the blade is painstakingly formed using large and small hammers. The swordsmith works hard to sand down the edge of the blade in short sections.