Are the Japanese process of making katanas better?

[golok]

Recently, I watched a documentary on Samurai history and their famous katana and how it's made.

The programme featured a third-generation swordsmith who makes katana the old fashion way. He has several assistants who helped forge the blade from several different pieces of steel. Apparently, this is the tried-and-tested method which has proven to be excellent in making top of the range katanas.

I was wondering how does this old fashion method compare with the present modern methods of making swords.

Are their any expert opinions?

 

[Robert Marotz]

The methods work for the swords they produce.

However, what do you mean by "better?" Do they make inherently better swords? Nope. Many of the lower-range swords in Japanese history have been made using similar methods...

Also, are all of the processes necessary to make a usable blade? If you are working with tamahagane, the forge-welding and everything is considered an important aspect, because of the nature of the steel (its purity and consistency or lack thereof). Conventional modern stock steel however does not need to be forge-welded to purify it.

Also, what do you mean by modern methods? Western smiths? Modern Japanese smiths?

If you are referring to the Japanese, they are restricted to the methods and materials they are allowed for swordmaking in Japan. There are some modern things that are implemented like power hammers in some instances, but in general, Nihonto creation is governed by rules.

As far as western smiths go, they are not limited in materials and do not need to meet an aesthetic quality, so they do not need to invest as much energy and time and money into creating certain properties.

In *my* opinion, they are simply different methods to achieve different swords. To create a completely traditional Japanese-style sword, the old Japanese methods work well. Is it the most efficient method of producing swords in general? Nope. Does it produce the best performing swords? Not necessarily. Other methods exist that are just as feasible, but not traditional.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[Joe Renner]

I agree with Robert(though I dont suggest it ).
It should also be pointed out, however, that the old fashion method is not leaps and bounds different the modern.
The best of the ancient swords and the best of the modern are pretty comparible in a lot of aspects.

 

[Danbo]

I may have to put on my fireproof suit after posting this, but I am of the opinion that if the ancient Japanese swordmakers had access to some of today's modern steels, they would not have gone to all the trouble of doing all that welding and folding.

 

[Joe Renner]

Originally posted by Danbo
I may have to put on my fireproof suit after posting this, but I am of the opinion that if the ancient Japanese swordmakers had access to some of today's modern steels, they would not have gone to all the trouble of doing all that welding and folding.

Well they did have access to clean crucible steels from other countries, and they still folded it with tamahagane. It makes me curious to know if there are any completely monosteel and non laminated blades from the past.
If they had acces to modern materials *and* knowldege about them, I think theyd use them, but if they just had access to it, it wouldnt change much. You have to keep in mind even though they were using poor materials they still made excellent swords with them. So the material had only so much to do with it.