Only believe what you can touch.......

UffDa · Jul 15, 2000

I am writing this because of a recent conversation with an "expert" at a local gunshop. The conversation turned to blades and what might be the best steel and blade shape. The "expert" related how his 500 year old "Samurai" sword was the made of the best steel ever created by man. He went on to tell how the Samurai sword could slice a silk hanky which was just dropped on the edge and could still easily sever a machine gun barrel with out damaging the edge. You've all heard these stories.

Of course, I couldn't let these rediculous statements go unchallenged. I offered to supply a silk scarf and and old '03 barrel for him to cut in half. Of course, he made some excuse about his sword being to valuable. I then offered to buy a piece of cheap iron pipe for him to cut in half. Surely, that would hardly be a challenge. No, not a chance, he replied. Any attempt at further discussion was useless. My only comment as I left the shop was, "BS walks again."

Common sense should tell us that a straight razor should be able to slice better then a sword of any kind and if a high quality ax can't cut a machine gun barrel with out damage neither can a sword. These are simply fun stories much like the urban legends of today.

"Only believe what you can touch. Didn't we all see Forrest Gump shake J.F.K.s hand?"

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Do not lead me for I will not follow.
Do not follow me for I will not lead.
Do not walk by my side either.
Just leave me the hell alone.

[This message has been edited by UffDa (edited 07-15-2000).]

allenC · Jul 15, 2000

I wonder how the Marines ever beat the Japanese since the Japanese had these incredible swords.
I guess the swords just worked better on starved, unarmed POWs.

cerulean · Jul 15, 2000

I've heard that the "sword cutting off the machine gun barrel" myth was started by a Japanese propaganda film in WWII.

OWL · Jul 15, 2000

I think this guy saw The Bodyguard one too many times...

I believe in what stinks too

Burke · Jul 15, 2000

Yeah, I had somebody tell me a few days ago that because the Japanese swords were made out of many layers of thin steel, they never need sharpening. As each layer wore out, it fell off, leaving a fresh, sharp edge behind. I didn't disillusion him.

SALTY · Jul 15, 2000

As with life itself, Japanese swords evolve through an ever changing, if not fluid, metamorphisis of progression; knowing not where they go - nor from whence they came.

- 21st century East Coast philosopher

[This message has been edited by Nimrod (edited 07-15-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Nimrod (edited 07-15-2000).]

Roger Blake · Jul 15, 2000

Assume for a moment that he correct. He would decline cutting a gun barrel because that would damage his sword. So let that one stand. You should then offer the silk hankerchief. No damage in cutting that, execpt of course to his ego.

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Roger Blake

Jeff Clark · Jul 15, 2000

These stories last for centuries and improve all the time. There is a story from the crusades (I don't remember the characters--somebody like Richard the Lion Heart and Saladin, but probably not). Anyway the european demonstrates the strength and power of his heavy sword by cutting a steel mace handle in half. The muslim demonstrates the speed and sharpness of his scimitar by cutting a silk handkerchief in half in the air with a swipe of his blade.

These stories are not only more plausible, they tell you things about the technology that came into the conflict for the holy land. The knights from out of the cold north country were used to wearing and chopping at heavy (an hot) armor. The northern style armor was likely to cause heat prostration in the middle east and so the muslims used lighter swords against lighter armor. Speed was one of their key requirements.

WrongFriend · Jul 16, 2000

I echo OWL, it sounds very similar to the sayings after "Bodyguard".

Burke, katanas are made in different way from usual laminate steel. Usually lamination is made placing hard, edge steel bound between soft steel, but an average katana is made by covering a ragher "soft" core steel by hard edge steel. So if the edge is worn out it gets useless at all.

About sharpenings, katana needs sharpnings (complecated polishing stages included). And the price is crazy. $100+ per INCH! It's a decent grade sharpening and the high end I can't imagine its cost.

And about WWII battles, even if katana could have cut machinegun barrel (I don't think so, of course), cutting and parrying machinegun bullets flying to you is a quite different thing.

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Did you enjoy today?
\(^o^)/ Mizutani Satoshi \(^o^)/

[This message has been edited by WrongFriend (edited 07-16-2000).]

Burke · Jul 16, 2000

WrongFriend, I know that. I was saying that someone told me, incorrectly, that katanas never needed sharpening. $100/Inch? Wow. Maybe I should have majored in "katana sharpening" in college.

WrongFriend · Jul 17, 2000

Burke, sorry for bothering you correct my misunderstanding. Learning $100+ sharpening ( including all the cosmetic skills also) is one thing, finding customers to pay that amount is another. That's exactly what the "honesmiths / honemasters" suffer from now.
Frankly saying their sharpening is more for artistic sake than practical, and is almost useless on non katana blades.

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Did you enjoy today?
\(^o^)/ Mizutani Satoshi \(^o^)/