Sharpest Knives and Swords in the World ?

While obviously the term "sharpest" is oversimplified, here are some videos from Japan for anyone who likes to
ponder these things.

Kuzan Oda is a custom Japanese knifemaker who used work for Robert Loveless. He made knives in Colorado and Alaska. He made the Shiva for Al Mar.
He also designed the "Kuzan Tanto" for Pacific Cutlery.
Eventually he returned to Japan and went on to obtain his certification as a Swordmaker after studying under the Master swordmaker
Yoshiwara Yoshindo. He is, as some would say "the real thing".

A Japanese TV program decided to test a Katana made by Kuzan Oda against a 45 ACP. It cut the bullet in half.
Start from 2:50 mark.


After this, the program put Kuzan;s sword up against a Browning M2 machince. Naturally the sword got destroyed.
But not till 7 rounds had hit it from the .50 caliber M2.


Both tests were done in Utah, USA and using high speed cameras.
 
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KenHash said:
While obviously the term "sharpest" is oversimplified, here are some videos from Japan for anyone who likes to
ponder these things.

Kuzan Oda is a custom Japanese knifemaker who used to make knives in Colorado and Alaska. He made the Shiva for Al Mar.
He also designed the "Kuzan Tanto" for Pacific Cutlery.
Eventually he returned to Japan and went on to obtain his certification as a Swordmaker after studying under the Master swordmaker
Yoshiwara Yoshindo. He is, as some would say "the real thing".

A Japanese TV program decided to test a Katana made by Kuzan Oda against a 45 ACP. It cut the bullet in half.
Start from 2:50 mark.


After this, the program put Kuzan;s sword up against a Browning M2 machince. Naturally the sword got destroyed.
But not till 7 rounds had hit it from the .50 caliber M2.


Both tests were done in Utah, USA and using high speed cameras.
Click to expand...
This is a test of toughness and strength, not sharpness. Meat, wood, paper,even water will deform,deflect or at least change the trajectory and velocity of a bullet of any calibre or velocity.
It is a however a display of a bladesmiths ability to heat treat simple carbon steel, used in most swordmaking, Japanese or otherwise, to a exquisite balance of strength and hardness, whilst being able to obtain a fine and very sharp edge, that can function as a hand held weapon.
 
ElementalBreakdown said:
Sure, I'll buy into the idea that there are some really sharp swords out there, but the mythology of "living steel" - while appropriate for a cosplay nerd fest - is strictly in the realm of fantasy.
It is absurd that a reporter from CNBC (I am ignorant about which networks are spewing the most fake or poorly researched pieces) is perpetuating the old "it'll cut a silk hankie landing on the blade" silliness.
I have met Watson several times at those Ren Faire and it's hard to take a dude wearing leggings and a 14th century pirate shirt and feather in his cap.
All kidding aside, now that I know knives, the blades I saw were more like stage props than anything we buy.
Super thick blade stock and obviously no folders, weight makes them totally impractical, and even if his magic oven is churning out Wootz, we have steels now that far exceed anything made 600 years ago
The other issue is that the "living steel" pieces priced in the thousands came back year after year unsold.
It was the cheap "bright knight" or some similar named line that people were buying.

But on the other hand, how easy is it to fake bladesmith status? I have no idea what those credentials look like or if there are any rules surrounding them. Kinda like a stolen Valor situation except as far as I know there aren't any laws against pretending to have them, especially when you are playing make-believe in the first place at Larp-o-rama fest.
Anyone know if there are laws or penalties for faking the bladesmith credentials?
Click to expand...

This sure does seem like you just wanted an excuse to make denigrating comments about Renaissance Fairs and people who enjoy them. What does it really matter if some small company many people haven't heard of is making some claim about their products?

It DOES amuse me that you think there are "bladesmith credentials" and it's a legal matter if someone claims to be a bladesmith. LOL "Hello, Police? Someone is at this local Ren Faire calling themselves Bladesmiths, I need SWAT at the following address..."

Comical, really.
 
Quiet said:
This sure does seem like you just wanted an excuse to make denigrating comments about Renaissance Fairs and people who enjoy them. What does it really matter if some small company many people haven't heard of is making some claim about their products?

It DOES amuse me that you think there are "bladesmith credentials" and it's a legal matter if someone claims to be a bladesmith. LOL "Hello, Police? Someone is at this local Ren Faire calling themselves Bladesmiths, I need SWAT at the following address..."

Comical, really.
Click to expand...
Screenshot 2021-09-01 9.56.09 AM.png

"Did someone call for SWAT?"
 
KenHash said:
While obviously the term "sharpest" is oversimplified, here are some videos from Japan for anyone who likes to
ponder these things.

Kuzan Oda is a custom Japanese knifemaker who used work for Robert Loveless. He made knives in Colorado and Alaska. He made the Shiva for Al Mar.
He also designed the "Kuzan Tanto" for Pacific Cutlery.
Eventually he returned to Japan and went on to obtain his certification as a Swordmaker after studying under the Master swordmaker
Yoshiwara Yoshindo. He is, as some would say "the real thing".

A Japanese TV program decided to test a Katana made by Kuzan Oda against a 45 ACP. It cut the bullet in half.
Start from 2:50 mark.


After this, the program put Kuzan;s sword up against a Browning M2 machince. Naturally the sword got destroyed.
But not till 7 rounds had hit it from the .50 caliber M2.


Both tests were done in Utah, USA and using high speed cameras.
Click to expand...
They've done the bullet test on Forged in Fire too, so not sure it carries much weight
 
I said exactly THE OPPOSITE about credentials, which is what you just agreed with. As long as you are going to follow me around with your nose against my arse, take the time to enjoy the complex notes of the fragrance. Total fail.
Note that I also mentioned I have attended said events for 35 years, so the claim that I either think there are credentials (although on some level there most certainly are people that officially judge a prospective bladesmith's right to claim specific credentials) or that I have some kind of gripe against Ren Faires in general are both weak attempts to get a rise out of me. No one cares. Go downstairs to the dungeon and eat your cheesy poofs seems like you might be a little hangry.
 
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The sharpest knife is made from obsidian. Supposedly the edge can be so sharp/thin that it will cut between your cells.
 
Agreed, but so brittle that surgeons don't use it for fear of leaving splinters.
I asked the surgeon that fused my spine about this (head of neurology at Columbia Presbyterian) & he said only time it's used is for preparing slides for microscopes.
But you are 100% correct in that it's technically the sharpest of you are referring to thinness along the edge. Pretty much 1 atom at the edge.
 
ElementalBreakdown said:
Sure, I'll buy into the idea that there are some really sharp swords out there, but the mythology of "living steel" - while appropriate for a cosplay nerd fest - is strictly in the realm of fantasy.
It is absurd that a reporter from CNBC (I am ignorant about which networks are spewing the most fake or poorly researched pieces) is perpetuating the old "it'll cut a silk hankie landing on the blade" silliness.
I have met Watson several times at those Ren Faire and it's hard to take a dude wearing leggings and a 14th century pirate shirt and feather in his cap.
All kidding aside, now that I know knives, the blades I saw were more like stage props than anything we buy.
Super thick blade stock and obviously no folders, weight makes them totally impractical, and even if his magic oven is churning out Wootz, we have steels now that far exceed anything made 600 years ago
The other issue is that the "living steel" pieces priced in the thousands came back year after year unsold.
It was the cheap "bright knight" or some similar named line that people were buying.

But on the other hand, how easy is it to fake bladesmith status? I have no idea what those credentials look like or if there are any rules surrounding them. Kinda like a stolen Valor situation except as far as I know there aren't any laws against pretending to have them, especially when you are playing make-believe in the first place at Larp-o-rama fest.
Anyone know if there are laws or penalties for faking the bladesmith credentials?
Click to expand...
The credentials are a small laminated card exactly like a driver's license. and a prominent badge the smith must form themelves. The bladesmith must carry them at all times and immediately present them on request. There are no exceptions to this law. Failure to do so is considered a federal crime & if found without them their name will be struck off the Forged in Fire contestant list.

It is also illegal to share images of said credentials for security reasons.
 
I haven’t come across Angel Sword in a few years. I remember talking to them a few times at Ren Faires and their bragging about a bullet test, and thinking that their swords were both very crude in finish and very expensive. They also said that they enjoyed accepting challenges and breaking their opponents swords; which I found both stupid and offensive. No doubt swords break, but intentionally breaking someone else’s swords in mock battle as some sort of marketing point was way over the top.

n2s
 
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jlauffer said:
They've done the bullet test on Forged in Fire too, so not sure it carries much weight
Click to expand...

Oh I don't think it carries any "weight". I know similar or same "tests" have been done with other knives and'they can
be found on youtube. I posted the videos for entertainment purposes only.
As I said the term "sharpest" in the cutlerly world doesn't mean some all encompassing wonder blade, and to me any debate
based on that is just entertainment.
 
unwisefool said:
I don't think anything you guys have posted can hold a candle to Cutco knives...
Click to expand...

I can say I’ve heard my skin pop just from getting near the edge after receiving some knives back from them. It‘s nice to be able to drive across town and drop them off at the front door :).

What’s also nice is that the better restaurants in town have Cutco at the tables. No need to bust out your pocket knife to cut a steak around here lol.
 
Do you guys really not know that there are requirements to be considered for various levels of mastery?

www.americanbladesmith.org

Membership Levels

Regular Membership (Apprentice Bladesmith) 1 year Regular Membership ($60)Regular memberships are for bladesmiths who wish to receive all the benefits we have to offer in their pursuit of excellence in their craft and is a must for those wishing to pursue a Journeyman smith rating. Important:
www.americanbladesmith.org www.americanbladesmith.org

Some of you blur the line between being schooches and sarcastic with actual lack of information to the point where it's unclear where one ends and the other begins.
There's like a half dozen of the dungeon dwellers that I'm referring to here, not the whole site.
It's weird to make a hobby of schooching people, not to mention confusing to those that don't know what it's about. Feel free to chime in with something clever or witty, but otherwise it's just distracting and annoying to those not familiar, and irrelevant to me personally.

But there are actually requirements to be considered for various levels of mastery in the ABS.
 
ElementalBreakdown said:
Do you guys really not know that there are requirements to be considered for various levels of mastery?

www.americanbladesmith.org

Membership Levels

Regular Membership (Apprentice Bladesmith) 1 year Regular Membership ($60)Regular memberships are for bladesmiths who wish to receive all the benefits we have to offer in their pursuit of excellence in their craft and is a must for those wishing to pursue a Journeyman smith rating. Important:
www.americanbladesmith.org www.americanbladesmith.org

Some of you blur the line between being schooches and sarcastic with actual lack of information to the point where it's unclear where one ends and the other begins.
There's like a half dozen of the dungeon dwellers that I'm referring to here, not the whole site.
It's weird to make a hobby of schooching people, not to mention confusing to those that don't know what it's about. Feel free to chime in with something clever or witty, but otherwise it's just distracting and annoying to those not familiar, and irrelevant to me personally.

But there are actually requirements to be considered for various levels of mastery in the ABS.
Click to expand...

Those requirements are just set by the ABS to define its membership. You can be a high quality bladesmith without being a member of their organization.
 
I’ve just developed a new steel, less then 1 atom at the edge. I can’t talk about it here though because my ABS card says otherwise.
 
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