Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Samurai Swords As Historical Collectibles

By Lindsey Herring


History has played a major role on how people have formed the present society. Particularly, many are into knowing more about the weaponry of the ancient times which does not exempt the mystifying samurai swords that Japan had for its warriors. The country's famous military dictators used to have them, making them big figures in history.

Imagine majestically riding one's horse in battle while drawing out one's sword from its wooden case. This is very exciting just like in the movies but it was indeed the fighting style of samurais in the past. Saya, the wooden case in which their blades are placed, are constructed with buffalo rings in the opening to prevent from being cracked.

Samurais believe that their instruments have spirits that live within them; thus, naming them is not a rare occasion in ancient Japan. The first of the weapons were straight bladed and single edge but due to warriors opting for more precise hits and easier mounting, they have switched to what has become now the famous form, the curved blades.

Samurai blades come three major classes, two of which were carried by the military dictators called Shoguns. The first one was Katana which was the longest, measuring up to 24 inches. Wakizashi was much shorter at 12 to 24 inches compared to the first kind, and is used in the same manner as Tanto, the third kind which is a small knife.

People have to be particular with choosing a sword as this is a very priceless historical item. For maximum strength, choosing pure steel as its component would be necessary. The forging should also have been done in a sophisticated manner, just like the ancient weapons have been. A heating treating for the edges known as hamon should be done to guarantee the right polish.

To get as much feel as the real warriors in Japan, choosing the design is quite crucial. The curve should look as majestic as real ones do and its functionality should be exceptional. The connection between the owner and the sword should be evident in the way the warriors move to strike, and this is what people should try to find.

Being able to test the materials would be necessary to warrant its quality. In fact, the ancient swordsmen have tested the blades by striking at the smaller and bigger bones of corpses. This was highly important for a precise strike to enemies.

Should clients wish to have a guarantee against manufacturer defects, it is essential that they get warranties from the sellers of the samurai swords. Moreover, getting to know the terms and conditions for the doing refunds and replacements is necessary for clients to ensure they get only the best values.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment