at this point i own the "paul chen" tiger katana,plus a ww2 folded navy katana,
two crazy prettythang bat winged battle axes,
at one point i owned, the shinto katana "paul chen"
miyamoto musashi katana "paul chen"
blind fury
conan sword
2000 katana "junk"
hero axe by "paul chen"
plus far to many "junk" ones to list.
the posts in here about the steel are mostly right, if you want a "Functional" sword do not get stainless steel. ALL stainless steel swords are junk.
the katana is by far the greatest sword ever created by man, the only sword that comes close is the, pattern welded broadswords.
i know some people think this is untrue, and thats cool. ive been into swords for many years, and have owned quit a few. Ive studied the history of swords in all cultures.
i read in another post that a samurai wouldn't stand a chance against a fully armoured European knight. thats crazy, it is the other way around.
imagine a true katana blade that is so sharp,saying "its sharp enough to shave with" is an understatement. until you see one up close and see it shave paper, you cant appreciate truly what there capable of. now you might think well if its so sharp, then it must be brittle, cuz we all know the harder the steel the sharper you can make it, in the same, the more brittle it is. Thats why you can take a scalpel and break it between your fingers.BUT the japanese found a way to overcome that, they differentially heat treated the blade useing clay, so the edge is extremely hard while the body of the sword remained soft, {my paul chen tiger edge measures 60 on the rockwell scale while the back is 45,} that is the wavy pattern near the edge running up the blade, its called hamon line or in japanese "turbulent sea".
in the hands of a master {all samuria were} a sword like that could and would cut through metal armour quit easily. the knight would feel confident in his armour and try to stand against the samurai, who would draw his sword make his killing stroke, resheath is sword,in the space of one breath.
but that, of corse is just my opinion:cool:
