Swords & Stilettos by Kristin D. Van Risseghem

This hidden part reveals many things like the signature of the master smith for example. It is the part that continues from the blade under the handle. Nakago :The Nakago is the tang of the Katana. This bo-hi throat is also useful for the sound, because it allows to know if the cut is good at the sound of the wind, which is rather satisfactory. It is important to have a blade that lasts over time and can withstand many cuts.īO-HI :The Bo-Hi is a line carved inside the blade of the Katana that allows to reduce the weight of the blade, but also to adjust the balance point of the sword. The sharpening of this part as well as the hardening and the steels used will determine the quality of the edge, but also its rigidity and solidity. It is this part that is usually hardened with the Hamon in the traditional way. Ha :The Ha is the cutting edge of the blade. The Kissaki tip varies between Katanas, it can be larger or smaller. This tip separates the rest of the Katana blade from the Yokote. Kissaki : The Kissaki is the tip of the Katana as shown in the picture above.

Almost all Katanas have this feature, there are some exceptions with Katanas without Yokote where the blade is continuous along the whole length. Yokote :The Yokote defines what separates the blade from the Kissaki. It is as important as the rest of the blade and reveals the Boshi. The polishing of this point can take a long time, as it is very important. This Hamon does not have a 100% success rate and this affects the price of high-end bladesīoshi :This part refers to the hardening line of the Hamon which extends to the tip (Kissaki) of the Katana. We coat part of the blade with a clay mixture that we will heat and temper, the part with the clay will cool much faster and will be more rigid and sharp. Hamon :The Hamon is the line of tempering that demarcates the most rigid and sharp part of the blade with the other, more flexible part. The flat section of the blade is therefore called Shinogi-Ji. The Shinogi is the part from the edge of the blade to the line that determines the flat of the blade. Shinoogi & Shinogi-Hi : These two Japanese terms are complementary. This curvature can vary according to the katana and has several names depending on the intensity of the curvature. Sori : The Sori measures the curvature of the blade. The Katana Sword is a fascinating work of art with a lot of different parts in its nomenclature, let us explain you easily most of the parts. Welcome to Katana Sword, here are information about the Katana that you need to know !

Swords & Stilettos by Kristin D. Van Risseghem