Many first-time sword buyers ask whether samurai used katanas because they want the sword on the wall to mean something real. Samurai did use katanas, but the period and setting change the answer. That history affects whether you should buy…
Most standard katanas use a two-hand grip. The one-handed katana you see in a game, anime clip, or movie scene is often a style choice, a special technique, or a fantasy blade. Before you buy one, think past the pose.…
A tsuba is often the first fitting people notice on a katana. It is easy to give it too much weight. A good guard can make a sword look finished, but the blade, handle, and mounting matter more. A tsuba…
A saya is the fitted wooden scabbard, or sheath, that holds a katana blade when the sword is not in use. That answer is simple. The buying decision is not. On a product page, the saya is easy to judge…
Yes, you can buy a katana in Japan and bring or ship it to the US in many cases. The answer changes once you know what kind of sword you are buying. A modern replica is mostly a packing, airline,…
If you are looking at the small pegs in the handle and wondering whether they come out, start with the handle, not the blade. The tsuka, mekugi, and fittings tell you whether this katana was built to be opened. This…
The moment that catches new owners is often not drawing a katana. It is putting the blade back into the saya. The edge is close, the tip is moving, and the support hand is near the opening. There is not…
If your katana is going away for more than a few weeks, start by identifying the blade in the saya. A modern carbon-steel katana, a display sword, and an inherited blade should not all get the same treatment. For most…
The hard part is not spotting a beautiful katana. It is knowing what that sword is actually built to do. A decorative katana and a functional katana can share the same curve, wrap, tsuba, and polished product photos, but they…
Preventing your katana from rusting comes down to one missed thing: moisture left on polished steel. After handling or cutting, wipe the blade, dry it fully, and add a thin coat of mineral oil or choji oil. Display blades can…
