I ran across a new website the other day, and I haven’t decided if it thrills me (at some level) or scares the h*ll out of me.
SamuraiBlades.com sells samurai swords. These are not just some cheap, plastic replicas of ancient Japanese swords, but real, forged-steel (or brass or bronze) blades that are beautiful to display and function well enough to cut through almost any material you’d want to attempt.
I did not realize there were so many different types (styles?) of samurai swords. Some of the types offered on the site include:
Katana Swords – The long, slightly curved sword that I personally associate with Samurai (especially when it is time to commit the dreaded hari-kari!)
Wakizashi Swords – These samurai swords still have the curved blade and ornate handle, but they seem to be slightly shorter and thicker than the sleek Katanas. This probably means these blades will need somewhat less sharpening and polishing if one actually uses the sword for slicing and dicing.
Tanto Samurai Swords – These swords have much shorted, sturdier blades with very little curvature. Rather than providing the longer reach of the Katanas, these swords seem to be for more close combat.
Some of these swords are manufactured for display only, and they would make a very attractive accent in a “man cave” or other room with the right decor. However, others are definitely forged, sharpened to be functional; many of the manufacturers include videos demonstrating just how sharp and durable they are.
High tech has definitely met ancient tradition on this website. If you’re at all interested in these types of items, be sure to browse around SamuraiBlades.com. As of this writing, the site is still being finalized (e.g. product photos being added), but it’s selection seems to be excellent.
