Our Forging Method

The forging of a samurai katana is a real art from the ancient Japanese culture.

Our team of blacksmiths are masters of this heritage, and can craft your katana in the spirit of Japanese tradition.

Katana Tradition is more than 10 experienced blacksmiths at your service.

The 6 key steps of katana making:

1. The creation of the furnace The creation of the furnace: our blacksmiths create a furnace in which they cook the materials that will allow the creation of steel (manganese, T10, Damascus, etc…).
   
   
2. The formation of steel The blacksmith must add oxygen and carbon in a precise manner and at the right time to obtain a quality steel.
   
   
3. The bending of the steel At this stage, our blacksmiths separate the hard and soft parts of the steel to create a subtle blend of flexibility and strength.
   
   
4. The formation of the blade Our blacksmiths use several techniques, but the “honsanmai” method is the most frequently used. It consists of a hard steel sword core, which is covered with a semi-tender steel.
   
   
5. Tempering The blade is literally soaked in water at more than 1000°. As it cools, the blade hardens and becomes sharp. It is at this point that the Hamon appears.
   
   
6. Polishing The master polisher (togishi) begins by cleaning the blade to remove all impurities. Then, he will use stones with variable grain to polish the sword. This has the effect of to refine the blade and give it its sharpness.
   
   
7. La Touche Katana Tradition: but this is the secret of the house that our blacksmiths pass on to each other .

Good to know: samurais consider that each katana has its own soul. So take care of it!

To learn more about katana maintenance, check out our complete guide.