Hanwei Paul Chen Nanbokucho Raptor Katana Sword

Okay, so let's move on to the second sword in the Hanwei Paul Chen Raptor Series, which is the Nanbokucho Katana (SH2416). Nanbochuko is a historical period which spanned from around 1332 to 1392. This period of time is historical because it encompassed sixty eyars of internal conflict in Japan. This conflict created a huge demand for more and bigger sword blades than ever produced previously. Several traditional designs of Katanas and swords became longer and wider. Some swords were just ridiculously huge! It is believed that this is the period where the Odachi was born You know - the super large sword that has a blade that measures an insane 49"!!

So, suitably named for this period, the Nanbokucho Katana is an impressive piece of artwork and mastery. The blade length of this katana is 30". It has a long kissaki, and yet a weight of just under 3lbs. The weight is what makes this kstana as surprising as it is because it still allows for its weilder to move and cut swiftly and accurately. It is very agile and even nimble enough for one to master double cuts.

The blade of the Nanbokucho is forged from 5160 high carbon steel that has been specially heat treated. This has producted a very high resilience and a greater tolerance for a misdirected cut that beats any conventional differentially tempered blade. Also, becuae of this heat treating process, it has enabled the Hanwei forge to be able to avoid excessive thickness of their steel. This allows the blade to replicate the weight and handling characteristics of the original Japanese Katanas. The Nanbokucho itself was designed for heavy targets.

If you want to take a closer look at this sword go to SamuraiSupply.com and you can own your Nanbokucho Katana today! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Paul Chen Raptor Moroha Zukuri

So, I mentioned we would look at the Paul Chen Raptor Sword Series, so the first sword we will look at is the Moroha Zukuri (SH2413). The sword is believed to have originated in the Heian Period which is from 794-1185. The originating design is said to come from the Tachi style blade by a legendary sword smith known as Amakuni. The style is seen as a link between the old Ken straight swords and the curved Tachi (and later Katana).

What really stands out about the Moroha Zukuri is that it has some unusual characteristics. For starters, it has a back edge on the top half of the blade, with fullers starting where this edge finishes and continuing to the hilt. This edge however, is deliberately left unsharpened for the benefit of Iaido practitioners used to working with more conventional blade styles. The blade itself is hand forged from 5160 high carbon steel and is mar quenched to an edge hardness of 57HRC.

The great thing about this Katana Sword is that the blade length is only 26 3/8" and the sword only weighs 2lbs 7oz. So, for functional purposes, this sword is very quick, and ideal for multiple cuts in light targets. Hanwei has really made an effort with the Raptor Series to make a sword that is versatile for many different types of users. The Raptor line harnesses the fact that we are not all the best cutters. Some are just starting, while others are perfecting their techniques. With the Paul Chen Raptor Series you get a lot of bang for your buck as this sword can handle a lot of abuse, and misdirected cuts while staying razor sharp.

If you are looking for a great cutting sword, check out our Paul Chen Raptors and buy yours today! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at info@samuraisupply.com.

Paul Chen Raptors - What's in a Name?

We all know the importance of a name. This is why many katana swords are named what they are. It is a symbol of respect, or sometimes, to just show from which period the design came from or what it was influenced by. Many people believe that the soul of the Samurai lives in the blade. This is all the more reason to take special care when naming a sword.

So, let's take a look at a wonderful group of swords brought to us by none other then Paul Chen. The Raptor designs area all based off of some historically important periods where forging technology and designs were really improving. The Raptor lines focused around making a very versatile, wide ranged sword line and that is what was accomplished. These Raptor swords can be used for a wide choice of targets rather then just mats. Hanwei Paul Chen has given careful thought to the way they name their swords and we should always remember that when we are choosing the sword that best fits us. We will look at each sword in the Raptor Series much closer in the next few blogs to come.

To add a Paul Chen Raptor to your collection, go to our site at SamuraiSupply.com and if you have any further questions, please feel free to email us at info@samuraisupply.com

Storm Shadows Sword from G.I. Joe

We took a look at the Snake Eyes sword, but it would not be complete without looking at the Storm Shadows sword as well, as the two really do go hand in hand!

As many of you sword fans already know, Storm Shadow is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe series and television shows and is best known for his history with fellow ninja Snake Eyes. Throughout their history, the duo have been everything to one another from the bitterest of enemies, to the most loyal of friends (and blood brothers of course) who would fight and die for one another.

For those of you who want a bit more information, here you go! Storm Shadow’s real name is Thomas S. Arashikage. Arashi means “Storm” and Kage means “Shadow” in Japanese, which tells you how he got his name. Storm Shadow is the only member of the team to change sides several times as he is conflicted in loyalties between Cobra, G.I. Joe and his strong relationship with his brother, Snake Eyes.

Storm Shadow usually wears a white uniform and a mask and when you do see him out of his uniform, he is usually shown to be Japanese-American with black hair and dark eyes. He is a great ninja warrior and is a covert ops specialist as well, so he is a very useful member - to either side!

This is a great sword for display as it is a stainless steel half white blade that comes unsharpened. It also has a ninja clan symbol engraved on the balde and a cobra head guard and the white handle has twin cobra heads. It also comes with a really cool white scabbard. Check it out further at SamuraiSupply.com and add it to your collection today!

Snake Eyes Sword from GI Joe

Something we have to talk about are some great movie swords that are available. We will talk about many of the different movie swords, so today, let’s talk about GI Joe and the Snake Eyes Sword shown in the picture (SA0280).

Snake Eyes is the code name of a member of the G.I. Joe team and much of his history and information, including his real name, and most everything else about him, has remained classified throughout all depictions of his origin. Snake Eyes is quiet in his movements and is a quick and deadly master of many martial arts as he is a full- fledged ninja master.

Snake Eyes has a quiet personality and usually wears what is best described as a black military type ninja bodysuit along with a balaclava and visor to cover his face, which was disfigured in a helicopter explosion. Of course, since then, Snake Eyes has had a lot of plastic surgery to repair the damage he had to his face, however, he still has a few scars left behind. His vocal cords however, could not be repaired after the deadly explosion.

A description of Snake Eyes out of his uniform, is that he is around six feet tall, with an athletic build, blond hair and blue eyes and of course has his Snake Eyes Sword! This sword is a 440 stainless steel unsharpened blade with partial serration and ninja emblem. There is a cast metal guard, a full tang with a poly grip handle and a speckled finish scabbard with a metal accent. This is a MUST HAVE for all the fans of Snake Eyes and the GI Joe movie!

Visit SamuraiSupply.com today and check out all our movie swords and start collecting your favorites today! If you have any questions, please contact us or if you have a sword in mind that you want and you do not see it on our site, let us know and we’ll do our best to find it for you!

Musashi Toradragon Katana and Yaki-ire Tempering

In our Musashi Katana collection, we have a sword called the Musashi Toradragon Katana Sword (SS761-1). This Katana Sword is a hand forged 1095 high carbon steel blade and is tempered using the Yaki-ire method. There have been a few questions on what the Yaki-ire method is, so we thought we would give you a bit more information on it.

Yaki-ire Tempering:

1)After the forging and the final shaping the blade is covered with clay, a thick layer on the body and a thinner layer on the edge where the Yakiba will be. After the clay has dried, the sword is placed in a charcoal fire until the temperature reaches approximately 700 degrees centigrade (1290 degrees Fahrenheit) on the back and 800 degrees centigrade (1470 degrees Fahrenheit) on the edge. Due to the heating, the blade gains somewhat in dimensions, and the tip curves a little upwards. At this point, it is then plunged into a container with water of a temperature of about 20 degrees centigrade (70 degrees Fahrenheit).
2) In the water, the edge, which has a thinner clay coating, cools off faster than the main body of the sword - the thicker clay, together with the greater thickness of the blade itself, keeps the heat longer than in the edge portion. The material at the edge contracts, and two seconds after the swords has been put into the water the blade curves slightly towards the edge; this is called Saka-zori or Gyaku-zori ("reversed Sori").
3) Five seconds after the blade was immersed in water, the rapid cooling of the edge caused a transformation of the steel structure from austenite (a nonmagnetic solid solution) to martensite (a very hard and brittle solid solution of iron and carbon), resulting in an expansion of the edge. The body of the sword, cooling off slower and losing its expansion which was caused by the heat, crystallizes into pearlite (a mixture of iron and cementite [iron carbide]). In other words: the edge expands while the back shrinks, thus gaining a Sori towards the back, the typical shape of a Nihonto.

We hope this helps out all your questions about Yaki-ire tempering and that we gave you a bit of insight of what goes on behind making this awesome Musashi Toradragon Katana Sword! We have a great sale going on now, so be sure to add this Katana Sword to your collection today! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at info@samuraisupply.com.

Ryumon Okinawa Practical Sword

We could not very well publish an article and a post about Ryumon Swords and not showcase one of their beautiful swords! The one in particular we think you should know more about is the Ryumon Okinawa Practical Katana Sword.

This gorgeous sword is hand forged and folded AISI 1060 high carbon steel blade tempered in the traditional clay method, which produces a hard and extremely sharp cutting edge and a very resilient spine. Of course, this sword is polished by master sword smiths to reveal its beautiful hamon and hada as well and the iron tsuba is very detailed.

This Ryumon Okinawa Practical Katana Sword also comes with a premium sword maintenance kit which is worth $30 and a reference guide. If that was not enough add ons, it also comes with a silk sword bag and an unsharpened training blade with a rounded tip so that you have an extra blade to practice with! This gives you an extra blade - yes, an extra blade!

This is just an amazing sword for the price as we have this Ryumon Sword at an awesome sale price right now! Click on our Ryumon Swords and pick out the one that best suits you now and add it to your collection today! If you have any questions about this Ryumon Sword or any other Samurai Swords, please contact us.