<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>Is that a functional blade or just a show piece?
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>
That katana is one of the few limited run from the Highlander series.
It is hand made in Spain with an actual live blade.
The cheaper blades, like United cutlery sells, are very much different in not just the blade, but in all aspects of sword.
You can see the diff between the chisel grind cheap blade and a razer with a rolled edge as in this pic. The top is the cheapo and the lower one is the live blade.
Both are usable, but the live blade is a much better blade than the other and will stand up to years of use.
In this next pic, from left to right is the spanish live blade, the cheapo then the true live blade I have that was hand forged in the orient.
This next pic is just the oriental blade, if you look at the bottom of the blade, you will see a lighter section of the blade. This is the hamon, or the heat treated area.
The heat treatment gives the edge strength and in combination with softer steel in the rest of the blade, durability to prevent breakage.
In this pic, you can compare the three different qualities of the fittings and the tsuka (hilts).
Again from the top is spanish, cheap then oriental.
This post couldn't be complete without a close up of the menuki on the tsuka of the oriental blade.
If you want to see more great hand forged live blades go to
The Bugei Trading Co.
Enjoy!
_________________
Linear Mode
