Shop Tamahagane Katanas & Knives
Tamahagane is a traditional Japanese material that is used to make samurai swords and knives. It is unique to Japan and was traditionally created in a process that took months on end. The result was a beautiful hand-forged steel that could be used to create blades with a starkly contrasting hamon and distinctive folded steel pattern for katanas and knives. Explore our tamahagane katanas today to find high quality, hand-forged products.
The Process
In feudal Japan, swordsmiths would smelt iron sand and charcoal in a tatara furnace until the iron and carbon elements fused together, making tamahagane steel. There are only a few places where traditional tatara are still used to create this fused steel — one of the most important of which is located in the Shimane prefecture of Japan. This tatara is lit only in the deep winter when the air is very dry. For this three week period, it is possible to create a maximum of three batches of the steel, as a complete creation cycle requires seven days from start to finish.
The process for creating tamahagane katanas is heavily regulated and supervised to ensure the quality and allocation of the ore.
Our Quality Guarantee
At Swords of Northshire, each of our products is handcrafted with the utmost care and attention to detail. The traditional Japanese steel and methods our swordsmiths use ensure that the product you receive is a fully functional, high quality work of art.
Browse our collection to find a blade and fittings that speak to you.
Looking for something a little more unique? Create your own personalized custom Tamahagane sword through Swords of Northshire today.