Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Every blade we sell is hand-forged by smiths working in Longquan, China. We do not stock machine-stamped blades. Stock removal production swords exist at a lower price point for a reason, and that reason shows up in the grain structure under magnification.

Steel choice depends on the blade. Our standard katana line uses 1095 high-carbon steel. Our premium line uses T10 tool steel or tamahagane-style folded steel. Fittings are brass, iron, or ray skin (same-gane) depending on the model. We specify every material on each product page, because a vague materials list usually means someone has something to hide.

Longquan, Zhejiang Province, China. Longquan has been producing bladed tools and weapons for over 2,600 years. The city’s water, local abrasives, and generational knowledge base are part of why serious collectors source from here. This is not a coincidence of geography. It is accumulated craft knowledge that does not transfer by simply setting up a forge somewhere else.

Both categories exist in our catalog and we label them clearly. Functional swords are heat treated to HRC 58-62, have full-tang construction, and are test-cut ready. Decorative pieces are finished to a higher cosmetic standard but are not rated for tameshigiri.

Never swing a decorative sword. The distinction matters more than price does.

Longquan smiths grind their own bevels by hand on a wet stone wheel. The geometry is set by eye and feel, not a CNC jig. You notice it immediately in the distal taper: a Longquan blade loses mass predictably from base to tip. That consistency affects balance and handling in ways specs alone cannot capture.

Pick one up and you will feel the weight shift toward the kissaki in a way that polished-on-a-machine blades simply do not replicate. Read more in our buying guide.