| From: | Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@***.NEU.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Katanas |
| Date: | Wed, 28 Jun 1995 13:06:37 -0400 |
writes:
Marc> Aaaaaarrrgh. The katana does not do extra damage because
Marc> of superior craftsmanship, better edge, better balance, or any
Marc> other of a horde of pseudo-mystic "Japanese swords are just
Marc> better" over-romanticized crap.
Nothing pseudo-mystical about it. But it is true that a well-crafted
blade is going to be better than a lesser blade, in general, and the
Japanese blades are superior in general, depending on the techniques
used in crafting the blade. There are six basic techniques that I
recall, varying from a machine-stamped hunk of steel to four-ply masame.
If you want more details I can provide them, privately, unless there's
really that much demaind for the info. But I will say this: folding
doesn't make a sharper blade. The reason for the folding/layering of
Japanese and Damascus blades is that it resists breaking. A cast blade
is homogenous throughout; if a crack develops the blade breaks. If a
layered blade develops a crack somewhere, it will only affect that
layer. At the lowest quality, Japanese blades were little more than a
hunk of iron and a hunk of hard steel with an edge; these would break
fairly easilly. At the higest quality, the techniques used by Murasame
and the other master craftsmen result in a blade with over 4 million
layers; very difficult to break.
Marc> By the time 2050 rolls around, I'd doubt that there are very few
Marc> master swordsmiths still operating, so pretty much everyone will
Marc> have the cheap stuff.
Not true. There are swordsmiths in Japan, and there always will be. It's
a tradition. However, Japanese law prohibits them from making more than
a handful of swords every year, and thus the prices are extraordinarilly
high (a high quality period sword will cost you between $20K and $50K; a
blade made in Japan today, same or even lesser technique, will cost two
to five times that amount). There are also a number of swordsmiths
outside of Japan who have studied and use the Japanese techniques, and
that number is growing.
Marc> There are two reasons a katana does more damage. The
Marc> simplest is because it is generally (though not always) wielded in
Marc> two hands.
Quite true. The two-sword styles (Ni-to Ryu, etc) are exceptions.
Marc> The other is in the way that it is used.
Marc> European-style baldes are really just edged bludgeoning weapons. [...]
Depends on the blade, but it is true that the medieval period longsword
is little more than a drop-forged steel club with a pointed tip. A sharp
edge is nearly useless against steel plate.
Marc> A katana, on the other hand, is used in an entirely different
Marc> manner. The vast tissue-damaging potential comes from the fact
Marc> that most of the strikes are a sliding/slashing strike rather than
Marc> a chop or smash.
Conversely, Japanese armors were designed to cause the edge to bind,
making it unable to slice through.
BTW, your average elf, standing at over 6 feet, is going to have a hell
of a time using a katana, because they're too small. He'd be better off
with a jin tachi.
--
Rat <ratinox@***.neu.edu> \ Caution: Happy Fun Ball may suddenly
PGP Public Key: Ask for one today! \ accelerate to dangerous speeds.
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/ratinox/ \
