• What is the best steel?
• How many times are the Dynasty Forge swords folded?
• Are folded blades better?
• What do you define as hard cutting?
• How long should the handle (tsuka) be?

High carbon steel by nature is a compromise between hardness and resilience. A hard blade will take and hold a razor edge longer. However, excessive hardness will cause brittleness, making the long blade of a sword prone to bending and snapping. A more pliable steel will lose its edge faster but be more resilient to shock and bending. The heat treatment of steel often plays a larger role in determining the characteristics of a sword. The composition of each steel found in the dynasty forge range has different characteristics, and this means that the "best" one is the one that most suits your personal needs.

The Dynasty Forge Musha 1060 Spring Steel is the lowest carbon content steel they use. It is very tough but tends not to take or hold an edge as well as the higher lines. This sword is ideal for hard cutting and for the beginner who has an imperfect cutting technique. The Bushi Modern Forge-Folded range is a mix of 1060/1080/1095, giving an overall carbon content of between the Daiymo 1095 range and the Musha 1060 range. As such, it is reasonably tough yet can hold an edge and perform admirably. This is probably the best compromise between hardness and resilience.

The Dynasty Forge 1095 high-carbon steel most closely mimics the traditional aspects of the Japanese sword. Given its high carbon content, it takes a razor edge while providing the stiffness required for superior handling. The attributes of this sword are best suited for experienced cutters. Finally, Tamahagane is the traditional-constructed sword. It is very close to the Bushi Modern Forge-Folded in performance characteristics, with slightly better edge retention.

The Musha 1060 Spring Steel Line and Daiymo 1095 Line are not folded. The Bushi Modern Forge-Folded and the Daiymo Tamahagane lines are folded 8 to 12 times.

Depends on the raw material. The original purpose of folding was to remove impurities found in Tatara steel. This material by nature was not very pure. Given the very pure composition of modern steels, such folding is not required for practical purposes. The Daiymo Tamahagane line, extracted from iron sand, must be folded because the raw material is not pure. The Bushi Modern Forge-Folded line is folded purely for aesthetic purposes. From a performance perspective, folding modern steel does not enhance performance.

We define this as the cutting of materials such as dowels and hard bamboo. For hard cutting, we recommend using the heavier blades. All cutting should be performed under proper supervision and instruction; and preferably using traditional materials such as tatami omote.

While handle length is personal preference, the Dynasty Forge katanas are fitted with tsuka that are traditionally proportioned in respect to the length of the blade. There is a general trend in North America to increase the tsuka length to 14" and more. While there is no right or wrong, some considerations (such as loss of handling, increased leverage) should be taken. Consultation with you instructor as to the proper length is advised. Dynaty Forge blades with extended tsuka are available on custom orders.