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Modern sword smiths often use shortcuts during production: mono-tempered blades, buffing wheels and grinders to polish their swords. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you know what you’re buying. Some of these time-saving techniques are used by Mantis Swords – for example, in making our entry-level Shoden class, where value and solid workmanship are the primary goals – but what sets us apart is our dedication to traditional process in crafting our higher-end swords.

These swords, in the Tamahagane line are made in an elaborate process. This begins when the smith hammers and folds the raw iron. The folding action removes impurities from the metal and introduces the Hada, a rich yet subtle grain patterning of the blade. Our Bushi line also undergoes a similar folding process but uses modern steel as its base material rather than raw iron. All swords in these three lines have full tangs and all tangs are one inch shorter than handle length.

Traditional polishing of the blade is perhaps the most labor-intensive (and thus costly) step in the making of a Japanese sword. Both lines of swords in the Tamaagane Class are hand-polished by a series of graduated stones imported from Japan, an artistic procedure that requires more than 30 hours of meticulous handwork. Each stone is finer than the one before – the scratches left by the very last stone are so minute as to actually be smaller than the structural variations in the steel.

To the inexperienced eye, every blade looks glorious. Full appreciation comes through knowledge. Our goal at Mantis Swords is to promote a fundamental understanding of the lore of the Japanese sword, perhaps the most recognizable blade in the world. As one famous sword expert, Inazo Nitobe, one said. It is no wonder the Japanese sword thrills “with mixed feelings of power and beauty”.

Musha Class
The Musha class of weapons offers practicality at an elevated level. The focus is on durability and performance – these swords are a perfect introduction to the arcane of the Samurai warrior tradition. These well-balanced, robust blades are made of exceptionally resilient 1060 steel.