Hey Shad, big fan, pro boxer here. Letting you know why your "horizontal cuts" are failing you. This is the same problem that I see most new boxers have trouble throwing an effective hook. Hooks in boxing can be very prone to being slow and arm-driven and more like a "push" than a punch. Obviously there are some form differences in swords and punches but two major points are the same. 1: Almost all the turning power will come from the hips and by pivoting off the back foot. 2: To generate more "snap" or speed on the turn you want to bend your knee on the back foot and pivot on the ball of your back foot. Treat your rear foot like the spindle, your hips are the fulcrum, and your front foot stays solid. You can trick yourself into good form by pretending like you heard something over your left shoulder and you need to turn and look as fast as possible. You'll notice a natural slight dip in both your knees (more in the back) and you want to focus all your energy on that turning in your hips. Hope that helps!
Sounds about right to me, and I would like to see both of these guys make better cuts all together, which learning how to horizontally cut would do. I hope to see a video of Shad training his swing with these tips!
Too much right arm baseball bat swings and not enough cutting with the tip. They are both practically leading the sword with their hands, with the tip making contact dead last. Proper cutting technique would also lessen the chances of any blade damage.
@@davefletch3063 Well I'm sure they know that! What I see is that they don't provide enough speed/power, so they begin with good edge alignment and keep it steady for a bit, but they just don't cut through fast enough so they're expected to keep that edge alignment for too long when they should be swinging in the direction of their edge alignment faster.
There's something really great about the smile of Shad's face when he took those first cuts. It's the face of someone getting joy from something they love. He's just geeking out.
Do you guys know that you can check your subscription page? You get to see everything everyone you subscribes too posts. I never miss a video on any of my favourite content creators
@@EeveetoUmbreon25 Yeah, ive been using it more ever since the recommended page stopped changing when i refresh it. I wish they would revert to how it used to be.
A few quick things: 1. The edge rolling vs chipping is a bit odd. You should get a hardness tester (either the scratch-files or a digital one) and test the full length of the blade. I suspect something wonky happened in heat treatment. 2. Hitting a PVC pipe of that diameter is actually extremely hard on swords, especially from top-down at an angle because it will catch the edge and twist the blade. As such, I'm not surprised the sword took damage, but rolling the edge was a bit strange. Before you destroy it, I hope you test the hardness to see if it's actually as advertised Looking forward to the next video 👍
Could be a bad forge weld in that general area too. Perhaps even some delamination in the micro structure. It happens and you can't confirm that without cutting the blade and looking. Or if the blade peels like a banana during the destruction testing. But I agree that's not normal even for a katana. I love them but I hate them, they feel great and they are beautiful but darn me if they aren't glass cannons!!!
I want to see how the hilt holds up. Shadiversity vids have shown that katana hilts are detail and labor intensive to fix but have the best shock handling features.
Its a cheaper Apprentice blade, I know its $3k but that is relatively cheap a modern masters work sell for $100k over there. So you are bound to have some issues in possibility as they are learning and they are complex to make.
I had the same thought about consistency of hardening, and your suggestion that it be tested along the length of the edge is, uh, on point as the kids say. If it was indeed traditionally clay hardened as the hamon shows, the sword may not have reached optimum temperature or it may have been quenched too slowly. I can’t think of any other explanation for that rolling.
@@RepressedObeseCat Nothing was said about any loosening or rattling, and as critical as both Shad and Tyranth are about such things I expect there wasn’t any. But then it only took two hard hits- three if we count the PVC pipe. I guess we will find out for sure after the destructive testing.
I can buy metal products from people who can make them but my own technological level is still blades made of basalt that quarts has formed into. I'm not familiar with a hardness testing tool. I just use 1 material to scratch another in order to determine if it is hard enough to do so.
Couldn't agree more. Speaking as a bit of a steel nerd, what most people fail to understand is that modern, high end steels simply far exceed the best steels that were ever even possible in the past and it doesn't matter how laborious or traditional the sword making process was or how many times the steel was hammered and folded it doesn't make any difference, modern steels are just better. The entire reason all that laborious processing and folding was done in the first place was because of the relatively unrefined quality of traditional raw materials and it was necessary to literally beat the impurities out of them. If you start with decent quality modern steels and process them in the traditional method you introduce oxide scale impurities into them and actually make them chemically and structurally worse.
The steel used in modern, reputable high-quality Japanese knives is the same as the steel used in Katana. Japanese steel company Hitachi Metals developed Yasugi Specialty Steel (yasuki hagane) around 1970 by analyzing tatara steel and tamahagane. Yasugi Steel has the same properties as katana, so it is hard, impact resistant, and hard to break. Yasugi Specialty Steel is used for a variety of purposes, including knife steel, high-grade kitchen knife materials (Kai Corporation, Zwilling), razor materials (Gillette, Schick, Wilkinson razor steel), automobile parts materials, automobile engine parts, aircraft engine parts, etc.
@@tn1881ironic given katanas are generally considered better decorations than weapons. Their mythical reputation is just that, a myth. In reality they're pretty shitty swords.
@@colby1398 Katana was a practical weapon, so from the 10th century onwards, China, Mongolia, Korea and Southeast Asia imported katana from Japan and used them by military personnel. In the 16th century, the West imported katana. Mongolian scholar Zheng Si-xiao (1241-1318)"katana is extremely sharp. "鄭思肖『心史』中興集 倭刀極利 Chinese Ming Dynasty General Qi Jiguang (1528-1588) "It is difficult to approach with my soldier's sword, it is too late with a spear, and if we encounter them, everyone will be cut off and killed. This is because their weapons are sharp and they are free to use powerful and heavy swords that can be swung with both hands. " 明 戚继光 纪效新书 我兵短器難接、長器不捷、遭之者身多兩斷、縁器利而雙手使、用力重故也。 Chinese Ming Dynasty military scholar Mao Yuanyi (1594-1640)"Katana is extremely robust and sharp, Chinese swords are no match for katana." 茅元仪 日本 刀極剛利中國不及也 Jesuit missionary Gaspar Vilela(1526 -1572 ) "He observed that their weapons were correspondingly efficient, for their great swords could cut through a man in armor ‘ as easily as a sharp knife cleaves a very tender rump," Spanish trader Bernardino de Avila Giron (-1619) "I say again that they are very warlike and use very cruel and cutting weapons, made of such refined steel that they cut through iron with ease." "The quality of its steel shatters European steel with the first blow." ‘Vuelvo a decir que son muy belicosos y usan de armas crue‐ lísimas y cortadoras, de tan refinados aceros que cortan el hie‐ rro con facilidad.’ ‘von solcher Qualität des Stahls, daß europäisches Eisen davon auf den ersten Anhieb zerspringt’
@@colby1398 They are good swords, not magical swords, Are they the best? No, but they are not shitty. Most people buy them for the aesthetic, they are quite beautiful swords.
Asian steel was worse than European steel too, thats why they needed to fold the damn metal so many times and also the reason why the west got so much more advanced than everyone els...
Also lot of these very expensive katanas are optimiced only for soft target cutting. Not only the differencial temper makes them less durable, but they also often have extremely keen edge angle that then chips or gets other damages very easily, but just zips through soft targets.
@@einarr7301 Sure BUT they are also expected to be able to parry other katanas. Rolling is a sign the blade isn't hard enough (otherwise it would have either received no damage or have chipped if it were too hard) and rolling on a relatively soft material like PVC... that is inexcusable. I mean they are at the very least expected to be able to cut bone and that is about twice as hard as PVC. Not a good look. So... this one is shit and I wouldn't pay $200 for it. Striking the top of the pvc at that shit angle I would expect it to take a warp, bend, or set due to not being spring steel but an edge roll? Naw they dun fucked up the heat-treat.
The Katana made in Japan are highly regulated/restricted to be produced by the traditional method as a cultural art. The steel for these swords is deliberately produced in limited quantities. All of this drastically limits supply, creates prestige, and radically drives up the price. For Japanese katana it’s better to treat the pricing like the modern art market (though not as extreme). However, unlike modern art Japanese Katana are actually beautiful and skillfully made. 😅 I think there’s value in doing it the traditional way, even if it’s not as strictly functional as swords made with modern materials and methods (modern steel is impressive).
Yes but unfortunately a lot of people think all of that translates to traditional Japanese katanas being superior swords, when in reality they just aren't. And people think any traditional way of making steel or swords is superior to what can be accomplished with modern techniques and materials and that certainly isn't the case. A katana like that is a piece of art and a piece of history-by-proxy and should be regarded as such. And that doesn't take away from what it is in the slightest.
@@Kelnx Isnt it just way more Work hours than inustrial steel. I mean you can go to Ikea and get a wardrobe for a 1000 bucks. and when you go to a carpenter he can make you the exact same wardrobe but it is going to be like 10.000 bucks.
And like most high price tag art, they largely get used in money laundering schemes. It's very easy to "launder" large amounts of dirty money with art, since the price is totally subjective. Nobody can really argue this or that art piece isn't worth millions, because it doesn't really have any value at all beyond what someone is willing to pay for it.
@@Iryukasa it's from the spy who shgd me (Austin Powers, Gold Member character says it, it's a compliment but if you haven't seen it, you won't get it 💪)
@@pRahvi0 yes, but verbatim, the character was Swedish, so it was a put on inflection for Goldmember. I didn't really get what was meant by the phrase per say, but it was funny in context of the scene.
Japan legally enforces the traditional method of katana making since they have strict weapon laws. The katana is given an exemption since it’s considered a cultural heritage, but that includes the requirement that it’s made in the old way as an artistic expression. Anything outside of that would be considered an illegal weapon and destroyed, even including other stuff considered antique like those officer swords made for the Imperial Japanese Army in WW2 (hence why most still existing of those swords are in the US taken as war booty by American GIs). So since everything must be made in the traditional way otherwise it’s illegal, that drives up the price considerably.
It's probably because it's illegal for anything to call itself a katana except for one made traditionally so they have a corner on the market in Japan.
Oh, having lived through one of the worst weeks at my work, nothing could bring a smile on my face except for Shad and Ty having fun with katana! Thank you so much!
You guys need a file guage set to test your hardnesses. They're fairly cheap, and Tyranth can likely find a use for them in the shop. I keep a set in my apron for blacksmithing
I got to see historical katanas in person and their engravings were so fine that I didn't even bother to take a picture of them because I knew that the detail wouldn't even show up in the photos on my old 2010 phone. I can only barely see the finer details on that sword with your camera. I'm convinced that sword is a work of art.
Regarding the lack of durability and performance of traditional Katanas compared to their modern counterparts . High end Katanas are like high end mechanical wrist watches. They are objects of beauty , the pinnacle of craftsmanship, and incredibly expensive . That said , a $50 quartz Casio will keep better time than a $5 million Richard Mille.
Yea if you think about it, in medieval Japan, if you see a brightly dressed man with an even more brightly colored and "bedazzled" sword by his side. You wouldn't want mess with him even if he was a novice. Its a testament to wealth and money can be just as dangerous as that sword at their side.
@@wrongeden3420Not even just Japan. Look at the Landsknecht. Funny hats, bright clothes, super expensive swords... And you would not want to mess with many people less.
@@wrongeden3420 aint no way you are swinging at ANYONE with a silver inlayed katana haha. even if dude cant swing it, his wallet can. you can cut him but he can cut your entire bloodline.
@@newp0rt I'm not saying a good looking sword is a strong one. besides the blade itself can be completely ordinary and well forged, it would be the handle and sheathe that is fancy anyway, that wouldn't effect the blades quality. Normally you wouldn't see someone else's blade out of its sheathe anyway.
Now you've got the weapon to battle the gods, lol. BTW good to see you're still doing well in the Al Gore rhythm. I still have a lot of my fave channels that I have to actively search for, especially some of the sub 10k subscribers I watch. The AL Gore rhythm could choke these channels before they get running. TH-cam really needs to fix this.
Yeah I'm going to rewatch the hell out of it. But only to make sure he can afford more sheets of kevilar after deliberately letting himself get scammed.
I live vicariously through your channel. I own a hand forged sword around 500 bucks... Vastly different and balanced than any manufactured one ive owned.
Great video... I'm always eyeing off swords to buy, haven't done it yet, but every video pushes me ever closer. Only question is how will I convince the wife...
There's some decent options in the $200 ish range. Less if you're fine with scratch and dent kinda stuff. That shouldn't be absolutely insane to treat yourself to in the eyes of the missus.
I've been following you guys about half a year now,since I found the channel and only today I've realised that Shad is the total Adam Savage of swordsman. Same looney energy in a good way.
Our conclusion seems rock solid. But I really wonder how you can get that hardening so wrong, unless you do not try it at all (because you re afraid of ruining the sword). But it seems to have a real harmon, what I believe comes wrong the tempering. Would be really interesting to get a test of the hardness and the type of steel used.
I love seeing them use quality katanas. I am absolutely here for them to do a series trying to find and test better and better katanas and then bring them all back at the end for a competition video to crown the best katana money can buy. Please?
Oh what a nice surprise, this is from my favorite forge from anywhere around the globe, their craftsmanship is outstanding. I never thought I'd see Shad have a blade from them in front of him. Very cool.
23:09 i got the same damage on my 1800$ Katana, got the damage cuting into a wooden pillar, didn't see the nail. the katana cut into the wood as good as an achette and it even cut the nail but it got a little roll on the blade. i tried to hammer it up but at the end i ended grinding it and resharpening it.
I know someone that as waited 5 years for his Tamahagane Katana to be made and paid 23k for it and the edge roll and the sword warp when once by mistake he hit the wood stick inside the tatami mat he add to send it back to Japan for 11 month to be taking care of by the master bladesmith and a master polisher and it cost him an additional 6k for this cutting mistake. Katana are amazing cutters and cool and beautiful but they also are so fragile if made traditionally, personally I rather buy a cheaper modern steel Katana to avoid those flow, yes traditionally made or antique katana are absolutely beautiful but 20k for something that will bent if u make a slight mistake when cutting for me is not worst the price unless u so rich that u don't give a damn like my friend does lol
Amazing, That was hilarious, the build up to Tyranth's first cut!!! Hahahaha I laughed so hard...🤣 and I see just how much he wanted to absolutely total it into the 4x4...Hahahahaha I love you guys!!! Its a truly impressive looking sword tho, you can see the quality, but of course the traditional recipe will obviously result in a much weaker than modern high carbon blade!!!
Just use the Subscriptions page muh man and never miss a video ever again. Well, when the page isn't glitching out I mean, but I've found it infinitely more reliable than relying on notifications/Home page.
Quality can also mean different things, like in this case. It's a beautifully made sword. But it's not as functional as swords made of modern materials.
Thats right my 2 händer from 15 century is only a Wall Dekoration even If IT IS restored nowi dont think IT will Cut throw anything propally . And that was an very exspensive THING
@@TerryProthero Yeh it should be obvious and go without saying that modern materials are just simply superior to technology from 500 years ago but it seems that some people (not the OP) especially in the "katana fan-boy" community can't seem to wrap their head around that concept, honestly I can already hear someone typing that this video is invalid because the sword wasn't made with tamahagane.
@@QwertyBoredom122They don't even understand that katanas were folded thousands of times not because it's some mystical technique, but because Japan's access to good iron sucked and they needed to beat the impurities out.
I doubt anyone spending $3k on a katana is expecting it to be a particularly useful tool. However, as a centerpiece for a collection, it seems to be brilliant. And the fact that it's so pleasant to cut with means you can still have fun playing with it, just not especially stressful situations.
Not surprised it took the set, Katana are pretty good at that when they are properly deferentially hardened because the spine is softer and bends easier. Also, japanese words don't use S's for plural, hearing "katanas" is... grating lol. There is one katana. There are many katana. Beautiful sword though. I think people underestimate how weak swords were in general if you go back to ancient materials and methods. Plenty of broken European swords found in battlefields as well.
Yeah, but they didn’t break after two swings. They had been in combat for weeks likely you know, like actually swinging their sword against other swords and hitting them against other metal. Based off this video, I would be surprised if you swung to samurai swords against each other, and they didn’t shatter into 1 million pieces. I find that hard to believe, considering that the samurai literally used the swords for combat for defense and for their military for hundreds of years does this display the incredible swordsmanship of Japanese people or is there something going on with this sword?
Very nive video! It was hilarious watching your expressions!! As for the sword, when you go over 3000 dollars traditional made katanas they are usually good for the wall not extreme stuff. You destroyed it!!!! I am literally crying!!!
The crowd was tense with excitement as the final three Samurai faced off; After a long day of competing it was the final round of competition to find who was indeed the master swordsman. In a final challenge the three men had to show their prowess and concentration by slicing the finest of targets, a mere fly. The first Samurai steps up to the stage a fly is released. Bzzzzzzzzzz Bzzzzzzzzz ‘Zing’ With extreme precision the Samurai slices the fly in half, the crowd erupt. The second Samurai fearlessly steps up on stage and another fly is released. Bzzzzzzzzz Bzzzz ‘Zing Zing!’ With two cuts of his sword the second Samurai cuts the fly into not two but four pieces. ‘Amazing!’ Scream the crowd. Such a feat has never been seen before. The quiet descends for a final time in the stadium as the third Samurai calmly steps on stage, the tension is paramount as the fly is released. Bzzzzzz bzzzzzzz ‘zing!’ Bzzzzzz bzzzzz The fly simply flies off, seemingly free from its fate. The crowd are dejected, one man can’t help but disappointedly ask ‘is that it? You couldn’t even kill it!’ The third Samurai raises his finger, ‘Ah yes he may live but that fly shall have no children’.
. I need to say, I am both thrilled and terrified for the destruction video. Because like the absolutely beautiful shield Skallagrim reviewed, he destroyed a less decorated one not wanting to ruin the pretty one. And, for me, seeing beauty get destroyed both hurts and looks cool.
Ya'll need some way to measure claims on rockwell hardness, that edge behaviour makes no sense at all towards what you would expect from it, even cheaper hand made katanas dont seem to behave that badly, i wonder if theres some funny business going on there.
There’s definitely some funny business going on for thousands of years samurai would pass the swords down as heirlooms. They would go into battle and kill people and defend their lives with these swords. I find it hard to believe that they would break after a few lousy hits on some wood or PVC.
Many people, Tyranth included after watching this video, really underestimate how much better the modern steels and smithing methods we have today. Ever since the first blacksmith, they have worked to keep going further. It's human nature to push something further.
From what I've seen, Nate's not local to the studio and he needs to focus on establishing himself in his new full time position. Hoping his new job has a generous vacation policy.
Rolling can happen even if it is high. Rockwell, if the edge geometry does not support itself, can roll. But I did a little bit of investigating via their TH-cam channel, and they really apply to much clay. I would say their blades likely have soft spots due to how they are applying it, as they are taking a shortcut with applying the clay.
I have a chinese ming magistrate's sword (jian) called white serpent from lk chen, apparently the lightest real sword skallagrims ever handled. I used it to cut down a tall (5 ft) pine stump (8 inch diameter) in a forest. The pattern welded blade is doing just fine. Fittings are loose but they were loose before because... I cut other stuff with it too. Seeing this video really makes me appreciate the design of the jian and lk chens mastery of these manufacturing arts. I'm blown away (also ps I have accidentally slammed this baby into a steel fence pipe before and yeah it's got a bit of roll but hey it's no PVC PIPE 😂)
There is no way in hell that that thing has a 60 CR rating Rockwell, many blades have that hardness and dont do that. I think they messed up the heat treatment
Samurai fought and died with the swords, they defended their homeland and attacked rival clans. I find it hard to believe that for thousands of years they would continue to use a sword that breaks after two hits on some wood however, maybe this really goes to show how impressive Japanese swordsmanship was that they were able to their skills to the point of never chipping their blade
i see your point on your las video on youtube shun you style a go to your home page and the view ar not wath a see in the past. your content are deligthfull and well construc argument and valid point are there that saaaad ....... i continue to love what you did
hearing the *klink* *klink* *klink* *klink* as shad made his way over after Ty failed the horizontal cut was just *chef's kiss*
14:54
lollllll
Hey Shad, big fan, pro boxer here. Letting you know why your "horizontal cuts" are failing you. This is the same problem that I see most new boxers have trouble throwing an effective hook.
Hooks in boxing can be very prone to being slow and arm-driven and more like a "push" than a punch. Obviously there are some form differences in swords and punches but two major points are the same. 1: Almost all the turning power will come from the hips and by pivoting off the back foot. 2: To generate more "snap" or speed on the turn you want to bend your knee on the back foot and pivot on the ball of your back foot. Treat your rear foot like the spindle, your hips are the fulcrum, and your front foot stays solid. You can trick yourself into good form by pretending like you heard something over your left shoulder and you need to turn and look as fast as possible. You'll notice a natural slight dip in both your knees (more in the back) and you want to focus all your energy on that turning in your hips. Hope that helps!
Thanks mate, that helps me too (about throw punch).
Sounds about right to me, and I would like to see both of these guys make better cuts all together, which learning how to horizontally cut would do. I hope to see a video of Shad training his swing with these tips!
@@yashuab.2979 they need to learn a sword isnt a baseball bat, they are meant to slice. Every cut should have a pull or push
Too much right arm baseball bat swings and not enough cutting with the tip. They are both practically leading the sword with their hands, with the tip making contact dead last. Proper cutting technique would also lessen the chances of any blade damage.
@@davefletch3063 Well I'm sure they know that! What I see is that they don't provide enough speed/power, so they begin with good edge alignment and keep it steady for a bit, but they just don't cut through fast enough so they're expected to keep that edge alignment for too long when they should be swinging in the direction of their edge alignment faster.
There's something really great about the smile of Shad's face when he took those first cuts. It's the face of someone getting joy from something they love. He's just geeking out.
Finally I'm getting you guys back in my recommended so I don't have to check the channel every few days.
Same
Do you guys know that you can check your subscription page? You get to see everything everyone you subscribes too posts. I never miss a video on any of my favourite content creators
Same man it’s been awhile since I got Shad’s vids recommended
@@EeveetoUmbreon25 Yeah, ive been using it more ever since the recommended page stopped changing when i refresh it. I wish they would revert to how it used to be.
@@McSpicyYT personally i never use the recommended tab unless im out of videos to watch in my subscription feed.
A few quick things:
1. The edge rolling vs chipping is a bit odd. You should get a hardness tester (either the scratch-files or a digital one) and test the full length of the blade. I suspect something wonky happened in heat treatment.
2. Hitting a PVC pipe of that diameter is actually extremely hard on swords, especially from top-down at an angle because it will catch the edge and twist the blade. As such, I'm not surprised the sword took damage, but rolling the edge was a bit strange.
Before you destroy it, I hope you test the hardness to see if it's actually as advertised
Looking forward to the next video 👍
Could be a bad forge weld in that general area too. Perhaps even some delamination in the micro structure. It happens and you can't confirm that without cutting the blade and looking. Or if the blade peels like a banana during the destruction testing.
But I agree that's not normal even for a katana. I love them but I hate them, they feel great and they are beautiful but darn me if they aren't glass cannons!!!
I want to see how the hilt holds up. Shadiversity vids have shown that katana hilts are detail and labor intensive to fix but have the best shock handling features.
Its a cheaper Apprentice blade, I know its $3k but that is relatively cheap a modern masters work sell for $100k over there. So you are bound to have some issues in possibility as they are learning and they are complex to make.
I had the same thought about consistency of hardening, and your suggestion that it be tested along the length of the edge is, uh, on point as the kids say.
If it was indeed traditionally clay hardened as the hamon shows, the sword may not have reached optimum temperature or it may have been quenched too slowly.
I can’t think of any other explanation for that rolling.
@@RepressedObeseCat Nothing was said about any loosening or rattling, and as critical as both Shad and Tyranth are about such things I expect there wasn’t any. But then it only took two hard hits- three if we count the PVC pipe.
I guess we will find out for sure after the destructive testing.
16:00 “DISHONOR ON YOU, DISHONOR ON YOUR COW”
"DISHONOR ON YOU! DISHONOR ON YOUR FIT! DISHONOR ON YOUR JORDANS!"
Right, that was very comical😂
. Shame on your hair cut, Man... I felt that.
These are the moments I am said I don't know photoshop. We need a meme out of this :D
My boi Mushu 😂
Shad shaming tyranth reminded me of that scene on Mulan.
"DISHONOR! DISHONOR ON YOU! DISHONOR ON YOUR COW!"
here write this down
No no not my cow :)
You guys need one of those hardness tester tools to find the TRUE hardness of the metal.
was about to suggest this
The riddle of steel indeed
Your average hardness detector cost's about 1200 to 1600 dollars American.
I can buy metal products from people who can make them but my own technological level is still blades made of basalt that quarts has formed into. I'm not familiar with a hardness testing tool. I just use 1 material to scratch another in order to determine if it is hard enough to do so.
@@theonepstein5100 Uh, hell no, I'll stick to my method. I still need to give money to the higher class in order to eat.
Couldn't agree more. Speaking as a bit of a steel nerd, what most people fail to understand is that modern, high end steels simply far exceed the best steels that were ever even possible in the past and it doesn't matter how laborious or traditional the sword making process was or how many times the steel was hammered and folded it doesn't make any difference, modern steels are just better. The entire reason all that laborious processing and folding was done in the first place was because of the relatively unrefined quality of traditional raw materials and it was necessary to literally beat the impurities out of them. If you start with decent quality modern steels and process them in the traditional method you introduce oxide scale impurities into them and actually make them chemically and structurally worse.
The steel used in modern, reputable high-quality Japanese knives is the same as the steel used in Katana. Japanese steel company Hitachi Metals developed Yasugi Specialty Steel (yasuki hagane) around 1970 by analyzing tatara steel and tamahagane. Yasugi Steel has the same properties as katana, so it is hard, impact resistant, and hard to break. Yasugi Specialty Steel is used for a variety of purposes, including knife steel, high-grade kitchen knife materials (Kai Corporation, Zwilling), razor materials (Gillette, Schick, Wilkinson razor steel), automobile parts materials, automobile engine parts, aircraft engine parts, etc.
@@tn1881ironic given katanas are generally considered better decorations than weapons. Their mythical reputation is just that, a myth. In reality they're pretty shitty swords.
@@colby1398 Katana was a practical weapon, so from the 10th century onwards, China, Mongolia, Korea and Southeast Asia imported katana from Japan and used them by military personnel. In the 16th century, the West imported katana.
Mongolian scholar Zheng Si-xiao (1241-1318)"katana is extremely sharp. "鄭思肖『心史』中興集 倭刀極利
Chinese Ming Dynasty General Qi Jiguang (1528-1588) "It is difficult to approach with my soldier's sword, it is too late with a spear, and if we encounter them, everyone will be cut off and killed. This is because their weapons are sharp and they are free to use powerful and heavy swords that can be swung with both hands. "
明 戚继光 纪效新书 我兵短器難接、長器不捷、遭之者身多兩斷、縁器利而雙手使、用力重故也。
Chinese Ming Dynasty military scholar Mao Yuanyi (1594-1640)"Katana is extremely robust and sharp, Chinese swords are no match for katana."
茅元仪 日本 刀極剛利中國不及也
Jesuit missionary Gaspar Vilela(1526 -1572 ) "He observed that their weapons were correspondingly efficient, for their great swords could cut through a man in armor ‘ as easily as a sharp knife cleaves a very tender rump,"
Spanish trader Bernardino de Avila Giron (-1619) "I say again that they are very warlike and use very cruel and cutting weapons, made of such refined steel that they cut through iron with ease." "The quality of its steel shatters European steel with the first blow."
‘Vuelvo a decir que son muy belicosos y usan de armas crue‐ lísimas y cortadoras, de tan refinados aceros que cortan el hie‐ rro con facilidad.’ ‘von solcher Qualität des Stahls, daß europäisches Eisen davon auf den ersten Anhieb zerspringt’
@@colby1398 They are good swords, not magical swords, Are they the best? No, but they are not shitty. Most people buy them for the aesthetic, they are quite beautiful swords.
Asian steel was worse than European steel too, thats why they needed to fold the damn metal so many times and also the reason why the west got so much more advanced than everyone els...
This is why these videos are important, great weapon but it has its limits and weaknesses
Of course it does, there is no perfect weapon and there was no perfect smith, Physics will eventually take effect and it will fail eventually.
Also lot of these very expensive katanas are optimiced only for soft target cutting. Not only the differencial temper makes them less durable, but they also often have extremely keen edge angle that then chips or gets other damages very easily, but just zips through soft targets.
@@lalli8152 absolutely. the katana is meant to cut through an unarmored target. they are last resort battlefield weapons
@@einarr7301 Sure BUT they are also expected to be able to parry other katanas. Rolling is a sign the blade isn't hard enough (otherwise it would have either received no damage or have chipped if it were too hard) and rolling on a relatively soft material like PVC... that is inexcusable. I mean they are at the very least expected to be able to cut bone and that is about twice as hard as PVC. Not a good look. So... this one is shit and I wouldn't pay $200 for it.
Striking the top of the pvc at that shit angle I would expect it to take a warp, bend, or set due to not being spring steel but an edge roll? Naw they dun fucked up the heat-treat.
@@einarr7301 Really its sidearm just like something like european knights sword would be in battlefield.
Man, it's great to see you more frequently in my feed. Cheers from the USA, guys!
The Katana made in Japan are highly regulated/restricted to be produced by the traditional method as a cultural art. The steel for these swords is deliberately produced in limited quantities. All of this drastically limits supply, creates prestige, and radically drives up the price.
For Japanese katana it’s better to treat the pricing like the modern art market (though not as extreme). However, unlike modern art Japanese Katana are actually beautiful and skillfully made. 😅
I think there’s value in doing it the traditional way, even if it’s not as strictly functional as swords made with modern materials and methods (modern steel is impressive).
You people are fucking freaks Jesus Christ
Yes but unfortunately a lot of people think all of that translates to traditional Japanese katanas being superior swords, when in reality they just aren't. And people think any traditional way of making steel or swords is superior to what can be accomplished with modern techniques and materials and that certainly isn't the case. A katana like that is a piece of art and a piece of history-by-proxy and should be regarded as such. And that doesn't take away from what it is in the slightest.
@@Kelnx Isnt it just way more Work hours than inustrial steel. I mean you can go to Ikea and get a wardrobe for a 1000 bucks. and when you go to a carpenter he can make you the exact same wardrobe but it is going to be like 10.000 bucks.
And like most high price tag art, they largely get used in money laundering schemes. It's very easy to "launder" large amounts of dirty money with art, since the price is totally subjective. Nobody can really argue this or that art piece isn't worth millions, because it doesn't really have any value at all beyond what someone is willing to pay for it.
yeah, a 6 Grand sword would be considered a 'cheap' katana in Japan. If you want a decent one you're talking at least 3 times that amount.
"My horizontal cuts--" "You suck at them." "SHUT UP." perfect chemistry, just missing my favorite bald man.
Yeah, haven't seen him for a bit.
I always get excited to see a Shad the Chad Brooks video
looking very toight.. yesh, yesh, toight loike a toiger 😂😂😂 in that apparel 👊 (not sure what the name is tbh.. 🤷) may be Gambon..
@@jamieoliver7947tf your saying,mate
@@Iryukasa "tight like a tiger" with bad accent, I suppose
@@Iryukasa it's from the spy who shgd me (Austin Powers, Gold Member character says it, it's a compliment but if you haven't seen it, you won't get it 💪)
@@pRahvi0 yes, but verbatim, the character was Swedish, so it was a put on inflection for Goldmember. I didn't really get what was meant by the phrase per say, but it was funny in context of the scene.
12:10 "horizontal cuts are the ones I have the most difficulty with-" Tyranth's reply to that was awesome haha
I loved their dynamic in this video.
@pRahvi0 yeah that was also the first thing I thought when Tyranth first joined. They really vibe off each other
What's scary is that $3k+ is still considered cheap in Japan.
Great video. Notification received after a few minutes.
Japan legally enforces the traditional method of katana making since they have strict weapon laws. The katana is given an exemption since it’s considered a cultural heritage, but that includes the requirement that it’s made in the old way as an artistic expression. Anything outside of that would be considered an illegal weapon and destroyed, even including other stuff considered antique like those officer swords made for the Imperial Japanese Army in WW2 (hence why most still existing of those swords are in the US taken as war booty by American GIs).
So since everything must be made in the traditional way otherwise it’s illegal, that drives up the price considerably.
It's probably because it's illegal for anything to call itself a katana except for one made traditionally so they have a corner on the market in Japan.
@@gameragodzilla
That's crazy they destroy antique. I understand modern made, but antique?
@@GuitarsRockForeverIt stems from the hard demilitarization efforts from immediately after WWII.
Made in China.
Love the banter between you guys. Finally also got recommended your video too which is a win win
Oh, having lived through one of the worst weeks at my work, nothing could bring a smile on my face except for Shad and Ty having fun with katana!
Thank you so much!
You guys need a file guage set to test your hardnesses. They're fairly cheap, and Tyranth can likely find a use for them in the shop. I keep a set in my apron for blacksmithing
Shad is so happy and giddy about his angle cuts😊
You guys made me laugh so hard during your tatami mat sequences
The combination of these 2 is always great.
Tyranth’s “OoOhHhh” on Shad’s low cut is the best part of the video.
Shad looks genuinely happy in this; the smile he's sporting gives him a aura of genuine satifaction and completeness.
I just clicked this vid for the algorithm to help the channel. Ended up watching it and enjoyed it a heap. Thanks for the content guys
What's this?!? A video from a Channel I'm subscribed to, being suggested to me?!? I am shocked!
I got to see historical katanas in person and their engravings were so fine that I didn't even bother to take a picture of them because I knew that the detail wouldn't even show up in the photos on my old 2010 phone. I can only barely see the finer details on that sword with your camera. I'm convinced that sword is a work of art.
Another video without a notification for me but I'm glad I was hunting for something to watch!
Shads little run in at 14:55 🤣
Tyranth: "I am Zen...I am Zen..."
I know absolutely nothing of swords, but this was a fun watch.
Shad one handed impression of tyranth, priceless.
Those are some clean cuts.
HONEY, GET IN HERE. New Shad vid!
god bless you, guys. epic cutting skills. props to shad for having that much energy with his condition.
Shad and your annoyance with the one handed cut is 100 percent correct in principle and the week wrist comment is spot on lol.
Watching the views/likes go up in real time is kinda crazy, at least early on he has a 50% like rate, that has to be huge for the algorithm
Thank you for a complete sword review and showing exactly what differences there are between traditional and new technology.
I would love Shad to do a video explaining steel types and how they're crafted.
Regarding the lack of durability and performance of traditional Katanas compared to their modern counterparts .
High end Katanas are like high end mechanical wrist watches. They are objects of beauty , the pinnacle of craftsmanship, and incredibly expensive . That said , a $50 quartz Casio will keep better time than a $5 million Richard Mille.
Yea if you think about it, in medieval Japan, if you see a brightly dressed man with an even more brightly colored and "bedazzled" sword by his side. You wouldn't want mess with him even if he was a novice. Its a testament to wealth and money can be just as dangerous as that sword at their side.
@@wrongeden3420Not even just Japan. Look at the Landsknecht.
Funny hats, bright clothes, super expensive swords... And you would not want to mess with many people less.
@@wrongeden3420 aint no way you are swinging at ANYONE with a silver inlayed katana haha. even if dude cant swing it, his wallet can. you can cut him but he can cut your entire bloodline.
@@wrongeden3420 id say this sword is even more powerful than a stronger sword. its got aura.
@@newp0rt I'm not saying a good looking sword is a strong one. besides the blade itself can be completely ordinary and well forged, it would be the handle and sheathe that is fancy anyway, that wouldn't effect the blades quality. Normally you wouldn't see someone else's blade out of its sheathe anyway.
Brilliant Krull Glaive video Tyranth 😁
a fun movie that Tyranth should watch.
Shad so proud it makes me smile
I loved this video, especially the quality and price comparison, especially with the European swords.
Now you've got the weapon to battle the gods, lol. BTW good to see you're still doing well in the Al Gore rhythm. I still have a lot of my fave channels that I have to actively search for, especially some of the sub 10k subscribers I watch. The AL Gore rhythm could choke these channels before they get running. TH-cam really needs to fix this.
This was a super fun video, top tier banter
Yeah I'm going to rewatch the hell out of it. But only to make sure he can afford more sheets of kevilar after deliberately letting himself get scammed.
They bicker like siblings, it's hilarious
I live vicariously through your channel. I own a hand forged sword around 500 bucks... Vastly different and balanced than any manufactured one ive owned.
Great video... I'm always eyeing off swords to buy, haven't done it yet, but every video pushes me ever closer. Only question is how will I convince the wife...
Gotta get past the wife boss fight hahaha
Want a low cost way to start your collection? Look at Tyranth's build video on converting a $25 machete into a Falchion.
Don't use a sword.
There's some decent options in the $200 ish range. Less if you're fine with scratch and dent kinda stuff.
That shouldn't be absolutely insane to treat yourself to in the eyes of the missus.
I've been following you guys about half a year now,since I found the channel and only today I've realised that Shad is the total Adam Savage of swordsman. Same looney energy in a good way.
The rolled edge makes me think nothing about this blade is hardened honestly.
Our conclusion seems rock solid. But I really wonder how you can get that hardening so wrong, unless you do not try it at all (because you re afraid of ruining the sword). But it seems to have a real harmon, what I believe comes wrong the tempering.
Would be really interesting to get a test of the hardness and the type of steel used.
I love seeing them use quality katanas. I am absolutely here for them to do a series trying to find and test better and better katanas and then bring them all back at the end for a competition video to crown the best katana money can buy. Please?
well done boys!
Oh what a nice surprise, this is from my favorite forge from anywhere around the globe, their craftsmanship is outstanding. I never thought I'd see Shad have a blade from them in front of him. Very cool.
That exact damage happened to my pvc pipe cutter recently so seeing that happen to a katana while cutting PVC made me genuinely laugh.
Shad rattling into frame to deliver a line, then slipping back out, is hilarious. He's having so much fun.
23:09 i got the same damage on my 1800$ Katana, got the damage cuting into a wooden pillar, didn't see the nail.
the katana cut into the wood as good as an achette and it even cut the nail but it got a little roll on the blade.
i tried to hammer it up but at the end i ended grinding it and resharpening it.
YOU HIT A NAIL YOU FUCKING IDIOT LIKE THESE IDIOTS YOU KNOW NOTHING
first video that youtube recommended me from this channel in months
Nate oh Nate, where are thy... On another note, you guys are aweseome as always.
I finally switched from TH-cam to subscribestar to support you. About time I made the switch
I know someone that as waited 5 years for his Tamahagane Katana to be made and paid 23k for it and the edge roll and the sword warp when once by mistake he hit the wood stick inside the tatami mat he add to send it back to Japan for 11 month to be taking care of by the master bladesmith and a master polisher and it cost him an additional 6k for this cutting mistake.
Katana are amazing cutters and cool and beautiful but they also are so fragile if made traditionally, personally I rather buy a cheaper modern steel Katana to avoid those flow, yes traditionally made or antique katana are absolutely beautiful but 20k for something that will bent if u make a slight mistake when cutting for me is not worst the price unless u so rich that u don't give a damn like my friend does lol
Why would you actually use a 23k sword for cutting anything?
@@Graestra Because you can?
That does look like a beautiful sword. Great video, slightly sad without Nate but I still love you two so it's OK.
There’s only one Katana I’d buy:
The Famed Katana of Clan Macleod
Until you are visited by an angry Kurgan
Hmmmm Scottish style basket hilt on a katana blade......?🤔
@@BeastofCaerBannog I like the way you think.
Gotta love the shoulder pauldron sounds in slow motion. It's the good kinda ASMR :D
The pain is palpable. What a beautiful sword, but sacrifices have to be made.
Amazing, That was hilarious, the build up to Tyranth's first cut!!! Hahahaha I laughed so hard...🤣
and I see just how much he wanted to absolutely total it into the 4x4...Hahahahaha
I love you guys!!!
Its a truly impressive looking sword tho, you can see the quality, but of course the traditional recipe will obviously result in a much weaker than modern high carbon blade!!!
Glad yt is finally sending me out notifications
Just use the Subscriptions page muh man and never miss a video ever again. Well, when the page isn't glitching out I mean, but I've found it infinitely more reliable than relying on notifications/Home page.
The interplay between you two is the best
Money doesn't always equal quality.
Quality can also mean different things, like in this case. It's a beautifully made sword. But it's not as functional as swords made of modern materials.
@@TerryProthero Correct.
Thats right my 2 händer from 15 century is only a Wall Dekoration even If IT IS restored nowi dont think IT will Cut throw anything propally .
And that was an very exspensive THING
@@TerryProthero Yeh it should be obvious and go without saying that modern materials are just simply superior to technology from 500 years ago but it seems that some people (not the OP) especially in the "katana fan-boy" community can't seem to wrap their head around that concept, honestly I can already hear someone typing that this video is invalid because the sword wasn't made with tamahagane.
@@QwertyBoredom122They don't even understand that katanas were folded thousands of times not because it's some mystical technique, but because Japan's access to good iron sucked and they needed to beat the impurities out.
Great video Shad and Tyranth. Sorry Im a few days late. Had to put my van back together.
I doubt anyone spending $3k on a katana is expecting it to be a particularly useful tool. However, as a centerpiece for a collection, it seems to be brilliant. And the fact that it's so pleasant to cut with means you can still have fun playing with it, just not especially stressful situations.
The roasting and banter is the best part of this vid xD
A sword so good that even Shad can cut with it xD
32:01 As an art piece this sword looks awesome. That said I wouldn't use the mona Lisa as a club 😂❤
Lol that joy on Shad's face as he tests it - amazing :)
Damn those Katanas cut nice!!
Love it! We have Ty's new warrior name "Weak Wrist" lol. Fun video gents.
Regardless of practicality, katanas will forever be the most beautifully designed sword types 😤
Persenally i like the european style longsword More, but katanas still are beatifull
Personal opinion, the best looking sword is the European double edged straight arming sword.
I prefer the hand and half swords of Europe. They have a simple look at time and then others we get Joyous, no sword can compare to that thing.
I think Shads green longsword looks better than this katana.
Check out the ones made by Ilya
So much happiness and enthusiasm flowing! Thank you for the video, gentlemen!
Vid was almost at top when i opened you tube 17 minutes after dropped
finallyyyy, saw this sword on the other channel and it looks beautiful.
Amazing to see some one actually push a thaitsuki that hard.
umm
@Matthew_Jensen I still couldn't do that to a nice katana of that level of artisan work.
I love ALL Shadiversity videos!!!! ❤
Not surprised it took the set, Katana are pretty good at that when they are properly deferentially hardened because the spine is softer and bends easier. Also, japanese words don't use S's for plural, hearing "katanas" is... grating lol. There is one katana. There are many katana. Beautiful sword though. I think people underestimate how weak swords were in general if you go back to ancient materials and methods. Plenty of broken European swords found in battlefields as well.
Yeah, but they didn’t break after two swings. They had been in combat for weeks likely you know, like actually swinging their sword against other swords and hitting them against other metal. Based off this video, I would be surprised if you swung to samurai swords against each other, and they didn’t shatter into 1 million pieces. I find that hard to believe, considering that the samurai literally used the swords for combat for defense and for their military for hundreds of years does this display the incredible swordsmanship of Japanese people or is there something going on with this sword?
I have charged similar prices for some of my custom work before. However I engraved the blades & fitings, set semi precious stones in the pommel, etc.
Today I learned that swords and ARs comparably scale up in price
Very nive video! It was hilarious watching your expressions!! As for the sword, when you go over 3000 dollars traditional made katanas they are usually good for the wall not extreme stuff. You destroyed it!!!! I am literally crying!!!
The crowd was tense with excitement as the final three Samurai faced off;
After a long day of competing it was the final round of competition to find who was indeed the master swordsman.
In a final challenge the three men had to show their prowess and concentration by slicing the finest of targets, a mere fly.
The first Samurai steps up to the stage a fly is released.
Bzzzzzzzzzz Bzzzzzzzzz ‘Zing’
With extreme precision the Samurai slices the fly in half, the crowd erupt.
The second Samurai fearlessly steps up on stage and another fly is released.
Bzzzzzzzzz Bzzzz ‘Zing Zing!’
With two cuts of his sword the second Samurai cuts the fly into not two but four pieces.
‘Amazing!’ Scream the crowd. Such a feat has never been seen before.
The quiet descends for a final time in the stadium as the third Samurai calmly steps on stage, the tension is paramount as the fly is released.
Bzzzzzz bzzzzzzz ‘zing!’ Bzzzzzz bzzzzz
The fly simply flies off, seemingly free from its fate.
The crowd are dejected, one man can’t help but disappointedly ask ‘is that it? You couldn’t even kill it!’
The third Samurai raises his finger, ‘Ah yes he may live but that fly shall have no children’.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I was reading this just because it was there not like I was expecting anything worthwhile.
Thank you for praying me wrong with that payoff.
I was expecting a circumcision.
. I need to say, I am both thrilled and terrified for the destruction video. Because like the absolutely beautiful shield Skallagrim reviewed, he destroyed a less decorated one not wanting to ruin the pretty one. And, for me, seeing beauty get destroyed both hurts and looks cool.
Ya'll need some way to measure claims on rockwell hardness, that edge behaviour makes no sense at all towards what you would expect from it, even cheaper hand made katanas dont seem to behave that badly, i wonder if theres some funny business going on there.
There’s definitely some funny business going on for thousands of years samurai would pass the swords down as heirlooms. They would go into battle and kill people and defend their lives with these swords. I find it hard to believe that they would break after a few lousy hits on some wood or PVC.
First time my heart broke watching one of Shad's videos.
Great vid ❤
Many people, Tyranth included after watching this video, really underestimate how much better the modern steels and smithing methods we have today.
Ever since the first blacksmith, they have worked to keep going further. It's human nature to push something further.
So is Nate officially never going to be seen on this channel again or could be still get a guest appearance from him ever so often?
Nothing is planned or scheduled at the moment but of course we intent to bring him back for whatever videos he's like and can fit into his schedule.
From what I've seen, Nate's not local to the studio and he needs to focus on establishing himself in his new full time position. Hoping his new job has a generous vacation policy.
Rolling can happen even if it is high. Rockwell, if the edge geometry does not support itself, can roll. But I did a little bit of investigating via their TH-cam channel, and they really apply to much clay. I would say their blades likely have soft spots due to how they are applying it, as they are taking a shortcut with applying the clay.
Great video
Excellent points on what one should expect on a sword for the different price ranges.
Beasty machine gun cuts is the ultimate technique.
Been waiting for this since FNT! Also I still demand justice for Frederick
Gold!
I have a chinese ming magistrate's sword (jian) called white serpent from lk chen, apparently the lightest real sword skallagrims ever handled. I used it to cut down a tall (5 ft) pine stump (8 inch diameter) in a forest. The pattern welded blade is doing just fine. Fittings are loose but they were loose before because... I cut other stuff with it too. Seeing this video really makes me appreciate the design of the jian and lk chens mastery of these manufacturing arts. I'm blown away (also ps I have accidentally slammed this baby into a steel fence pipe before and yeah it's got a bit of roll but hey it's no PVC PIPE 😂)
Heh, posted 8 seconds ago. Got it the moment it dropped it seems.
Those angle cuts were stunning. Holy sh!7. 😮
There is no way in hell that that thing has a 60 CR rating Rockwell, many blades have that hardness and dont do that. I think they messed up the heat treatment
Samurai fought and died with the swords, they defended their homeland and attacked rival clans. I find it hard to believe that for thousands of years they would continue to use a sword that breaks after two hits on some wood however, maybe this really goes to show how impressive Japanese swordsmanship was that they were able to their skills to the point of never chipping their blade
i see your point on your las video on youtube shun you style a go to your home page and the view ar not wath a see in the past. your content are deligthfull and well construc argument and valid point are there that saaaad ....... i continue to love what you did