Japanese sword making in Longquan, China
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 14 июн 2024
- Filmed on location in Longquan China, this video is a behind the scenes look at the production sword industry - from decorative 'wallhanger' swords' to high end blades forged by certified master smiths and everything in between.
We start our journey looking at what constitutes the bulk of the sword industry - cheap decorative swords and the machines that turn them from a flat sheet of steel into a 'sword like object' (and even get to see them first hand spot welding a rat tail tang!).
We continue into the sub $300 market with power hammers, hand grinding and hand polishing to create functional blades - and finish with the work of master smiths and master polishers who make swords the old fashioned way.
Naturally enough, the price fluctuates depending on how much time is spent on each sword and the production methods involved. Our aim in releasing this video is to reinforce the message that 'you get what you pay for' but also to help banish some of the marketing BS used by sword sellers who claim their swords are 'hand forged by master smiths in longquan' yet sell for under $100.. 
Спорт
Using machines or not, the amount of labor that goes into these things is unreal.... pretty amazing we can buy a decent blade for under $300!
Hats off to these amazing worker, thanks to them, we are all able to afford half handmade swords
why is there so much hate for the Chinese here? It's just a sword that's been machine processed instead of completely handmade... it still works! For any cutting it still works, and it's not going to break that easily, based on the construction...
Pwny Ryanbow Hey, we are the bad guys who makes trash stuff. I mean they can't afford high end stuff from China with their dad's credit card.
So true .
@John Smith lol u stupid?
John Smith isn’t racism against a race so it looks like you’re the racist here
Recently bought a Musashi that was probably made here; I am very satisfied with the quality; I didn't cheap out, I bought a mid-ranged 1060; Fit and finish is incredible for the price I paid. I'd love to see the differential tempering process they use, but that's probably one of their trade secrets.
Great video Paul, I'm from Mexico, and the economy here doesn't allow us buying a nihonto katana, also the replicas like ryomun are really expensive for us (400 USD), the Sword Buyers Guide give me the possibility to know many things about how to buy a good decent replica Thanks and congratulations for your guide Paul.
Yes indeed. They are rebranded by many different companies - some products are exclusive to a particular seller, others are basically catalog items.
This is insane, my Musashi Katana probaly came from there.
Yes, it came.
@@23Disciple from there.
It's funny how many self proclaimed sword experts you can find in the comments section of a video like this. lol
100%
Not expert but I I'm pretty decent at sharpening and polishing by hands
Top notch video, guys. We really appreciate all the work you two are going through to get us such in-depth footage.
I have one coming tomorrow made from 9260 spring steel, look forward to receiving it. In the description the seller said Longquam style blade. The work is appreciated
Thanks for getting this vid out there Paul & Chris. Potential buyers need to know what they're getting for their money, and you're doing a great job of education on this through the SBG.
This video was very educational, thank you for posting it, and I look forward to seeing more.
Eye-opening indeed. Thank you very much :)
The most informative person on RUclips, your videos are first class sir! Keep up all the great work. I'd love to get a tour like this.. One of a kind that I've ever seen.
Excellent video! Really shows the whole process very well!
thank you Paul and Chris- great vid!
Very informative! Thank you.
Thanks for this sbg and ronin.
Really informative, thanks for uploading.
10:21 Crazy! That dude has no goggles or anything with fire flying everywhere! That's hardcore!
this is very interesting, thanks a lot for sharing !!!
It is true, obviously these swords are not directly comparable with Japanese swords. The difference is the highest mastersmiths in japan make their swords because its their art, and every piece of sword is more or less treated as such. These swords made here are made to be enjoyed by everyone, not able to spend thousands of bucks for a sword. I would love too, but I also do not have the money to buy such an expensive piece of art. So I will have to stick to the Chinese ones. They do their job.
Great, eye opening video!
very good presentation!!!
Thank you for sharing!!
very interesting, Paul. My compliments.
when the blade is quenched with the clay mix on it the metal cools at different rates forming two different structures the cleaner brighter area which is the blade edge consists of a crystalline like structure while the top half doesn't gain the same structure making the edge hard and more brittle. that's how you get that definitive wave, it is the boundary between the two structures of steel
Very well done I appreciate all those hard workers
Great vid mate.
mine come from China and they are excellent.
+dfcvda No, they are not excellent. They aren't even mediocre. If you think otherwise, you know nothing at all about swords.
James Ritchie
fair enough, I still like them.
James Ritchie if they are forged properly and with good steel for the type of sword then they should be fine, right? Not everyone can afford a 2000 dollar 100% handmade blade. Good swordsmiths with powered equipment and good steel can still make very fine and functional blades.
@@jamesaritchie2 That's ironic.
@@jamesaritchie2 I got a Hanwei Raptor that could cleave a man in half and wouldn't have a scratch on it otherwise, and we're talking bone and all. Tight ito wrap, all iron fittings, and a 5160 spring steel blade with a Rockwell Hardness of 57. I'd call that pretty excellent.
My advice to beginner sword buyers: If you have little money then buy a 1045 carbon steel sword for 100€. Some of them have real hamon. If you want a middle quality sword then choose a 1065 carbon steel sword for 150€. If you want a good quality battle ready sword then choose a T-10 tool steel sword for 250-300€. If you want a high quality T-10 tool steel sword then choose Huawei for 500-600€. If you want a completely handmade monosteel katana (not Chinese replica) then buy from swordsmiths in Hungary. Their completely handforged katanas cost around 1300€
I buy swords from China and they are great! I have a samurai sword and a Jian Chinese sword. If you're willing to pay between $200 to 400 you will get a good sword of good steel highly Sharp and very effective for cutting.
yes, i just bought 3 , as seen in the video there is several type of quality , from just a display unit, to a machine forge , and lastly more expensive one that were done manually., no wonder theyre more expensive.
Good videos man
Japan puts strict laws preventing mass production of their swords, and so getting a real "Nihonto" is going to cost at least a thousand dollars or two just based on limited supply. China has no such restrictions, and Chinese smiths can be just as good at the craft. The only difference is that with such a low quota, Japanese smiths tend to put weeks/months of efforts into their blades, and on average they tend to be higher quality.
My Ruyman's have come from here. Great swords, with certificates and the tang inscribed by the swordsmith.
I asked my self the same question. I think the fire happened when they were remodling, (wood and other construction materials would be present) however if that was the case they should have been able to clean it out easy right?
Alot of people forget, but a decent sword in the hands of a superior swordsman ,
Might only always meet the flesh of his enemy without even getting in contact with his enemy's blade.
Point, u don't need a titanium blade diamond sharpened sword to defend your loved ones.
Citidal, siwode, musashi, and ryansword, are among the best as well. Never had a Honshu, or a sokojikara. I have a shikoto. Same thing though I think.
The other question i have at what i see in this video is, "How can a forge in China like this have a fire that shuts the whole place down?"
I looked and looked, and I never saw anything that could catch fire.
The walls look like stone and brick.
There where no piles of garbage.
There were no piles of wood.
i saw nothing that could burn, so how can they suffer a whole shut down due to a fire?
I could buy one of their high end swords just as long as the price was an accurate reflection of its quality.
form all the stuff Ive been doing research on...a basic "battle ready" sword at the lowest quality will run you around 60-130 bucks. Its usually 1045 "high carbon" steel. These are apparently backyard cutters and useful for killing tall grass and empty cans of beer. Its functional at a basic level so that you dont screw up a cut and break 350$. In my experience so far if it doesnt say the steel grade assume its 1045. The heat treating is actually more important than the blade metal.
if anyone here has seen bleach or rurouni kenshin, ichigo's sword is a butcher style Zanbatō, and in rurouni kenshin sagara's big ass sword was refered to as a Zanbatō style sword.
every machine was bought for 2-3 cents on the dollar from us. and the job went by-by too.
title a little misleading, but interesting to see how they mass produce these decorations :) nice video
What company does the laminating swords at the end?
The guy with the hammer should have a right arm bigger than the Hulk.
If you ever buy a sword, make sure you know if its a full Tang or rat-rang before trying to swing it, or it could end badly.
The same goes with cars or whatever product. There are manufacturers who stake quality their utmost highest value. But not everyone is able to afford a new Audi, Mercedes or BMW. Most people stick to used Fords and whatnot. Still they can get from A to B. Most people even with a decent comfort. Not with the highest premium class but still good.
"everything burns"
-Joker
Hello, I was wondering, I am going to order a Masahiro Shadow Warrior katana, Is it forged by power hammer, and is it a legit purchase? I'd really like to know before I waste all my money.
Does this forge make swords for various companies?
have you ever heard of st- nihonto katanas and ninja-katana they are made in Longquan, China are thres a lot on them ebay.
We're making Japanese swords in China buy an Englishman. LOL!
Thats where Shinwa is made and their great swords
I assume they don't have the equivalent of America's O.S.H.A., and even if they do, there, as here in America, it's a matter of whether the shop owner or employee must provide or pay for it, and then if they're willing to use it. I work in a mill shop and most of my co-workers don't. I do.
It's insulting that some of the swords haven't been forged, but cut from steel sheet and polished into the shape of the sword. Nontheless, they've made it cheap so we can buy it worldwide.
It's insulting only for people who are Japanese or are traditionalist. With modern steel production, it's not really necessary to forge these swords the traditional way. The steel sheets can be formulated to exactly the composition needed. Much more cost effective, especially with the help of modern machinery.
Warriors in the 1600s would love the steel quality we are able to provide today from sheets.
Are Sam Sung’s new Ryujin line made in this manner?
Yes
Makes me want to get only master forged swords.
Show us how you make the magical meteorite sword
from what website i could buy this swords
what steels they use in masters base
teenagers and kids who want a sword but parents who dont want to pay the price
The top half of the blade when quenched contracts slower making the blade bend, the Japanese came up with this process entirely on their own. oh and the clay is applied to the top portion of the blade not the edge with little streaks of clay going at different angles so the blade doesn't crack along the edge when quenched. okay so the whole point being is that the hamon IS NOT FORGED INTO THE BLADE! btw,34601k it said that the Zhanmadao was the basis of the Zanbatō which is nothing like a katana
Actually, it has to do with sectional volume. The edge has less material, thus doesn't contract as much when cooled.
The rate at which the steel cools (fast = hard, slow = soft) is where the clay comes in. Hard steel is brittle, soft steel doesn't retain an edge. By insulating the steel from the water with clay, you control the rate of heat loss, which in turn affects the grain structure as the steel descends down from critical temperature.
You'd know all of this if you had even the most basic understanding of metalurgy. ;)
Ah, let me say this right now too. I'm well aware that Korea didn't exist as a national entity at the time, I meant the geographical location. Since many "Korean" from the peninsula went to Japan throughout history.
I would be very interested in knowing what brands this company produces...
One is ronin Katana
1:23 no Tang Kukris for display. 2:44 rat tail Tang wall hangers
Note that despite the noise nobody in this place is wearing any ear protection at all. Half of them must be deaf by now.
Does anyone know of a company beside kawashima that's actually based out of japan? I just want to find a Japanese sword manufacturing company.
Basically all I really want is a sword thats pretty much the same quality and price as these in the video but, just Japanese.
So that first blade has no tang? The metal is the length of only the blade
It has a very short tang and then a welded on piece of metal for the rest.
Is that zs ?
stunning video!
I had no idea....sorta makes it clear how fast they are cranking out swords!
But I now have a question- based on what you have seen first hand, if Im looking for a nice sword In the $2, thousand price range that is made in a tradition manner with iron sand and a great Hamon, can a huge shop like this produce the sword Im seeking?
Would it be worth looking into?
I have been looking at a Dynasty Forge sword but now Im unsure.
Very interesting. There certainly is a lot of work going into even the basic swords.
🗡️👍
Is this the same shop my Ryujin Katana came through from the SBG store?
09:29 handmade $1000+ sword?
If I ever buy a Chinese sword it will be a Jian and not a katana
Im just going to say that I wasnt impressed at all from the katana that I got from their factory . the blade rattled inside the tang and that really drove me crazy and I had to return the sword . I got a cheaper sword from handmade sword company that was 160 dollars and its a much better sword than what I got from these people . I only paid 200 for their sword and the only good thing I could say about their sword was that it was pretty damn sharp but it wasnt a solid piece and it felt pretty delicate to me , not to mention that it was fake damascus steel lol well that sword got returned and now im going with the hanwei practical plus elite . I want a real katana !
OSHA would have a field day here... lol
unless you want weapons as tool for defending yourself against aggression or as a tool for exercising to strength your body and mind, they should be considered an enemy of man and thus shouldn't be liked for themselves( in such a case the sword is the noblest one among them and guns and knives are just base.)
because some people want a cheap wall hanger and not a real battle sword.
I just see alot of grinding and polishing, i can do those stuffa at home just give me a folded laminated steel with sharp edge i dont carr if it shines 😂
+max larsen You know less than a turnip.
So the last shown swords cost around 800 or more dollars? The methods of creating them dont look so bad.
I'm wondering the same thing
errr.... what???
I would be very glad if you or anyone else can kindly translate it.
Besides the real thing doesn't have to be expensive.
perhaps the roof?
Wow very nice video but eye opening what a joke! Their speed is indicative of the crap reviews we so often see on sword forums. If it takes ONE day to master polish a hand forged sword, no wonder they miss cracks!!! I am not saying that we should spend 15000-40000 for Japanese Mastersmith Yoshinaru grade, but oh man, no they are not the same! Speed kills quality, and whatever perceived quality it hides shortcomings. I would like to see a 1095 or T10 steel that takes more than 3 days to make,,,
Ok your right bud lol!!!
Anyone who spends the time to learn to make a real Japanese sword can do so.
Those of us who can't afford a real Japanese made katana? Which may cost thousands of dollars?
you can buy this cheap as 200 dollars or less to work as a tool, instead of 10000 dollars real Japanese sword which you'll never use it to cut anything.
This English guys is smart ask long quan ppl to make him Japanese sword katana was a copied of Chinese tang sword n tang sword not as harden than long quan sword so using long quan blacksmith to make katana is very smart
Please see also the unbelievable wonderful and affordable WKTA ´s 1060 Katanasword from Weiping Zheng ´s House ! Under the RUclips-WKTA-Channel.
Technology is so cool. China doesn't have OSHA, so how do these guys avoid RSI and other work-related hazards? Even the blacksmith doesn't have an apron or goggles to protect himself (and his clothes) from flying sparks.
lol work related hazards in china, what a funny guy
John Doe different health and safety laws. I'd assume work places in China are more lax, witch also makes it easier for legal loopholes
it really is you get what you pay for.
Not really, after a certain point you are paying for the name of the blacksmith.
No eye protection....crazy.
Where can I buy a Katana thats going to cut through anything and not dull?
Depends on where you live. But Ebay is a good source. Otherwise try the Swordbuyersguide , KultofAthena, Sword&Armory.
The land of myths and legends. Steel is steel; it isn't going to cut through "anything" and any sword no matter how well tempered and honed will dull if you use it. And like any tool, it may become damaged through use, and whether or not it sustains any obvious damage it will eventually break through use. It is a simple fact of reality. Things wear, things tear, things break, things have limitations due to the nature of the physical world.
If however you simply want something that can be used and is safe to use, you have a number of options. The Sword Buyer's Guide website lists a number of swords, katanas included, and the sister site Sword Manufacturers Guide lists an overview of a number of popular sword manufacturers.
MGlBlaze Good info and well spoken
exodus try a lightsaber
***** 9months later derpy derpy... derpppppp already tried that
know why swords are made in china india and other such places? price for 1 but its illegal to export swords from japan.. when I was a kid my dad went all over asia for business I asked him to get me a katana from japan.. he came back with 1 from Singapore apologizing that he could not get 1 from japan
It is not illegal to export out of Japan. Most modern day swords are Shinsakuto or shinsa and are very pricey. National treasures cannot be removed from Japan but there is only 20 of them.
showato sure a 3,000 to 300,000 sword can be exported with permit and being the right person and knowing the right person but the average guy trying to get a $100 to $500 katana ant getting shit, japans doors are closed.. don't believe me go there try and buy one and bring it back...
Coolnicknameguy Actually i been selling and buying for years now. I have some Katanas and tachis for sale but look in ebay for some real ones from here in the States and Japan. Yes Japan will send to the United states..just not Russia and mainland China as of 2015.
showato I call bulldog shit
Baka-gaijin
Why is there a naked man in the background around 3:40?
Andrew McAllister It's the Rake!
is this lqsword?
zhejiang zhengs probably
Dont know but i have a luesword and its amazing. It will amaze. Before seeing it you are not amazed, then afterward your brain enters a breif period of amazement.
This place is long quan but using factory make not handmade if long quan handmade will be 10 to 100x expensive than Japanese sword
I would buy cheaper "mechanical works" for a lower price, or "FULL handmade art works" (with a certificate recognized by the Japanese government) for a high price. I wo n’t spend an extra dollar on a handmade sword (With out certificate)
Not really. Considering the fact that without China, almost no once could get a decent katana, I think China should stick to it. Only Nihonto are made in Japan, and by law, smiths are only allowed to make a certain amount per year, certainly not enough to satisfy the market for functional katana. Also, nihonto cost at least $10,000.
Replicas made in China are much cheaper than Japanese replicas, master smith or not. The Chinese provide a much larger range of decent quality kats for low prices.