The Katana Discussion and Discourse Thread - totally can cut vaccums yo

[I Love Beef]

Welcome to the Katana Clubhouse thread! Here, we talk about Katanas, Japanese originated weapons, and other related topics to the martial arts. In b4 "katanas are cheap shit steel swords" because no one attends your shitty LARPs or European Martial Arts meetings to stroke your ego, fuck off with that shit. I'd rather like to respect the martial arts wherever origins they have, though if you want to make your own Swords or European Martial Arts general thread, go right ahead.

Things to kick off the conversation:

Collecting and antiquing
Shinsha and Kantei (Official Examination and Hands on Appraisal)
Identifying Hataraki (Steel details of Katana)
How not to get ripped off buying shit off of Ebay/online
Modern productions and models
Martial Arts
Koshirae/Tosogu (Mounts and decorations)

Some house rules:

Agree to disagree.
No one gives a shit how good your katana/sword can cut or how your martial art can kick ass better, actions talk, bullshit walks. Remember you are on the internet.
Show respect and cool your competitive streaks else risk turning this into an autistic shitshow.
Have a sense of humor. It helps.
Again, if you're not into katanas or anything of that sort, make your own thread. We don't need contrarian faggotry by pedantic fantasy nerd spergs or attention starved whores as much as asshurt weeaboos.
Have common sense.
Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction.

All these rules were made from my observance elsewhere on the net. Don't make this place as faggoty and insufferable as those places. Other than that, have a fun time.

 

[CivilianOfTheFandomWars]

No one can defeat my bamboo sword

 

[Not Vordrak]

That's it. I'm sick of all this "Masterwork Bastard Sword" bullshit that's going on in the d20 system right now. Katanas deserve much better than that. Much, much better than that.

I should know what I'm talking about. I myself commissioned a genuine katana in Japan for 2,400,000 Yen (that's about $20,000) and have been practicing with it for almost 2 years now. I can even cut slabs of solid steel with my katana.

Japanese smiths spend years working on a single katana and fold it up to a million times to produce the finest blades known to mankind.

Katanas are thrice as sharp as European swords and thrice as hard for that matter too. Anything a longsword can cut through, a katana can cut through better. I'm pretty sure a katana could easily bisect a knight wearing full plate with a simple vertical slash.

Ever wonder why medieval Europe never bothered conquering Japan? That's right, they were too scared to fight the disciplined Samurai and their katanas of destruction. Even in World War II, American soldiers targeted the men with the katanas first because their killing power was feared and respected.

So what am I saying? Katanas are simply the best sword that the world has ever seen, and thus, require better stats in the d20 system. Here is the stat block I propose for Katanas:

(One-Handed Exotic Weapon)
1d12 Damage
19-20 x4 Crit
+2 to hit and damage
Counts as Masterwork

(Two-Handed Exotic Weapon)
2d10 Damage
17-20 x4 Crit
+5 to hit and damage
Counts as Masterwork

Now that seems a lot more representative of the cutting power of Katanas in real life, don't you think?

tl;dr = Katanas need to do more damage in d20, see my new stat block.

 

[I Love Beef]

That's it. I'm sick of all this "Masterwork Bastard Sword" bullshit that's going on in the d20 system right now. Katanas deserve much better than that. Much, much better than that.

I should know what I'm talking about. I myself commissioned a genuine katana in Japan for 2,400,000 Yen (that's about $20,000) and have been practicing with it for almost 2 years now. I can even cut slabs of solid steel with my katana.

Japanese smiths spend years working on a single katana and fold it up to a million times to produce the finest blades known to mankind.

Katanas are thrice as sharp as European swords and thrice as hard for that matter too. Anything a longsword can cut through, a katana can cut through better. I'm pretty sure a katana could easily bisect a knight wearing full plate with a simple vertical slash.

Ever wonder why medieval Europe never bothered conquering Japan? That's right, they were too scared to fight the disciplined Samurai and their katanas of destruction. Even in World War II, American soldiers targeted the men with the katanas first because their killing power was feared and respected.

So what am I saying? Katanas are simply the best sword that the world has ever seen, and thus, require better stats in the d20 system. Here is the stat block I propose for Katanas:

(One-Handed Exotic Weapon)
1d12 Damage
19-20 x4 Crit
+2 to hit and damage
Counts as Masterwork

(Two-Handed Exotic Weapon)
2d10 Damage
17-20 x4 Crit
+5 to hit and damage
Counts as Masterwork

Now that seems a lot more representative of the cutting power of Katanas in real life, don't you think?

tl;dr = Katanas need to do more damage in d20, see my new stat block.

That's it. I'm sick of all this "Masterwork Bastard Sword" bullshit that's going on in the d20 system right now. Katanas deserve much worse than that. Much, much worse than that.

I should know what I'm talking about. I myself commissioned a genuine katana in Japan for 120 Yen (that's about $1) and have been practicing with it for almost 2 years now. I can't even cut wooden boards with my katana.

Japanese smiths spend years working on a single katana and fold it up to a million times to produce some of the biggest pieces of shit known to mankind.

Katanas are barely half as sharp as European swords and half as hard for that matter too. Anything a longsword can cut through, a katana can't cut through at all. I'm pretty sure a katana would break trying to cut a knight wearing full plate with any kind of slash.

Ever wonder why feudal Japan never bothered conquering Europe? That's right, they were too scared to fight the disciplined Knights and their Oakeshott types X through XXII of destruction. Even in World War II, Japanese soldiers targeted the men with the mamelukes first because their killing power was feared and respected.

So what am I saying? Katanas are simply the worst sword that the world has ever seen, and thus, require worse stats in the d20 system. Here is the stat block I propose for Katanas:

(One-Handed Exotic Weapon)
1d4 Damage
x2 Crit
-2 to hit and damage
Can never count as Masterwork

(Two-Handed Exotic Weapon)
1d6 Damage
x2 Crit
-1 to hit and damage
Can never count as Masterwork

Now that seems a lot more representative of the cutting power of Katanas in real life, don't you think?

tl;dr = Katanas need to do much less in d20, see my new stat block.

 

[ShortBusDriver]

These are both pretty great

 

[MediocreMilt]

They fold the steel because the steel is garbage.

 

[I Love Beef]

They fold the steel because the steel is garbage.

what is metallurgy

Also I doubt everywhere else in the world had such great steel prior to the Industrial Revolution.

 

[Andy Bandy Man]

 

[Geralt of Rivia]

Finally, I can post this gif and get MOTIVATED.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

TL;DR stop being a spergy faggot about your weebtastic fetish for slightly curved single-edged swords made of shit quality steel mostly used for ceremonial purposes.

 

[Weeb Slinger]

I am curious, what do other samurai of the night wear to conceal their katana, when venturing out to the 7-11 under the cover of darkness?

If I have my katana scabbarded on my waist, then I favour a trenchcoat and sunglasses combo. If I am wearing it on my back, then I wear a 120-litre HorstLander hiking rucksack over the top. If any passing police spot the hilt poking out, I tell them that it is part of the external backpack frame. It is easier than explaining the warriors code to officers of the law who may have not yet acquired the wisdom to grasp its nuances. Always be polite in your dealings with the police. When you part ways, you should give a nod that conveys to them that, while you may walk different paths, you are brothers united in a daily battle against street crime and the usurper, Lord Kashimoto. I learned this nod in person from Master Oshiro when he flew from Japan to my home town to visit a dying relative. Initially he seemed reluctant to pass on his knowledge but he eventually yielded to my persistence, perhaps sensing a kindred spirit, or (dare I say) a worthy successor. You should always learn the 'cop nod' face-to-face at a reputable dojo. Some of the affirmative-nod videos that I see on YouTube will get you arrested and thrown into the ninja block of your local jail.

My most recent katana purchase has been horizontally folded, across the midpoint of the blade, so that it loops around with the tip almost touching the guard. My katana dealer explained that, while this technique results in a shorter blade, it is thicker and therefore several degrees sharper than a blade where the steel has been folded vertically. Initially I was confused as to why he was attempting to sell me a weapon that was only partially folded, however he explained to me that it is always preferable to allow nature to do the folding at its own slow pace.

I look forward to the day when I can use this weapon against the Ronin, Michael Robbins, whose insistence, a few Fridays ago, that I should sink all of my available cash into purchasing GME stocks has resulted in great personal poverty. His actions have seen him banished from the Katana Masters World of Warcraft server, and have brought grave dishonour upon his family (though let's face it, he is never going to have any children).

This leads me to another, somewhat delicate, question. I only raise the matter here, as I sense that I am among masters of the katana, who speak as wisely with their tongues as they do with their blades.

When I am practicing my weapons kata on the dance floor of one of my local nightclubs (unarmed - the presence of samurai is barely tolerated in these establishments) I notice that girls will go out of their way to avoid me. I assume this is because they feel that to approach a master and speak to him uninvited would be construed as an insult. Even if I approach them while they are seated and perform my kata directly in front of them, while they converse with their friends, I am still studiously ignored by these honourable hoes. Is there some way for me to overcome this social barrier, or must I resign myself to walking the lonely but righteous path of the warrior?

 

[Curt Sibling]

Nothing can compete with Western blade master!

 

[Dyn]

Just buy a gun, nerds.

 

[Ensign]

Favourite tape lads? For me it is Gorilla

 

[User names must be unique]

Also I doubt everywhere else in the world had such great steel prior to the Industrial Revolution.

They didn't, that's why most Iron age cultures developed techniques very similar to those used in making katanas, folding or twisting the steel a lot and laminated blades with high strength cutting edge and a softer flexible core.

All these techniques disappeared from Europe and China when better, high quality crucible/woootz/damascus steel was exported to them from India, Sri Lanka and the middle east in around the 10th century for Europe earlier for China.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

what is metallurgy

Also I doubt everywhere else in the world had such great steel prior to the Industrial Revolution.

Laughs in poo in the loo

They didn't, that's why most Iron age cultures developed techniques very similar to those used in making katanas, folding or twisting the steel a lot and laminated blades with high strength cutting edge and a softer flexible core.

All these techniques disappeared from Europe and China when better, high quality crucible/woootz/damascus steel was exported to them from India, Sri Lanka and the middle east in around the 10th century for Europe earlier for China.

Which is well before the industrial revolution.

 

[Clarence]

If I knew more about them and had the dough I wouldnt mind having a war trophy Katana some G.I, brought back, but then again if it was in some japs family since the 1800s and it was taken off some dead dude it makes me rethink that.

 

[LinkinParkxNaruto[AMV]]

Even a large machete is unironically more powerful as a weapon than a katana

 

[ShortBusDriver]

Laughs in poo in the loo

Which is well before the industrial revolution.

Which is true, but it wasn't until the industrial revolution that it became possible to make steel like this on any real scale.

It was a giant hassle to make crucible steel.

You had to burn the fire for 2 or 3 days and you ended up with about a Solo cup worth of steel.

And this was steel production for nearly 1,000 years.

 

[Oddjob OTP]

The fundamental difference between Japanese and European arms and armor was the supply and quality of iron. If you compare the most landed nobles of the late Renaissance metal armor was very rare in Japan and not much better than the lacquered wood/leather most nobles wore while even modest European nobles would have chainmail. The chief effect of the industrial revolution was to make metal armor much more reasonable for conscripts until it became obvious that muzzleloaders made personal armor irrelevant and melee weapons a last resort.