Hot forging or stock-removal?
The repeated application of force on the metal causes the material to become stronger and harder. There is a great deal of anecdotal evidence from blade makers that suggests forging improves edge holding, density, and the overall structure of a blade. While blades made by stock-removal do not benefit from work hardening, the process is also cable of producing very fine blades as demonstrated by several recent American swordsmiths. In our testing we have noticed there to be little advantage of one method over the other. Q: Differentially tempered or through hardened? A: Traditional Japanese swords are differentially tempered to make the edge hard and the spine soft. This process creates a temper pattern (hamon) and is responsible for most of the curvature of the blade. The trouble with steel is that you often need to give up something to get something. The advantage of differential tempering is the ability to have a hard edge (mostly martensite) so it will stay sharp and a soft spine (p
