Why are polished blades more expensive ?
It is simple really, when you understand the costs involved. Polishing fees are a minimum of $80, and up to $200 per inch of nagasa or cutting edge. Shirasaya and Habaki average $300-$400 for the bare basic styles and spiral upwards depending on the quality and detail ordered. EXAMPLE: Katana with 27″ nagasa. Polish @ $80 per inch = $2160. Shirasaya = $450 minimum. Habaki = $350 minimum. Shipping with insurance both ways = $100 minimum. That’s a total of $3060 USD minimum, which does not include the cost of the blade.
