I remember some anon posted an infographic about katanas, dispelling some of the myths, both pro and con. I remember it went really into detail about the whole "inferior steel" part, about how japanese iron and steel wasn't mined, but rather made from iron sand, or something. Does anyone have that image saved?
Katana/Sword/blacksmithing thread I guess
It's common knowledge that katana is the best sword in the world and could easily cut through armor.
>>789397
This. Some katanas can even cut thru diamond, the hardest metal known to man.
They were not mystical swords that can cut trains in half like people traditionally believed, but are also not the crap that 4chan revisionists think they were.
They were good quality swords, with a good reputation in Asia (and among Europeans that went there) with some variance. Some great lord such as a Shimazu daimyo would have excellent swords (not that the Shimazu's swordsmanship style needed very good swords, they just needed something that was solid and durable). Some samurai that works part time as a sandal maker would have poorer swords.
>>789476
>they are not mystical swords that can cut trains in half
correct they could cut through a tank instead
>>789388
In honesty Europe did develop Superior metal work. (though I'm not sure at what point) But in East Asia the nihonto was good enough to see export to other countries. It wasn't a piece of crap.
A good one could cut through several bodies, if they were strapped down, and the sword was specially mounted for test cutting
Nobody has ever survived having their head cut off by a katana.
>>789388
Lindy Beige has a video where he just destroys the katana. Of course, it's Lindy Beige so you have to take it with a grain of iron sand, or something.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLWzH_1eZsc
Japanese swords were primarily meant for creating a bloody hurricane of peasant limbs. They are really, really sharp, the sharpest swords in the world. But that doesn't mean they were any effective at getting through metal armor, because swords just don't slice through metal armor, that's not the point of them. Cloth? Exposed skin? Excellent katana fodder. Lamellar? You'd prefer something to stab with, but a katana would be a decent sidearm. Mass formation warfare? Bows.
>>789717
>weapon of last resort.
vast oversimplification, and hardly any culture used swords as a primary weapon. In fact nodachi were used as a primary weapon
>stuck with one design
No they did not, while the shape stayed much the same, the length and blade geometry changed over time. So did forging methods. Assuming the sword he is holding matched a 13th century blade would be a huge mistake.
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.
>>789755
>weeb detected
>>789771
Haven't seen that one in a while
>>789830
Yeah I like Japanese history. Now how am I wrong?
>>789755
isn't the weapon you posted a nodachi?
>>789979
yeah
>>789909
You are supposed to be an edgy 4channer and have an irrational dislike for anything Japanese, otherwise you risk being a... ...weeaboo.
>>789771
Is this some new copypasta?
>>789771
>Ever wonder why medieval Europe never bothered conquering Japan?
This line made me laugh really hard this time for some reason.
>>789771
>fold it up to a million times
No
20 folds gives you over a million layers
>>790168
>new
Yes, yes you are.
>>789732
>They are really, really sharp, the sharpest swords in the world.
You can sharpened literally any sword as sharp as you want.
>>789732
>the sharpest swords in the world.
Pretty sure that Indian weapons, like tulwar, could contest that claim.
>>789732
>sharpest in the world
>citation needed
>>789388
I don't think any of the stuff I can link will help you, but you are the one to judge:
http://www.hitachi-metals.co.jp/e/tatara/nnp01.htm
http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/authentic-samurai-sword.html
http://www.samuraisword.com/REFERENCE/making/japanse_swordmaking_process.htm
http://www.jsme.or.jp/tsd/ICBTT/conference02/TatsuoINOUE.html
The first link is about the metallurgy process, which shows that it wasn't very efficient.
>>789388
Try this; http://archive.4plebs.org/tg/thread/41198896/
>>790815
>>790824
>>790825
>>790824
>everyone besides the Chinese
Is he saying the Chinese were already using blast furnaces at that time?
>>791447
>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blast_furnace#China
Pretty much.
And still the Chinese thought Japanese swords were quite good. Just goes to show.
![ming4_IDxkWBOfNoi6[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/gWhfcpM.jpg "ming4_IDxkWBOfNoi6[1].jpg")
>>791460
Yupp, like the Wodao used during the Ming dynasty, which were imported blades from Wo (Japan).
>>789755
Some blade geometry for you.
>>791534
I probably should have said cross section, earlier blades would have had a thicker one.
>>791594
That too, but geometry was right. There's more to sword geometry than being curvy or not.
>>790815
Exactly what I was looking for, thank you.
