Bladesmiths forging a high-carbon steel katana blade at Moonswords

1095 vs T10: A Bladesmith's Guide to Choosing the Right High-Carbon Steel

Compare 1095 and T10 high-carbon steel for katana: composition, heat-treat ranges, and how each performs in a clay-tempered blade, the two steels Moonswords actually forges.

Bladesmiths forging a high-carbon steel katana blade at Moonswords

1095 vs T10: A Bladesmith's Guide to Choosing the Right High-Carbon Steel

Compare 1095 and T10 high-carbon steel for katana: composition, heat-treat ranges, and how each performs in a clay-tempered blade, the two steels Moonswords actually forges.

The Complete Types of Ancient Metallurgy Techniques

The Complete Types of Ancient Metallurgy Techniques

Explore the six core types of ancient metallurgy techniques, from smelting to casting, and learn how each revolutionized metalwork.
Collector examining a Japanese sword tang signature

Collectors: Tell Tachi From Katana by the Mei Side Without Lab Tests

Inspect tachi and katana mounts like a collector. ID originals by mei, mekugi, curvature, spot suriage, and follow safe storage and oiling tips.
Moonswords Jin Sakai matched katana and tanto, hand-forged clay-tempered damascus steel with gilded bronze fittings and a rayskin-wrapped tsuka, an example of coordinated daishō koshirae

250 Years of Edo Daishō: Koshirae, Not Blades, Marked Samurai Status

A daishō (大小) is a matched pair of Japanese swords, literally "large and small," most commonly a katana and wakizashi mounted in matching koshirae...
The Tōga Wakizashi displayed against a dark bamboo mat background, one of several Japanese blade types covered in this collector's guide

Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto & Tachi: A Collector's Guide to Japanese Sword Types

Katana gets most of the spotlight, but it's one of four distinct blade types collectors run into — wakizashi, tanto, and tachi each have their own ...
The Ghost of Yōtei Atsu Katana displayed against a dark bamboo mat background, a popular Christmas gift pick

Christmas Katana Buying Guide 2026: Price, Steel & Order Timing

A hand-forged katana is not a same-week Amazon order — every Moonswords blade is clay-tempered, fitted, and quality-checked before it ships, and th...
The Yongle Emperor Sword on a wooden display stand, a Master Collection Ming Dynasty jian forged by Peiyan Zhao

Limited Edition Swords: The Collector's Buying Guide

Discover how to choose authentic limited edition swords with our expert buying guide. Ensure quality and value before you invest.