New guy....contemplating Katana purchase...inquiry on sori?

[wizrd]

I'm a hoplessly steel addicted knife accumulator, hoping to eventually purchase a Katana, to add to my collection. Not an antique or genuine Japanese Katana, but something of new manufacturer. Although I am not a practitioner of Japanese swordsmanship, or the Katana, I would like it to be a good enough blade to be used for
tameshigiri, if I should ever choose to pursue serious instruction to that depth of study, until then, it would just be a wall-hanger.

My question is how much does the depth of the sori determine if the blade is a better cutter, or slicer? In regular straight knives, particularly, the skinning type knives, commonly referred to as 'Buffsalo skinners', the long arched belly of the blade results in a more efficient blade use and a longer cutting edge which makes for faster skinning of large game animals. Does the depth of the sori on a Katana equate to more efficient cutting or slicing? Thank you in advance for any response. I'm just here, studying at the feet of the Masters.

 

[kevin - the professor]

you are asking a very important question. I do not typically make Katana. I have made a wakizashi or two. I prefer to make Chinese blades (dao at present).

The good thing is, physics is the same in Japan and China and Connecticut. So, I can answer the question, somewhat. There is a benefit to curving a blade because:1) it focuses the area of impact to a smaller section at first and imparts something similar to a slice as the skin is pulled tight. The entire area of the surface-to-be-cut is not contacted at once, and so a great deal of force is funnelled into a relatively smaller area. 2) it helps keep blades from getting stuck (especially with cavalry). 3: what is optimal - that depends on the type of cut and length of blade. There is argument about whether sori should be at the handle end, the point end, or evenly distributed along the blade, too. I suggest looking at Kamakura period swords. There was a great deal of actual fighting. Much of the, "way of the warrior," nonsense was created later by frustrated people who were poets but wanted to be warriors. But, they had no wars. So, they wrote nonsense about how the perfect war or battle was to be fought. This gave rise to a lot of crazy stuff like the idea you should wear makeup and burn incense in your hair so that your enemy smelled a nice fragrance when they beheadded you, and so your severed head would look good in death. This is where a lot of the never surrender, fight to the last man nonsense came from. If you actually read military reports (ok, I admit, I am stuck with translations and the commentary of historians - I know a lot of people will be mad a me for saying this because I am not giving reverence to the cult of the warrior. I am, instead, trying to draw attention to the life and the equipment of the real warrior, so take it easy on me). Read real (translations) of reports, they would say things like, "we saw the enemy, we were outnumbered, we retreated to gather resources and prepare for battle on better terms." Or, "we were in a disadvantaged position, so we avoided fighting until we could occupy a better location."

OK, please forgive the diversion. The point is - look at Japan when swords were made very well, and when they were needed often.

I am trying to do the same thing with China (Ming and early Qing periods for me. these lead me to the goose quill dao which is straight until center of percussion. Later, to the willow leaf dao, which has a gentle curve along its whole length. In curvature, it is much like a katana).

I am sorry that I gave you a long answer with no direct answers. However, you will be much better off if you follow this sort of path to find what you want. And, honestly, it is also the best I can do for such a complex question.

Hope this helps.

Kevin