How do i sharpen those fake blunt katanas?

Question

its like those cheap knock offs at chinatown. i got a blunted one but i want to sharpen it till it can slice.

i was also wondering if u can use those kitchen sharpeners for it?

Answer 1

If you have to ask it better to give the job to a professional.

Check in your area for a "custom knife maker"
They will do a fine job for a reasonable price.

Answer 2

Those display swords are made with a different steel than that used in "real" razor-sharp swords. Your Chinatown knock-off, like mine, is probably made of a type of stainless steel that is inexpensive and prevents rust, but will not hold a good edge.

So even if you go to get it sharpened by a proffessional, he will tell you as well that it won't really hold that great of an edge and it's not worth the cost of trying.

In additon, the blade isn't very strong and if you hit something hard it will eventually break.

The steel used in real swords has high carbon content, making it strong, flexible, and able to hold a very sharp edge, but also much more vulnerable to rusting if it's not cared for. It's also signifigantly more expensive.

The solution? Buy a machete. It's only like 10 bucks and it may not look very cool but they are very effecient cutting and chopping tools that will do nearly anything a sword can do, and they usually come pretty sharp out of the box.

Those super-sharp katana can cost you around $1,000+ I hear.

Answer 3

Don't bother. They won't take anything close to a good edge and won't hold what edge they do take. You are better off waiting for a good quality blade. You can find blades suitable for cutting for around 400 dollars or so (although there are a couple of discount houses that have them cheaper). Those cheap knockoffs, even if you could get an edge, wouldn't take the stress of cutting. I have had a few over the years and it isn't worth the trouble. The only thing those knock-offs are good for is practicing the movements and for training in the quick drawing techniques before moving on to a sharp blade.

Answer 4

The first answerer deserves the best answer, I'm just going to add one thing: if the sword isn't full-tang, it's not gonna be any good for cutting no matter how sharp it is. Half-tang's okay, but most cheapass katana have a one-inch tang that'll make the blade fall out if you hit anything with it.

Answer 5

is it stainless steel 440? DO NOT SHARPEN FAKE/ DECORATION SWORDS
those swords are meant for decoration purposes only. i dont know why but it's for your own safety that you do not sharpen them and attemp to hit stuff with it.
if you want sharp katana buy real/practical, fully functional ones

Answer 6

i guess a good katana can cut almost ANYTHING. even cut an airborne shot bullet in half....

http://www.yonkis.com/media/hatorianzo.wmv

(you may have to right click and choose save target as... to watch this clip)

If it's worth sharpening, it's worth doing it right. Send it to a professional sharpener. But be prepared to pay for it.

Konno sensei in Seattle is a well-respected sharpener in the U.S. His iai is very beautiful too. See the following link.

http://www.tokenkonnoart.com/


Today, any serious student of Kenjutsu practices Tameshigiri on a regular basis. Takegiri (bamboo cutting) is a very challenging technique for the student to evaluate his cutting skills. An other good target is a plastic milk jug filled with water and suspended with cords from a tree branch. Try swinging one to practice timing your cut on a moving target. When training with a razor sharp steel sword, we are moving into the area of Shin Ken Gata (realistic training). This means that one slip of technique can cause severe injury to the practitioner or some innocent bystander. Never try any cutting technique without first consulting a qualified instructor. Lastly, my original Sensei - Dr. Kelly Hill once told me that the best weapon is the one in your hand. This means that if you have a piece of jagged glass in your hand, you should still be able to deliver a good cut with confidence. In the Austin Kunren Sukisha Dojo, we also study European weaponry and fencing. Soke Hatsumi-sama points out that eastern and western combat methods are fundamentally the same. We have applied Taijutsu Kamae (unarmed fighting postures) to Rapier and dagger methods, and they work very well indeed. I recommend Ninpo students to explore Shinobi Kenjutsu techniques using western swords such as a Falchion or Greatsword. An edged weapon does not have to be of Japanese origin to be effective. My favorite fighting knife is a Bowie, even though I like a Tanto (knife with a guard) as well. Ninjutsu is an art that thrives on spontaneity, pragmatism, and a profound respect for the truth. No swordsman worth his or her salt would be able to wield only one specific Blade and no other. Anyone familiar with the vast number of weapons in a Ninja's arsenal can agree that there is more than one way to accomplish success in an armed encounter.

Thanks for your time.

Answer 7

the keyword in your post bieng "FAKE", whatever you paid for it it was too much.

just hang it on your wall as a decoration, that is what it was intended for anyway. They call it a "wallhanger" for a reason.

You bought a cheap sword that isnt made from the proper steel. someone else showed what will happen to your nice "stainless steel" peice of crap if you try to use it- the infamous but oscar deserving short film entitled "moronic sword salesman". [did any of you call up the day after that video got around and try to speak to the salesman about the sword like I did?- they hung up on me....]

On modern steel for a katana:
http://swordforum.com/sfu/japanese/modern-steels.html

anatomy of japanese sword:
http://swordforum.com/sfu/japanese/anatomy.html

on sharpening:
http://swordforum.com/sfu/japanese/anatomy.html

NOTE: THE ARTICLE ITSELF WARNS YOU THAT STAINLESS STEEL IS NOT GOING TO FUNCTION LIKE A SWORD.

basic info on bad steels promoted by the entertainment industry as a "superior" sword steel.
http://swordforum.com/sfu/primer/thebest.html

Answer 8

You're asking for trouble. They were blunt for a reason.

Answer 9

Watch this video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrIEdW5A9cs
....that's why you don't buy the cheap swords! They are not durable and are designed for decoration only.

Answer 10

if it came dull its dull for a reason and isnt worth sharpening so dont waste your time