How to Sharpen a Katana With Sandpaper
A katana is a Japanese sword carried by the Samurai warriors. It is usually forged in lengths between two and four feet. The katana is a simple, elegant and revered sword which can be made as a ceremonial item or to serve its ancient role in swordsmanship. The blade of the katana gently slopes in a slight curve and it has a tempering line down its middle, which slopes to the sharp, outer edge. Like all blades, a katana will get dull from repeated use and need to be sharpened. Sharpening a katana requires some expertise. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Cloth
- Glass cleaner
- Bucket
- Water
- Workbench with vice
- 80, 600, 800, 1500, 4000, 6000 grit sandpapers
Instructions
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1
Wipe down its length with a cloth soaked in glass cleaner to remove the grime on the sword.
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2
Immerse the katana in a bucket of water for thirty minutes.
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3
Set the katana flat on a workbench. Secure the sword in place by its blunt side with a vice. Select the appropriate sandpaper to start with. Start with 80 grit sandpaper for a long disused katana and 600 grit sandpaper for a dull katana.
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4
Sand the katana blade from the tempering line down its middle with the appropriate sandpaper. Grind the sandpaper from the tempering line to the outer edge.
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5
Progress to 800, 1500 and 4000 grit sandpapers to bring out the shiny finish of the tempering line. Polish the bevel of the sword with 6000 grit sandpaper to sharpen the cutting edge.
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6
Wipe the length of the katana with a cloth to remove burrs.
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