The myth about whether a katana can cut through steel persists. The reason for this is certainly the many sword fight scenes, especially from the manga and anime genre, in which the katana is used to cut through just about anything. But is it really possible to cut through real steel with a samurai sword?
Steel against steel
To answer this question, you should first realise that the blade of every katana is made of steel. However, there are many different alloys and manufacturing methods, which is why not all steel is the same. The quality and hardness of the steel can vary greatly. Our article on the Blade steel for samurai swords explains the most commonly used types of steel.
Now that it has been clarified that the "Katana versus steel" duel is a "steel versus steel" duel, the question remains as to whether it is still possible to cut through steel with a katana.
Reality check
The "modern samurai" Isao Machii shows us how it's done on Japanese television. He first cuts through a thin iron pipe with his katana before slicing through a 0.4 mm thick steel plate on edge in a single cut.
This is the relevant excerpt from the show:
In addition to the right katana, the right technique is also crucial for a clean, straight cut. This consists of finding the perfect cutting angle, the right speed and the right amount of force. These techniques can be learnt as part of the Tameshigiri trained and perfected. However, tatami omote, wrapped rice straw mats, are usually used instead of steel.
The Zantetsuken
The editor of the video calls this sword Zantetsuken. This term is derived from the 3 words Zan, Tetsu and Ken.
- 斬 (zan) means "cutting" or "decapitating"
- 鉄 (tetsu) means "iron"
- 剣 (ken) means "sword" after all
Conclusion
It is possible to cut through thin steel with a katana. However, cutting through entire iron girders, as seen in the film, can definitely be regarded as fiction.
