Bushcrafting with a katana

[Ph34r]

I think people are missing the point. I should imagine that in a survival situation, a samurai or other person has used his katana for surviving (as it was his only possesion at the time). I am trying to discover if such a situation was ever documented.

 

[Martyn]

so long as the sword is pre-1954 or hand made.

Not just "hand made" but hand made using traditional methods - which means forged at the least.

the weapon in question was made before 1954 or was made at any other time according to traditional methods of making swords by hand

 

[Bigfoot]

I think people are missing the point. I should imagine that in a survival situation, a samurai or other person has used his katana for surviving (as it was his only possesion at the time). I am trying to discover if such a situation was ever documented.

A Samurai used his katana only for killing his enemies, for no other purpose. As far as other posessions are concerned, his weaponry would include a shorter sword (Wakizashi) and also a tanto (knife). I don't think you will find anything documented anywhere (other than perhaps a Hollywood script) to suggest that a katana was used as a survival tool (other than against an enemy). Please bear in mind that the Samurai treated their swords with huge respect, they believed they had their own souls.

 

[Graham_S]

I'm going to say that it would never happen.
Ever.
Japan is too small, and was too populated for anyone to be in a position where it would be required.
The sword was venerated too highly, and was too valuable to be abused in such a way.

 

[Martyn]

I think people are missing the point. I should imagine that in a survival situation, a samurai or other person has used his katana for surviving (as it was his only possesion at the time). I am trying to discover if such a situation was ever documented.

Keep looking mate, perhaps some bloke posed the question "hey Yoshimoto, if you could only have one sword in a survival situation, what would you take?"

I think you're missing the point. It's a daft question, it has no relevance to bushcraft, the swords would be crap at the typical tasks, you wont find any information to the contrary and you wont be able to justify carrying one, but if ya fantasies extend to bushcraft ninja, you could probably get away with a plastic one as a LARPER. Crack on.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Keep looking mate, perhaps some bloke posed the question "hey Yoshimoto, if you could only have one sword in a survival situation, what would you take?"

<snip>

hey Yoshimoto. That is Classic.

 

[Xeroen]

I went a bit mad on Samurai and Ninja stuff a few years ago, learned a fair bit I'll probably never need, but I'd say it is possble that some people might have tried to use a Katana for such a thing, they wouldn't have been Samurai. A Samurai wouldn't have done it because of the significance of the blade. To a non-Samurai, the sword would mean less, so who knows, maybe it was tried.

That said, I think Graham_S hit the nail on the head with his last post. For somebody to get into that situation, they would have to put themselves there, which in those times would have been considered madness.

 

[Graham_S]

If you really feel you have to, I think this is what you're looking for.

Also, don't watch the video on that site.
You have been warned.

 

[Martyn]

If you really feel you have to, I think this is what you're looking for.

I'm thinking he really wants this.

 

[Retired Member southey]

My butcher is getting an early christmas present, he's gonna scare the grannys out of his shop, no more tuesday cues for me!

 

[Retired Member southey]

Martyn the sheath for that must be a bugger to get on after carving spoons.

 

[Graham_S]

I wonder if he knows Gecko45...

 

[Martyn]

Martyn the sheath for that must be a bugger to get on after carving spoons.

I've got the pocket version, it's excellent.

 

[Martyn]

i wonder if he knows gecko45...

I wonder if he ever did come up with a plan B?

 

[Retired Member southey]

I've got the pocket version, it's excellent.

Thats a quick way to end a family name.

 

[wanderingblade]

Not just "hand made" but hand made using traditional methods - which means forged at the least.

Well thats the funny thing - 'forged' is not specified (though assumed?) in the act. Katana were made on production lines using power hammers long before the 1954 date specified for previous exemption - would this make it a traditional method?

As we all know, legislation is always open to interpretation and getting the buggers to specify what the law really means is like trying to find clay pigeon eggs.

 

[Martyn]

Well thats the funny thing - 'forged' is not specified (though assumed?) in the act. Katana were made on production lines using power hammers long before the 1954 date specified for previous exemption - would this make it a traditional method?

As we all know, legislation is always open to interpretation and getting the buggers to specify what the law really means is like trying to find clay pigeon eggs.

Hand made by a power press? I cant for the life of me twist "traditional methods of making swords by hand" into "made by power hammers is OK". It'll need testing in court to find the answer, but law is as much about intent as words. I think the intent is clearly "hand forged with hammer and anvil" IMO, or at least that's what I would conclude if I were a judge - but I'm not so it's moot.

Oh and the "katanas" made on production lines were "Gunto" and not considered proper swords. They were "issue" ornaments. The literal translation of Gunto is new army sword.

 

[Tengu]

And thats the Samurai who `owned` swords.

Many couldnt afford them, or only got them though inheritance.

Martyn, I am a jealous Heavenly Dog!

(I have a kozuka of course, which is the pocket knife)

 

[wanderingblade]

Hand made by a power press? I cant for the life of me twist "traditional methods of making swords by hand" into "made by power hammers is OK"

Exactly - it's the old problem of how many tools / machinery can be used before an item is no longer classed as 'hand made'?

I'd certainly class a knife as hand made even is it was made from a lump of mass produced 01 bought from Cromwells and shaped on a grinder using a stock removal method because it still involves a high degree of skill despite using powered tools.

I agree that it would only ever be settled in the courts - you'd never get the Home Office to specify any kind of detail in a million years!

 

[Martyn]

And thats the Samurai who `owned` swords.

Many couldnt afford them, or only got them though inheritance.

Martyn, I am a jealous Heavenly Dog!

(I have a kozuka of course, which is the pocket knife)

Sadly my daisho and katana are Chinese in origin though are traditionally made, clay hardened and sport good hamon, I would love a genuine Japanese daisho, maybe one day.