The tetsu-ken, or tekkan, is a little-known swordlike weapon from feudal Japan. The originals were mostly wakizashi-sized and appeared to be a wakizashi, but were made of iron rather than steel and had no edge.
Why a โSwordโ without an Edge?
Why a Sword at All?
I see two obvious reasons why the weapon was shaped like a sword. The first is a practical matter: it handles like sword. Being made of un-hardenable iron, they would need to be a little thicker and therefore a little heavier than a steel wakizashi, but the balance and handling would essentially be the same. The second reason would be that a โswordlike objectโ is more of a status symbol than an iron bar.
Whyโd I Make One?
Howโd I Make It?
We decided that 5160 was the best steel for the job due to its extreme toughness. I ground a sonobe (pre-form) from 0.25โ stock, and then forged the bevels. Forging the bevels creates more curvature, so I had to correct and straighten as the forging proceeded. I left more curvature than was ultimately needed because during the heat treatment Iโd be quenching in oil, and oil quenches reduce curvature.
After annealing, I ground the โedgeโ and cleaned up the profile a little. Next came the final steps in heat treatmentโhardening and tempering. Something I didnโt mention earlier is that my small propane forge I use for heating metal for forging was not large enough to heat the entire tetsu-ken for heat treatment. Hereโs a link to a WIP (work in progress) of how I built the drum forge I used for the heat treatment. There also is a short video embedded in this article showing the forge running. For hardening, the entire blade is heated to critical temperature and then quickly quenched in oil designed for this purpose. I then check the blade for hardness with a file, making sure the entire blade hardened. The blade was then put in my propane grill at 500ยฐ F for a couple cycles to temper.
How Does It Work?
Nicely! It handles just like a katana of its size and weight, and it hits hard. The final weight was around 2.4 lbs., which is a little heavier than a typical katana, but was necessary. A sword that cuts through a target isnโt subjected to as much force as a blunt weapon that strikes a target without passing through it. That extra meat gives the tetsu-ken the strength to absorb those forces without being damaged.
How Would I Use It in Game?
Beautiful article Todd! Thanks forthe history and culture lesson and good tosee not all blades are razor sharp death dealers able to cut a silk cloth gently dropped from above.
I am ultra-intrigued by the blade *losing its magnetism*. What does it have if it has lost it’s magnetism, or is this a different use of the term “magnetic”. (I assume you don’t mean it’s popular) :)
I am glad you are back.
I really enjoy these articles.
Happy Thanksgiving Kobolds!
@Morgan Boehringer – If steel loses it’s magnetism it still has it’s good looks… Ba dum tishhh…
But seriously, check out this link:
http://www.koboldquarterly.com/k/front-page6917.php#.UK4WaYaul0i
There’s some info on steel becoming non-magnetic at it’s critical temperature. If there’s anything not covered there you’re still curious about, feel free to ask away. This and several other links are embedded above.
@Darkjoy – Thank you. It is so very good to be back. :)
Welcome back, Real Steel!
A sword-shaped club. Huh. The social and political dynamic behind this weapon’s history is even more fascinating than the technical details (which I loved!). That force on a thin edge must have given a terrible impact.
@thorr-kan – I agree, the history is fascinating. I get giddy when someone shows me something interesting, obscure and new.