What is the best steel for a katana? This is a common question asked by beginners.
However, there are many factors that are actually more important than the type of steel it's made from (for example, heat treatment and forging quality are more important than the steel itself). But let's try to keep things as simple as possible!
So let's take a look at the different types of steel commonly used to make a katana - and what their strengths and weaknesses are.
The four most commonly used steels in the manufacture of katanas
The three most popular types of carbon steel used in swords are 1045, 1060 and 1095.
Generally speaking, most katana experts agree that the ideal range for a durable yet sharp sword that will hold a decent edge is between 0.5 and 0.7 carbon content.
1045 carbon steel
1045 carbon steel katanas are quite cheap to manufacture because they are easy to make (either by hand, or by forging, pressing or machine milling).
Because the minimum carbon content starts at 0.40% - and 1045 carbon steel is 0.45% - this is effectively the minimum acceptable steel for a functional blade.
However, if properly tempered and hardened, 1045 carbon steel katanas can be surprisingly robust.
While by modern standards this is the lowest grade of steel, the difference in purity of modern steel compared to medieval or even Japanese Tamahagane is such that a properly tempered 1045 carbon steel katana will outperform the historical originals.
1060 carbon steel
1060 carbon steel is an excellent compromise between hardness (edge retention ability) and flexibility (strength) - and many swords famous for their durability, such as those from Ronin Katana, Cold Steel and Darksword Armory, are made from 1060 carbon steel.
As a result, katanas made of 1060 carbon steel are very popular, but because the steel is harder than 1045 carbon steel katanas - they are more difficult and take longer to forge, shape and polish.
And therefore almost always a higher price than for a katana made of 1045 carbon steel.
1095 carbon steel
1095 carbon steel is very hard - and unless it is properly heat-treated, this hardness can sometimes be problematic when used on hard targets.
The main advantage of 1095 carbon steel katanas is that when properly tempered, they can take and maintain a much sharper edge than low carbon steel models.
When they are properly tempered, their reputation for fragility becomes undeserved.
1095 carbon steel is generally slightly more expensive than 1060, but not significantly.
T-10 Steel
T10 steel is a tungsten alloy steel with a very high carbon content (approximately 0.9 to 1.0%) with a little silicon (approximately 0.35% maximum) and is often called “high-speed steel”.
This material tends to be very hard, and the tungsten content means it is also more resistant to scratches and abrasions than most other types of steel.
Katanas with a T-10 steel blade are considerably stronger than other models with a similar level of carbon content.
