New guy here with a question

[mattbowen]

Ok here it is, I have been seeing some of the katanas that say (Forged using the Japanese "Maru" technique ), What I would like to know is what is the “Maru technique? I know what clay tempering is and how it is done but until recently I have nevre heard of the Maru technique.

Matt

[Brian Brazier]

from what I can tell Maru is a style katana like a Tachi, check out Justice's review of the Dynasty Forge Kogarasu Maru Katana http://swordsofmightforum.com/showthread.php?t=255

[Jason Moore]

I always thought maru was like one steel or mono tempered...

[Travis Morris]

http://z.about.com/f/wiki/e/en/6/64/Katana_core_diagram.png



There was another one but I cant find it. Maru is the first pic shown

[69NINJA]

Maru = non laminated.


Travis, is this the one you were looking for?

http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/laminate.htm



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[bobO]

You will notice there is no san mai in the chart ninja posted.

[69NINJA]

for some reason the link just went down, god I hate computers!

bobO, san mai was the middle one on the top and second from the left on the bottom, it was even talked about in the brief paragraph under the pictures


~

[bobO]

The Honsanmai, Got it! Don't know why I never picked up on that before. PS. I blame the 70's. Thanks Ninja.

[Travis Morris]

Maru = non laminated.


Travis, is this the one you were looking for?

http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/laminate.htm



`


Yes it was, thanks!

[mattbowen]

Thanks fellows for all of the replies

Traivs;

looking at the first pic, it seems to be differentially tempered. If that is the case then "Maru" technique is clay tempered.

Thanks again

Matt

[mattbowen]

Well I was wrong in my first summation, Travis I tried the link that Ninja posted again and it was finely working. Thanks again for all of the replies, and thank you Ninja for the link.

Matt

[69NINJA]

looking at the first pic, it seems to be differentially tempered. If that is the case then "Maru" technique is clay tempered.



Maru is just a term for mono-steel, the forging process can vary from smith to smith.
High end mono-steel blades can be clay quenched for differential hardening and have a real hamon, but I can assure you that most of the cheap production internet "FORGED WITH TRADITIONAL MARU TECHNIQUE" are simply through tempered with a wire brushed hamon.

[mattbowen]

Thanks Ninja, that's what I thought.