Would a sword that is folded, made of high carbon steel with a real hamon line, and razor sharp be considered an authentic samurai katana?
Mushin makes many good points,, but there is one characteristic she left out. It must have been owned by a samurai. Nothing else is a samurai sword. As has been pointed out, there are many nihonto (that means "Japanese Sword") out there and there are katana and then there are katana shaped objects. If you TRUELY want to do some research on a sword, a good place to start is here:
I have met Professor Stein and the man is sword passion personified. I was humbled by his attention to a piece of metal garbage I thought was a jewel, and his words of encouragement made it a learning experience.
But to say it again.....If no Samurai owned it.....It's not a Samurai sword.
Art Japanese handmade sword samurai katana 1055 carbon steel practical sharp*671, Japanese high manganese steel katana samurai sword no mirror effect blade *M01, Japanese handmade practical Iaito high carbon steel katana samurai sword *A-01, Japanese handmade 1055 carbon steel katana samurai sword full Tang red A#a109 , Japanese katana damascus folded steel practical samurai sword red blade *720, Japanese practical samurai set katana folded pattern steel sword & Tanto *460, top quality Japanese folded steel sharp katana samurai sword practical A#b105 , Japanese handmade 1055 carbon steel katana samurai practical sword A#a102, #12 HANDMADE JAPANESE SAMURAI SWORD KATANA DAMASCUS BLADE STEEL SHEATH, Art Japanese handmade sword samurai katana carbon steel practical cut bamboo*663, top graded clay tempered Japanese samurai katana high carbon steel sword *D07, Japanese samurai wakizashi katana folded pattern steel sword blood blade *351, clay-tempered 1095 carbon steel japanese practical katana samurai sword S#T01, Japanese folded steel practical katana samurai sword top quality A#b102, 1060 Carbon Steel Japanese Samurai Katana Sword HuaLee Saya Fulltang blade sharp, Japanese handmade 1055 carbon steel katana samurai sword full Tang A#a103, HAND FROGED Folded Steel Sanmai Full tnang Blade JAPANESE Samurai SWORD KATANA, handmade samurai sword damascus folded steel japanese katana practical sharp*798, Black&Red Folded Steel Full Tang Blade Japanese Dragon Sword Samurai Katana, 41"JAPANESE SAMURAI KATANA PRACTICE SWORD Black&Red Folded Steel Full Tang Blade, Japanese Ninja Samurai Steel Sword Dragon Katana WHITE , Japanese Ninja Samurai Steel Sword Dragon Katana RED, 41" HIGH QUALITY JAPANESE SAMURAI KATANA SWORD BLACK STEEL FULL TANG BLADE, JAPANESE SAMURAI SWORD KATANA AISI 1060 Steel Full Tang Blade Dragon&Snake Tsuba, Hand Forged Japanese Folded Steel Samurai Sword Aka Katana FULL CUSTOMIZATION, 1060 High Carbon Steel FullTang Blade Locust Tsuba Japanese Samurai Sword Katana, 40.6"Phenix Tsuba 1060 Carbon Steel Japanese Samurai Sword Katana Fulltang blade, 40" Handmade Full Tang Crane Katana Samurai Sword Carbon Steel Blade Brand New, HIGH QUALITY JAPANESE SAMURAI SWORD KATANA folded steel Sanmai Full tang Blade, 39" 1060 Carbon Steel Handmade Kill Bill Samurai Katana Bride's Sword Brand New,
