Tamahagane
is a type of steel made in the Japanese tradition. The word means 'precious', and the word means 'steel'. is used to make Japanese swords, daggers, knives, and other kinds of tools.
The carbon content of the majority of analyzed Japanese swords historically lies between a mass of 0.5–0.7%; however, the range extends up to 1.5%.
Production
is made of an Ironsand found in Shimane Prefecture of Japan. There are two main types of iron sands: and. is lower quality, is better quality. The decides the amount of the mixing parts. Depending on the desired result, the mixes one or more types of sands.The iron sand is put in a, a clay tub furnace. The clay tub measures about tall, long and wide. The tub is dried and heated to about. It is then mixed with charcoal to add carbon to the steel, allowing it to be hardened.
The process of making takes 36–72 hours, depending on how many people work and how much metal is to be produced. Within an hour of smelting, the iron sand sinks to the bottom, called the bed of fire, in which it will be assessed by color to determine which parts of the smelt will be combined into. The iron sand is added every ten minutes, and the mixture is frequently turned over.
After the is finished, the clay tub is broken and the steel is removed. The best steel is on the edges of the resulting metal block; in this area, the oxidation process is stronger. The quality of is determined by its color: bright silver pieces are very good for making blades.