We are closing this service. But it is moving to Kameya what is the shop our apprentice runs. => Kameya
Tamahagane
If you try to make real Japanese blade, you should make the material by yourself, or buy tamahagane from NBTHK. But I know that to deal with NBTHK is not easy for foreigners. Then, Kameya can help you to earn tamahagane.
This is a sample of the tamahagane box. It is a 30kg box of the lowest price tamahagane.
Please do not get it wrong. The lowest priced tamahagane doesn't mean poor quality. But it includes various hardness of steels within various sizes of ingots. So it is good for starters to learn what tamahagane is.
About NBTHK tamahagane (=> NBTHK Tatara furnace)
In the furnace, a big iron ingot is produced. It includes various qualities in parts. Then, it is broken into many small pieces. Then, the small pieces are classified into several grades by the terms of hardness and sizes. For example, hard and proper size is highest price, grade 1A (8,250.yen/kg). After it 1B. Some is the too hard (cast iron, 3,300.yen/kg). The steel pieces are classified more grades. And the last pieces are lowest priced tamahagane (1,650.yen/kg). Some people say that this grade of tamahagane is close to the material in Koto period. So some smiths intentionally use this grade of tamahagane.
(2023 August updated)
(=> A way of forging Tamahagane)
(=> Material)