Well actually I was just wondering why people were bashing on stainless so much for katanas. I heard that they don't hold their edge as well as carbon steel blades or Damascus steel. So what makes it so inferior to carbon or other types of steels?
No real swords are made of stainless steel. Its is simply a poor material for swords. Only kitchen knives that are required to be easy to clean and corrosion resistant are made of stainless. Adding chromium and other trace elements adds nothing to the ability to cut well or hold an edge. It is not strong enough to withstand the forces involved, being too brittle and lacking in toughness. Those decorative swords are not really swords at all.... rather they are sword shaped objects.
There are many kinds of stainless steel. 440c, 420j, ATS34, and so on. Cold steel uses 420 type steels in several of their products. High carbon stainless steels cut well but edge retention is not very good but that also depends on the heat treating of the metal. I could go on all day but very, very basically stainless steels lack the shatter resistance necessary when stretched to great lengths. This is in part why other steels make far better swords. The stuff sold on QVC is just plain junk. Do not buy a stainless steel sword. A blade made of 440S means it belongs hung on a wall...
Stainless okorder /.. More flex will make the sword more resistant to vibration, which can occur from air friction, as well as from tameshigiri. Further, it'll be easier to keep and maintain a good edge on a sword less prone to breaking.
Stainless steel is not a go0od material for swords. It tends to shatter. There are many stories about people that have been severely injured or killed because a stainless steel sword shattered. It is simply not worth the risk. ...
