What steel types are the Han jian in this collection forged from?
Updated Feb 2026
The Han jian in this collection are forged from two primary steel types: Damascus pattern-welded steel and 1045 carbon steel. Damascus steel, in the context of modern sword production, refers to pattern-welded steel made by forge-welding multiple steel types together and working the billet through folding, drawing, and twisting until the different steels create flowing grain patterns visible after acid etching. Each Damascus blade has a unique pattern determined by the specific working process of the individual piece, and no two are identical. The layered structure of pattern-welded steel has both visual appeal and the structural character associated with a well-worked steel billet. 1045 carbon steel is a medium-carbon steel that produces a blade with clean, consistent surface character and reliable structural properties throughout the blade. It is less visually dramatic than Damascus but provides excellent structural integrity and is appropriate for a sword of the jian's length and geometry. Both materials use full-tang construction, with the steel running continuously from blade tip through the handle.