In 17th century Japan, there was a samurai so skilled that myths started to grow about him while he was still alive. After his death, he became a legend of super natural skills with the sword. His ...

points out how the process begins when very pure, iron-bearing river sand is combined in a clay furnace with charcoal and heated to a near-molten state to create a pure steel known as tamahagane.

Seki Nobuhide Sensei, a martial arts and katana instructor, rates portrayals of samurai battles in movies and TV shows. He explains why samurai employed different types of spears in battle in "Shogun.