Steel Comparison Chart
Which Steel Is Right for You?
Every MoonSwords blade is hand-forged and full-tang. This chart shows how our steels compare, so you can pick the one that fits what you want from your sword.
| Steel | Best for | Typical hardness | Edge retention | Toughness | What you'll see | Price tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay-tempered classics | ||||||
| T10 | Best all-rounder; our most popular steel | 58–62 HRC | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | True hamon | $ – $$$ |
| 1095 | A crisp, classic hamon | 58–61 HRC | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | True hamon | $$ – $$$ |
| T8 | A real hamon at the lowest price | 56–60 HRC | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | True hamon | $ – $$ |
| Accessible steels | ||||||
| High-manganese (65Mn) | A forgiving first sword | 52–58 HRC | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Varies by model | $ – $$ |
| 1065 | Lowest price, easy care | 54–58 HRC | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Uniform finish | $ |
| High-speed steel | Long-lasting edge on a budget | 58–62 HRC | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Uniform finish | $ |
| Pattern and layered steels | ||||||
| Damascus | Steel as artwork (Japanese line and Master Collection) | 56–60 HRC | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Folded-layer pattern; some models also show a hamon | $ – $$$$$ |
| Sanmai | Hard edge on a resilient body | 58–61 HRC (core) | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | True hamon | $$$ |
| Laminated | Master Collection jian | 58–60 HRC (core) | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Lamination line | $$$$$ |
| Historic steels | ||||||
| Wootz | A natural crystalline pattern | 55–60 HRC | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Crystalline pattern plus hamon | $$$$ |
| Tamahagane | The traditional Japanese material | 58–62 HRC | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | Hamon plus folded grain (hada) | $$$$$ |
Price tiers: $ under $300 · $$ $300–$400 · $$$ $400–$800 · $$$$ $800–$2,000 · $$$$$ over $2,000. Hardness figures are typical ranges for each steel, not measurements of individual swords; where a product page lists a figure, that figure applies. Edge retention and toughness are relative ratings within our lineup. Every steel we carry is carbon or alloy steel, so wipe and oil your blade regularly. Read the full steel guide →