National Institute Of Fashion Technology Chennai

Japanese -Samurai Katana – Quality

Effort By:Anish Raj Varun Sanadhya

Katana • Traditionally made Japanese Sword .• Worn by Samurai of feudal japan .• Dr. Stephen Turnbull (Author- „The Samurai „) defines it as

the symbol for authority, pride which samurai‟s used for maintaining law and order .

• James chamber (Author –‟The devils horsemen‟) refers it as the ultimate cutting weapon .

• Revered more than beauty and precision, said to posses the spirit of its own.

What makes it so superior ???• Raw material• Traditional skilled swordsmiths• Unique design and composition • Moral value

Raw Material • For a katana, quality raw steel is

used – Tamahagane• Tamahagane is found in shimane in

SW Japan• Created by smelting in traditional

furnace • The smelter Kihara does not sleep

for 3 days and 3 nights . • Kihara Identifies the steel by

sound of the furnace, which is the last of its kind.

Skilled SwordSmiths

• Only a skilled swordsmith can make a samurai katana.• Gasam Sadatoshi one of the most renowned swordsmith in the

world tells that he checks the tamahane and then select the pieces.

• It has part as a traditional knowledge to him by his ancestors.• He pass it on to the others by means of Apprenticeship.• It takes 5 years to master the Art . • The sword is examined at every stage and judged by its color .

Unique Design and Composition

• Gasam also focuses on the design hamam, produced as a ripple along the length of the sword.

• The ability of the sword and the swordsmith is judged by the hamam.

• Katana is composed of a unique blend of iron and steel .• Great Research and Development.

Moral Value

• Stephen turnbull Quotes “ that this is probably the only weapon in the world which is called to have spirit of its own “

• Every Samurai had to follow a code of conduct.• If not followed he had to commit suicide.• During WW2 katana‟s were actively used for beheading POW.• It was left to japanese to Free the spirit of katana post WW2 ,

hence certain restrictions were imposed on its use and possesion.• IT has survived competition from guns and bullets , just because of

its moral values.

Katana• Katana still used as an artifact and in practice of Martial ArtsTestimony to a weapon which refuses to become a relic.• Many cheap versions are now industrially manufacted in varying

quality.• But original samurai grade katana making can be done only by

the traditional swordsmiths.

Case Study- Ford

• Ford was manufacturing in Japan and USA simultaneously.• Soon the customers wanted cars made in Japan and it could

even wait despite USA made cars were available.• Ford studied the parts and could find that – All USA made

parts were within the tolerance limit but Japanese made parts were more or less identical.

• Suppose a part has to be 1 foot long with plus/minus 1/8 “ as tolerance japanese parts were within 1/16 “ tolerance.

Japan and Quality

• Role of E. Edwards Deming- statistical quality control methods• Culture -A strong organizational culture is characterized by

“intense emotional attachment and the internalization of „clearly enunciated company values‟ that often replace formal structures”- kunda gideon

• work environment-Life time Employment , unionism, seniority wages

Role of Edwards Deming

• Deming is the final, and arguably most important, variable in the equation that led to Japan‟s economic revolution after the Second World War.

• As Deming himself said, “Quick returns, whether by acquisition, or by divestiture, or by paper profits or by creative accounting, are self-defeating” (Deming 1985). When Japan adopted Deming‟s techniques, Japanese firms were not thinking about profit margins or stock prices. For them, it was about the success of Japanese industry, and the future of Japan as a nation.

Worker Involvement

• Total quality management, quality control circles, quality control groups, etc. all accomplish the same goal by making the workers invested both physically and mentally in the manufacturing process.

• Incentives are given to workers to provide suggestions as to how manufacturing can be made more efficient

• There is an intense degree of cooperation between workers, and even departments, within a firm

References

• Discovery channel documentary– making of katana swords.• National geographic documentary – The making of the perfect

sword • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming• Research Paper by Andrew Mandel -

http://bir.brandeis.edu/bitstream/handle/10192/92/Mandel%20Thesis%202012.pdf?sequence=3