Statistically speaking, we’re going to guess that a few of our readers have a soft spot for katanas. In fact, if we were to really go out on a limb, we’d say a whole bunch of you probably like the swords — and with good reason. They’re just really freaking cool! Now, we’re not going to objectively state that katanas are the coolest swords ever, mostly because some of the people who disagree probably have access to swords. But we think they’re pretty darn nifty, especially when they’re made out of meteorites.

Of course, we’re not the only ones who love old samurai swords. Director Quentin Tarantino, for example, seems to have a strong affection for them, if Kill Bill is any indication. So, it’s probably only logical that the most recent episode of Men at Arms: Reforged features a group of swordsmiths creating a Hattori Hanzō katana. To watch the process from ore to sword, check out the video below!

We were definitely fans of the original Men at Arms series, like everyone else on the Internet, and we’re no less fans of the second series Men at Arms: Reforged. In case you don’t spend as much time watching YouTube videos as we do, the important thing to know is that both series feature professional smiths smelting, hammering, sanding, and otherwise recreating some of the coolest fictional weapons in the real world. Either series is definitely a great way to lose a few hours of your afternoon!

The most recent episode of Men at Arms: Reforged shows the team taking on a project inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill films as they recreate the Hattori Hanzō katana given to the Bride in the first film. Whether you’ve seen the movie or not doesn’t really matter, you just need to know the sword is used in some of the most popular scenes of Part 1.

The Men at Arms: Reforged video also features a fair amount of information on the actual process of forging the sword, so it’s educational too. We bet your boss won’t mind you watching it because you’re learning. A smart worker is a good worker!

After watching this video, it’s kind of easy to understand why someone might throw away everything and move out into the country to become a swordsmith. It’s just. So. Freaking. Cool!

For more swordcrafting awesomeness, be sure to check out the full playlist of Man at Arms videos on YouTube.

Source: YouTube (AWE Me) via DDN