sanmai
English
Etymology
Japanese 三枚 (sanmai (sanmai), さんまい) (literally, 3 sheets)
Noun
sanmai (countable and uncountable, plural sanmais)
- (uncountable) A construction method for Japanese-style blade steels, usually sandwiching a hardenable steel in a taco of flexible steel, that is forge-welded together, leaving a hardenable edge steel and flexible spine steel, for single-edged blades.
- (countable) A steel sandwich made by this method, before and after being welded.