Ultrahard steel

Super hardened steel is a material made to cut and pierce the skin of the Titans.

Uses
Swords made of super hardened steel are the main weapon used in the fight against the Titans. These one edge blades are included as part of the Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear, which is the only known usage for the hardened steel. They are the only portable weapons that are strong enough to pierce the body of a titan; canons are able to wound a Titan's body but they are very slow and inaccurate. Firearms can destroy the titan's eyes, but it is very hard for them to pierce a Titan's skin effectively enough to kill it. Therefore, blades are used two at a time to cut the nape of the titans neck with accuracy. They can also be used to cut or pierce almost any part of a titan's body such as tendons, fingers, or eyes. They are rather lightweight so that soldiers are able to carry several blades at a time without being seriously weighed down or affecting the movement of the 3DMG.

However they have some limitations. After continued usage, the blades wear down and lose their sharp edge, which may result in the blades breaking after to much usage. Also, since a soldier has to "amputate" the nape of the titan's neck, a single blade is difficult to use before being grabbed or having another matter interfere, so two blades are need to kill a titan effectively with less risk. The blades may break if they are used against something extremely hard, such as the hardened skin of the Female Titan or the Armored Titan. . For that reason, soldiers wear many blades with their 3DMG so that they are able to replace them easily.

Creation
The steel is created in the factories of production cities, where it is melted down and forged into the metal needed for the blades. The metal cannot be produced in any other place.

The blades were created by Angel Aaltonen, a weapon smith who collaborated with the Survey Corps 50 years before the fall of Wall María. He is also was the creator of the Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear.

Trivia

 * Although the blades are meant to be used against Titans, they are an effective weapon against humans too. Levi Ackerman used these blades to kill a person as he evaded Kenny Ackerman. The momentum that the 3DMG gives to the user may assist in the strike of the blade.