Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2010 3:52:26 GMT
Being the proud owner of a United Cutlery Black Dragon Wakizashi I will vouch for UC and say they are wonderful! Their blades have a beautiful tameshigiri polish, which makes up for the fact they are not DH/DT(Differentially hardened/tempered). With that said the fact they are made very nontraditional(and by this I am referring to the style) and as such turns some people away. Regardless United Cutlery makes some very nice blades, and depending on the retailer(Trueswords comes to mind) you can acquire one of your own for a more than reasonable price!). - Yakuza
|
|
ecovolo
Member
Review Points: 95
"Ich bin ein Landsknecht."
Posts: 625
|
Post by ecovolo on Jul 23, 2010 19:02:56 GMT
Regardless United Cutlery makes some very nice blades, and depending on the retailer(Trueswords comes to mind) you can acquire one of your own for a more than reasonable price!). - Yakuza I purchased mine at Trueswords. I'd say their price was very reasonable, and I recommend anyone considering buying a UC Black katana or wakizashi to check their website first. --Edward
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2010 8:15:52 GMT
Thanks. Do all of them have a uniform size, any tsuba or pommel will fit any blade/handle or are they different?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2010 16:08:03 GMT
Regardless United Cutlery makes some very nice blades, and depending on the retailer(Trueswords comes to mind) you can acquire one of your own for a more than reasonable price!). - Yakuza I purchased mine at Trueswords. I'd say their price was very reasonable, and I recommend anyone considering buying a UC Black katana or wakizashi to check their website first. --Edward Indeed, the Wakizashi I got MSRP's for about $250! Yet I got it for only $118(plus shipping). Trueswords will treat you right, and ship your sword the same day! ^_^. - Yakuza
|
|
ecovolo
Member
Review Points: 95
"Ich bin ein Landsknecht."
Posts: 625
|
Post by ecovolo on Jul 24, 2010 18:10:01 GMT
Thanks. Do all of them have a uniform size, any tsuba or pommel will fit any blade/handle or are they different? Well, they're largely machine-made versus hand-forged; I can only guess that one Shikyo is the same size as another. If you can find the tsuba and pommel that matches the specs they gave, you should be okay. I'll admit I haven't heard anything about anyone completing a modified version of this blade, so I am unable to give a more informed answer. --Edward
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2010 22:08:52 GMT
the United Black Yoru line of 1060 has been discontinued... only have the "damascus" models going now. all sites selling the yoru in 1060 monosteel would be a good place to scoop them up before they are gone. My wife's yoru waki 1060 was purchase from *choke* buk *choke*. we gave 35 bucks for it on a clearance sale. i believe trueswords, and som, and i know swords.com still has some.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2010 7:21:12 GMT
OK lets see where it goes. I'll have to take measurements and email vendors on the net to see if they have stuff to match the shikyo katana.
|
|
ecovolo
Member
Review Points: 95
"Ich bin ein Landsknecht."
Posts: 625
|
Post by ecovolo on Jul 29, 2010 4:08:59 GMT
OK lets see where it goes. I'll have to take measurements and email vendors on the net to see if they have stuff to match the shikyo katana. Sweet! Please keep us updated on this project. --Edward
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2010 4:29:10 GMT
Well, it arrived two nights ago. Had to rush off to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) and am now in Hanoi, writing this from 'Bay Cung Cam Xuc' Lucky Cafe. No idea what it means. The air-conditioning isn't really cool here. Anyway back to the sword. This is my first katana ever, this 'Shikyo' katana is made in China under contract from United Cutlery (American company). Box says it is hand-forged, fully functional and 'built to last a lifetime'. REVIEW: - Fit and finish seems OK. - Handle, guard not loose - HEAVY. Much heavier than I expected. Needs arm muscle strength to swing around. I can barely swing it around one handed. Makes me feel like I've got weak wrist muscles! - Size - it's larger than I expected. Blade is about 28". - Koshirae (fittings) - the tsuba (guard), fuchi (hilt collar) and kashira (pommel) are WEIRD. Some kinda tribal tattoo design! - Tsuka-ito (handle wrapping) feels like plastic. Silk cord wrap would be much more comfortable. - Menuki (handle ornament under wrapping) is too thick. Feels a bit uncomfortable to hold. Since this is my first katana, I don't have a reference. Might be 'normal' to others. - Double bo-hi (grooves) on sword blade. This is supposed to reduce mass and lighten blade to make it easier to swing around I suppose. - No yokote (http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/imageARH.JPG). - No hamon (tempering line). This is obviously a mass-produced sword. - I didn't get the poster or medallion for some reason. CONCLUSION: Not bad as a first katana for those of us who cannot afford modern classics by masters like Yoshindo Yoshihara. Nothing on this katana rattles and it feels solid. 1045 steel is apparently 'entry level' quality. There are other modern katanas (not made from tamahagane steel) which are far superior (right up to L6 steel katanas by Howard Clark), but also very costly. ADVANCED: It would probably be an interesting project to replace tsuba, fuchi and kashira with some classic styles and replace cord wrap with silk cord. End result will be a very classic looking katana like the ones below: www.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Kokemusu.htmlwww.justice-armory.com/justice_armory/Satsuma_Katana.html
|
|
ecovolo
Member
Review Points: 95
"Ich bin ein Landsknecht."
Posts: 625
|
Post by ecovolo on Jul 29, 2010 23:38:00 GMT
Scud: Good basic review. +1 Karma to you.
I say copy this info and re-print it onto a new review-- the more info the forum has, the better.
--Edward
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2010 0:41:04 GMT
Thanks Edward. Pardon my ignorance but how do I do that?
|
|
ecovolo
Member
Review Points: 95
"Ich bin ein Landsknecht."
Posts: 625
|
Post by ecovolo on Jul 30, 2010 14:41:50 GMT
Thanks Edward. Pardon my ignorance but how do I do that? PM sent. --Edward
|
|