# Communities > Modern-era Swords and Collecting Community > Modern Production Katanas >  Looking for a sword for my friend..

## Timo Qvintus

My friend has some specs set for his first and last (well, we all know better, but anyway  :Wink: ) katana. Let's hear some suggestions, based on these specs:

- folded
- diff.HT
- bo-hi, properly terminated
- functional (sharp, carbon steel)
- koshirae with a bit of bling, not too flashy but not completely black

Does such a thing exist in production sword world? I was thinking Bugei Dragonfly but the koshirae is very subtle, not enough bling for my friend I'm afraid. The only option that I can come up with is to get a Dragonfly and customize it myself, but I'd rather have something that's ready out-of-the-box.

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## Travis Nicko

pc tiger, perhaps?

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## Jerry Jerome Myers

....some great sales on Dynasty Forge Swords at several sites....Mantis Sword, Keeneredge, Swords of the East, Gungfu.... :Cool: 

....looking for some bling....Take a look at the Bugei Little Crow Tachi....

How much is he willing to spend....????

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## Timo Qvintus

Good call Travis!  :Smilie: 

Any others?

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## KevinT

Is bugei still doing the new  lion dog? That one has some sweet furniture.

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## Timo Qvintus

If Dynasty has a blade with decent looking kissaki I'd consider them; so far I've yet to see one though. 

My friend doesn't know tachi apart from jian, so let's stick with uchigatana.  :Cool: 

Lion Dog doesn't have bo-hi, and worse, they're only sold as daisho AFAIK. I'll have a pair of those myself one day, I swear..  :Big Grin: 

I think the budget would be 800-900, give or take. Ordering from outside EU translates into 22% VAT, so I would assume $1200-$1300 would be the roof.

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## Jerry Jerome Myers

a few more....Sokueto Honachi, Kumori, Hoso....three katanas from Nihonto Forge.

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## KevinT

> If Dynasty has a blade with decent looking kissaki I'd consider them; so far I've yet to see one though. 
> 
> My friend doesn't know tachi apart from jian, so let's stick with uchigatana. 
> 
> Lion Dog doesn't have bo-hi, and worse, they're only sold as daisho AFAIK. I'll have a pair of those myself one day, I swear.. 
> 
> I think the budget would be 800-900€, give or take. Ordering from outside EU translates into 22% VAT, so I would assume $1200-$1300 would be the roof.


ahhha, I see that now, daisho only.

 I think if I had such a friend, "a don't know shinken" but wants a sword, my advise would be wait, watch, and nab a custom in Whites from someone needing to sell. 
His list of impressionistic desires is based on...? he don't need that :Big Grin: 

For instance functional being defined as sharp, carbon steel.... you know there is more to it than that!

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## Timo Qvintus

> I think if I had such a friend, "a don't know shinken" but wants a sword, my advise would be wait, watch, and nab a custom in Whites from someone needing to sell. 
> His list of impressionistic desires is based on...? he don't need that
> 
> For instance functional being defined as sharp, carbon steel.... you know there is more to it than that!


His definition is based on going through my collection. As for the functionality, he just wants to have something "real". I have informed him that he could get a nihonto in shirasaya for a bit more, but he prefers koshirae (plus he's almost scared of the idea of having a genuine nihonto himself, he perceives them as hallowed objects for some reason).

Besides, I got him a SLO way back when, so in a way I owe him to get him a good sword this time around.  :Embarrassment:

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## nathanarcher

Can't tell a tachi apart from a jian? ouch, thats harsh. Drop some knowledge on him Timo while you are finding him a sword. Knowledge althought it is somewhat free is worth a good deal and it will help him appreciate the sword he acquires even more.
Pick out a few examples and let him chose.
Personally for a first sword, overall decent blade and koshirae, especially in the aethetics area for a relatively cheaper price. I'd stick with hanwei's line. U got the gold accents, the blue, the gold/brown saya/ito for variation etc etc.

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## j. addington

how about one of the $200 musashis (the 2008 models sound like it has what u need) *my somesones gonna get mad at sences are tingling wonder why*

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## Jason Anstey

Try this site, they have some nice steel iaito

Cheers

Jason


http://www.nihontoantiques.com/iaito...ale%20page.htm

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## Timo Qvintus

> Try this site, they have some nice steel iaito
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Jason
> 
> 
> http://www.nihontoantiques.com/iaito...ale%20page.htm


Oooh, very cool!  :Cool:  I'd totally forgotten those, thanks.

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## Ricky Arias

Pm Sent

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