Red Dragonfly Sword Art - Dragonfly *UPDATED*
Nov 19, 2009 1:34:43 GMT
Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 1:34:43 GMT
Red Dragonfly Art Sword - Dragonfly Custom
Review Author: Daniel Roan
Introduction:
The mid to high-end level production katana market is currently dominated, more or less, by Hanwei and Dynasty Forge due to longstanding reputations for well-forged katana and moderately dependable quality-control. Over the past few years, however, lesser-known companies such as Kensei, Ronin Swords, etc., have emerged to carve out a name for themselves among the leaders in the industry. Red Dragonfly Sword Art/Kaneie Sword International is one of these, developing in large part due to favorable feedback throughout the Japanese sword community and a growing reputation for quality products. Though experiences have been well documented at the lower price points, word on their higher-end work is few and far between.
I made the decision to have a katana made by RDS for the above-stated reasons as well as a few of my own. First, RDS’ katana have a style clearly their own, and seem to capture a sense of the soul and art lacking in other production katana. It is evident in the excellent photographs they take of their katana that attention to detail is one of their strengths. Second, I was looking for something in the traditional style but uniquely mine. I contacted Jason Kim over at RDS, inquiring about changing a few things on one of their base models, which evolved into changing almost everything on the piece after seeing how receptive he was to my input. It was truly a pleasure to deal with him and I can strongly recommend him again in terms of service.
Here are the summarized specifications of what I ordered:
Folded blade, no bo-hi
Tombo/Dragonfly theme fuchi, kashira, tsuba
Black leather katate-maki on white same, menuki placed outside the maki
Ishime black saya
Geometric yokote
White and black sageo
Worked habaki
Jason offered to upgrade the level of polish on the blade without me even asking, and was more than accommodating to changes I made throughout the process. After the sword was done I was sent pictures of the katana disassembled for approval, at which point shipment was sent. I received the katana within 3 days from China to Miami.
Background:
In Japan, the dragonfly is a symbol of courage and strength as well as victory on the battlefield (due to the similarity between the sound of “victory” and “dragonfly” in Japanese). Inasmuch, it is found frequently in literature and art, including traditional weaponry.
Initial Impressions:
The sword came well-protected in a box padded with bubble-wrap and packing tape. Upon opening, it was housed in a purple sword bag – inside lay the katana with a leather spacer separating the tsuba from the saya for padding, and a cellophane cover to protect the blade from abrasion. There was no damage during shipping.
Specifications:
Folded blade, Shinogi-zukuri
Nagasa (blade length): 720 mm / 28.35 in
Motohaba (width at habaki): 32.5 mm / 1.28 in
Sakihaba ( width at yokote): 24.5 mm / 0.96 in
Kasane (thickness of blade): 7mm / 0.28 in
Sori (curvature): 0.7 in - Tori
Yokote – Counterpolished, Cosmetic
Mune – Iorimune/Ridged
Nakago (Tang) – Kuri-jiri
The hamon is toranha/irregular billowing.
Fuchi-kashira in tombo/dragonfly theme, menuki are fans with flowers inset wrapped underneat the maki.
Tsuba is also dragonfly-themed, blackened steel.
Tsuka is black leather wrapped around white samegawa paneling.
Fit and Finish:
If there is one aspect Red Dragonfly Sword Art is known for, it is the fit and finish of their work and their attention to detail. In this regard they continue to excel. They are well-known for having generally tight and solid work, evidenced in tsuka-maki of consistently good quality and execution as well as quality fittings and the overall feel of their pieces.
Overall, the sum of the parts of this piece coalesces into a work that feels to speak as much of art form as much as it does lethality.
The tsukamaki is premium black leather wrapped in katatemaki style (commonly referred to as “battle wrap”) over white paneled samegawa of good quality – no emperor’s node present.
The maki job was actually done twice, as the original wrap was unsatisfactory to their usual standards (this speaks volumes about the care in workmanship RDS prides themselves on); the end result is tightly wrapped with even work throughout. The menuki are wrapped under the maki, which is actually not the way I ordered it, but was told that it had proved technically difficult for them to execute after many tries. Although not optimally what I wanted, it still was ultimately done well and is more of a personal taste issue than of quality.
The tombo fuchi, kashira, and tsuba are flush with their surfaces and all tight fitting. The tsuka is fit with one mekugi. Everything is tightly put together with no play. I have actually not disassembled the sword yet for this very reason.
The saya is finished is black ishime with buffalo horn kojiri/koiguchi and dressed in what seems to be chemical silk black sageo. Again, the issue was brought up since I ordered black and white sageo, but they were currently out of stock and I just decided to have them send the sword now rather than wait for it. Jason promised me that at the end of the month he was taking a trip to Japan to get more materials, after which he would send me black and white sageo separately for no additional charge.
The habaki is blacked at the base with diagonal file markings in a rain pattern. The saya articulates with the habaki well. Drawing the katana is smooth, yet the friction fit is tight enough to prevent the blade from slipping due to gravity. Fully sheathed, the surface of the horn and the seppa come close but leave approximately a millimeter of space in between. There is absolutely no rattle in the saya through any plane of motion.
The blade is forge-folded without bo-hi and polished using traditional hand stones. At no point of the process was the blade etched, and I was told none of Red Dragonfly Swords are ever etch-enhanced. The shinogi ji is brought to a mirror finish, with the ji polished to satin. The hamon has been brought out using hazuya stone, and demonstrates what appears to be kinsuji activity in the ha. The hada is itame (wood grain). All together the polish is superb, and the way the hamon is brought out on the blade is absolutely beautiful. Sori (curvature) is Tori, and point of balance lies 6.4 inches from the tsuba. Nakago is kuri-jiri. The edge is paper-cutting sharp, though I have not done any serious cutting with it as of yet.
The yokote is cosmetic/counterpolished with chu-kissaki (medium) and komaru boshi.
This has been the weakest point in previous reviews of RDS’ lower level blades, and unfortunately continues to be a weaker point in this particular case. I had asked specifically for a geometric yokote, which was one of my biggest factors in deciding to order this katana. The level of polish is actually as well-executed as the rest of the blade. I am also aware that geometric yokote is not necessarily “correct” in that cosmetic yokote are found on some Nihonto. However, the issue is that it was ordered and not done and this is a key feature in the blade, especially at this price level. Hanwei’s blades all have it on lower level blades, and Dynasty Forge has been increasing the number of geometric yokotes forged on their higher-end katana. When Jason apologized to me for the error, he gave me the opportunity to reject the blade. However, by this time the polish was already complete, and honestly the rest of the blade is absolutely gorgeous. To put in another way, it takes a lot of pro’s to be able to balance out a key missing feature like this, and I did decide to keep the sword. That says something.
Summary and Conclusions
As a consumer, I am extremely picky. I am a perfectionist and generally obsessive about perfecting things I have a vested interest in. It is this characteristic that I feel is mirrored in Red Dragonfly Sword Art’s work ethic and craftsmanship.
The issues I have with the work are laid out openly and honestly, but you will notice that none of them have anything to do with the quality of work put forth here. Despite my personal preferences, everything done has been executed well. The small gap between the saya and the seppa is an extremely minor aspect in what is otherwise a gorgeous piece of work. Production blades traditionally suffer from a myriad of things that are known to go wrong along the course of production, and I find none of these in the katana sent to me. I do realize the katana has not been completely disassembled, and the possibility of a cracked tsuka cannot be ruled out. However, I will say I have seen disassembled pictures of the sword and not found that to be the case.
Shown on both the Kaneie site and the Red Dragonfly Sword site (the US server), the Tombo Custom is listed at 14000 yen with a blank USD price. By rough mathematics comparing the two sites in USD and Chinese Yen, it probably places this sword at approximately $1400. Though I cannot state the exact price I paid for it, I can say that I paid significantly less than that. Inasmuch, the katana proved to be a great value for the money. The prices in USD of the swords on their site are not necessarily static, either. Sales occur as well as the occasional ebay listing, and negotiation for custom work is not out of the question. In the end, value will have to be decided personally based on an agreed price and the amount of work and quality of materials.
Red Dragonfly Sword Art has built its name through attention to detail, artistic taste, and high quality of workmanship. These attributes are clearly evident in the katana built for me. Service was honest, prompt, and excellent. I have no reservations about strongly recommending Red Dragonfly Sword Art to anyone looking to purchase a sword in the higher-end production market. At this price, they have shown that it is possible to achieve a level of quality that is, at the very least, on par with that of Hanwei and Dynasty Forge while being able to individually direct the creation of a work of art that is ultimately and uniquely your own.
I hope this review has been of use, and I look forward to your comments.
Review Author: Daniel Roan
Introduction:
The mid to high-end level production katana market is currently dominated, more or less, by Hanwei and Dynasty Forge due to longstanding reputations for well-forged katana and moderately dependable quality-control. Over the past few years, however, lesser-known companies such as Kensei, Ronin Swords, etc., have emerged to carve out a name for themselves among the leaders in the industry. Red Dragonfly Sword Art/Kaneie Sword International is one of these, developing in large part due to favorable feedback throughout the Japanese sword community and a growing reputation for quality products. Though experiences have been well documented at the lower price points, word on their higher-end work is few and far between.
I made the decision to have a katana made by RDS for the above-stated reasons as well as a few of my own. First, RDS’ katana have a style clearly their own, and seem to capture a sense of the soul and art lacking in other production katana. It is evident in the excellent photographs they take of their katana that attention to detail is one of their strengths. Second, I was looking for something in the traditional style but uniquely mine. I contacted Jason Kim over at RDS, inquiring about changing a few things on one of their base models, which evolved into changing almost everything on the piece after seeing how receptive he was to my input. It was truly a pleasure to deal with him and I can strongly recommend him again in terms of service.
Here are the summarized specifications of what I ordered:
Folded blade, no bo-hi
Tombo/Dragonfly theme fuchi, kashira, tsuba
Black leather katate-maki on white same, menuki placed outside the maki
Ishime black saya
Geometric yokote
White and black sageo
Worked habaki
Jason offered to upgrade the level of polish on the blade without me even asking, and was more than accommodating to changes I made throughout the process. After the sword was done I was sent pictures of the katana disassembled for approval, at which point shipment was sent. I received the katana within 3 days from China to Miami.
Background:
In Japan, the dragonfly is a symbol of courage and strength as well as victory on the battlefield (due to the similarity between the sound of “victory” and “dragonfly” in Japanese). Inasmuch, it is found frequently in literature and art, including traditional weaponry.
Initial Impressions:
The sword came well-protected in a box padded with bubble-wrap and packing tape. Upon opening, it was housed in a purple sword bag – inside lay the katana with a leather spacer separating the tsuba from the saya for padding, and a cellophane cover to protect the blade from abrasion. There was no damage during shipping.
Specifications:
Folded blade, Shinogi-zukuri
Nagasa (blade length): 720 mm / 28.35 in
Motohaba (width at habaki): 32.5 mm / 1.28 in
Sakihaba ( width at yokote): 24.5 mm / 0.96 in
Kasane (thickness of blade): 7mm / 0.28 in
Sori (curvature): 0.7 in - Tori
Yokote – Counterpolished, Cosmetic
Mune – Iorimune/Ridged
Nakago (Tang) – Kuri-jiri
The hamon is toranha/irregular billowing.
Fuchi-kashira in tombo/dragonfly theme, menuki are fans with flowers inset wrapped underneat the maki.
Tsuba is also dragonfly-themed, blackened steel.
Tsuka is black leather wrapped around white samegawa paneling.
Fit and Finish:
If there is one aspect Red Dragonfly Sword Art is known for, it is the fit and finish of their work and their attention to detail. In this regard they continue to excel. They are well-known for having generally tight and solid work, evidenced in tsuka-maki of consistently good quality and execution as well as quality fittings and the overall feel of their pieces.
Overall, the sum of the parts of this piece coalesces into a work that feels to speak as much of art form as much as it does lethality.
The tsukamaki is premium black leather wrapped in katatemaki style (commonly referred to as “battle wrap”) over white paneled samegawa of good quality – no emperor’s node present.
The maki job was actually done twice, as the original wrap was unsatisfactory to their usual standards (this speaks volumes about the care in workmanship RDS prides themselves on); the end result is tightly wrapped with even work throughout. The menuki are wrapped under the maki, which is actually not the way I ordered it, but was told that it had proved technically difficult for them to execute after many tries. Although not optimally what I wanted, it still was ultimately done well and is more of a personal taste issue than of quality.
The tombo fuchi, kashira, and tsuba are flush with their surfaces and all tight fitting. The tsuka is fit with one mekugi. Everything is tightly put together with no play. I have actually not disassembled the sword yet for this very reason.
The saya is finished is black ishime with buffalo horn kojiri/koiguchi and dressed in what seems to be chemical silk black sageo. Again, the issue was brought up since I ordered black and white sageo, but they were currently out of stock and I just decided to have them send the sword now rather than wait for it. Jason promised me that at the end of the month he was taking a trip to Japan to get more materials, after which he would send me black and white sageo separately for no additional charge.
The habaki is blacked at the base with diagonal file markings in a rain pattern. The saya articulates with the habaki well. Drawing the katana is smooth, yet the friction fit is tight enough to prevent the blade from slipping due to gravity. Fully sheathed, the surface of the horn and the seppa come close but leave approximately a millimeter of space in between. There is absolutely no rattle in the saya through any plane of motion.
The blade is forge-folded without bo-hi and polished using traditional hand stones. At no point of the process was the blade etched, and I was told none of Red Dragonfly Swords are ever etch-enhanced. The shinogi ji is brought to a mirror finish, with the ji polished to satin. The hamon has been brought out using hazuya stone, and demonstrates what appears to be kinsuji activity in the ha. The hada is itame (wood grain). All together the polish is superb, and the way the hamon is brought out on the blade is absolutely beautiful. Sori (curvature) is Tori, and point of balance lies 6.4 inches from the tsuba. Nakago is kuri-jiri. The edge is paper-cutting sharp, though I have not done any serious cutting with it as of yet.
The yokote is cosmetic/counterpolished with chu-kissaki (medium) and komaru boshi.
This has been the weakest point in previous reviews of RDS’ lower level blades, and unfortunately continues to be a weaker point in this particular case. I had asked specifically for a geometric yokote, which was one of my biggest factors in deciding to order this katana. The level of polish is actually as well-executed as the rest of the blade. I am also aware that geometric yokote is not necessarily “correct” in that cosmetic yokote are found on some Nihonto. However, the issue is that it was ordered and not done and this is a key feature in the blade, especially at this price level. Hanwei’s blades all have it on lower level blades, and Dynasty Forge has been increasing the number of geometric yokotes forged on their higher-end katana. When Jason apologized to me for the error, he gave me the opportunity to reject the blade. However, by this time the polish was already complete, and honestly the rest of the blade is absolutely gorgeous. To put in another way, it takes a lot of pro’s to be able to balance out a key missing feature like this, and I did decide to keep the sword. That says something.
Summary and Conclusions
As a consumer, I am extremely picky. I am a perfectionist and generally obsessive about perfecting things I have a vested interest in. It is this characteristic that I feel is mirrored in Red Dragonfly Sword Art’s work ethic and craftsmanship.
The issues I have with the work are laid out openly and honestly, but you will notice that none of them have anything to do with the quality of work put forth here. Despite my personal preferences, everything done has been executed well. The small gap between the saya and the seppa is an extremely minor aspect in what is otherwise a gorgeous piece of work. Production blades traditionally suffer from a myriad of things that are known to go wrong along the course of production, and I find none of these in the katana sent to me. I do realize the katana has not been completely disassembled, and the possibility of a cracked tsuka cannot be ruled out. However, I will say I have seen disassembled pictures of the sword and not found that to be the case.
Shown on both the Kaneie site and the Red Dragonfly Sword site (the US server), the Tombo Custom is listed at 14000 yen with a blank USD price. By rough mathematics comparing the two sites in USD and Chinese Yen, it probably places this sword at approximately $1400. Though I cannot state the exact price I paid for it, I can say that I paid significantly less than that. Inasmuch, the katana proved to be a great value for the money. The prices in USD of the swords on their site are not necessarily static, either. Sales occur as well as the occasional ebay listing, and negotiation for custom work is not out of the question. In the end, value will have to be decided personally based on an agreed price and the amount of work and quality of materials.
Red Dragonfly Sword Art has built its name through attention to detail, artistic taste, and high quality of workmanship. These attributes are clearly evident in the katana built for me. Service was honest, prompt, and excellent. I have no reservations about strongly recommending Red Dragonfly Sword Art to anyone looking to purchase a sword in the higher-end production market. At this price, they have shown that it is possible to achieve a level of quality that is, at the very least, on par with that of Hanwei and Dynasty Forge while being able to individually direct the creation of a work of art that is ultimately and uniquely your own.
I hope this review has been of use, and I look forward to your comments.