Munetoshi T-10 Sword, 'Light Cutter' Review
Feb 3, 2010 10:56:12 GMT
Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2010 10:56:12 GMT
Introduction
Good Evening SBG,
After some deliberation on what I was going to review next, I decided on Munetoshis’ Light Cutter. These swords retail for $168.98 and come in two flavors: red and black, which can be found here: www.swordnarmory.com/T10-Handmade-Battle-Ready-Musashi-Samurai-Sword-p/hm-233rd.htm
and here: www.swordnarmory.com/T10-Handmade-Battle-Ready-Samurai-Katana-Sword-p/hm-233bk.htm
There are a few reasons I chose this specific sword; I like the fact there’s a color option other than black, it comes with accessories that are not the standard cotton-linen-ish sword bag (though it has that, too) and it has a proven track record with our cutting group. I also believe there’s more to this blade than first meets the eye.
Historical overview
I’m not entirely certain what the designer had in mind when they created this sword, but the handling and geometry is very reminiscent of some of the old Koto blades I’ve had an opportunity to inspect and handle. The blade is thin, but not quite ‘tired-from-the-box’, or ‘one-polish-away-from-ruination’ thin. Instead, it has a feel of a much loved and well cared for Koto piece, like an old warrior that still has a few battles left in them.
The Koto period in Japan fell between the years of 900 C.E. and 1596 C.E. It was characterized by two major periods within the Koto period, which were defined by the blade shapes of the time. The first half of the Koto period was called the Kamakura period. The blades of this time were typically long, with graceful curves toward the tsuka and very small kissaki in both length and depth.
Source: www.jp-sword.com
The second half was called Nambokucho and was defined by much heavier, more robust blades with o-kissaki and wider hamon.
Source: www.jp-sword.com
The Light Cutter is reminiscent of a shortened Kamakura tachi. The sword features a chu kissaki, shinogi zukuri geometry and no bohi. It is well balanced and just has the almost inexplicable feeling of being a dedicated cutting blade, being ready to go head-to-head with and take down tatami warriors at any time.
Initial Impressions
The box is just the standard cardboard, but the sword sits very securely inside, thanks to three huge pieces of Styrofoam and the zippered Nylon carrying bag it comes with. I really love the carrying bag; it’s lightly padded and has a pocket for cleaning supplies or tools for a quick fix. Its made of nice, heavy material and has a shoulder strap, so it’s perfect to carry a sword back and forth to practice in.
The paperwork for the sword is attached to an envelope in the top half of the box and is about average as far as sword paperwork goes. No monumental hurrah there.
These swords also come with the weird cotton/linen sword bag. Again, nothing to write home about and very average for the price. I can’t say enough how much I love the nylon carrying bag, though; for the price range of these swords, it is a very nice addition.
The first things I noticed upon handling the Light Cutter were its nicely tapered tsuka, the phenomenal hamon on the blade, the good blance…and the sukashi Higo cucumber tsuba, of which I have never been a fan. The blade feels very good in the hands and ready to cut. It is light enough to practice cuts repeatedly with without overworking ones’ arms.
Statistics
Nagasa Length: 28”
Tsuka Length: 10.75”
Overall Length: 39”
Tsuba Width: 3”
POB (Point of Balance): Approx. 4.5” From Tsuba
Weight without Saya: 2.2 Lb.
Components
To-shin
This is what sets this sword apart from others in its price range. The blade has a somewhat tired--though traditional—shinoji zukuri shape and an absolutely eye-popping hamon. The best I can describe the hamon as is gunome midare; I’ve never seen two even remotely alike on these blades. It is complete through the boshi and generally has a nice turn-back.
The Light Cutter weighs 2.2 pounds without the saya, which is on the light end for my tastes. It manages this without a bohi somehow, which I really like. I prefer my iaito with bohi, but my cutting swords without. I’m not entirely certain why this is; it could be subconscious. The blade is also 28” long, which is right in a comfortable draw/noto length for me. The one strike it has against it is that the kissaki is not well defined.
Tsuka
The tsuka on this sword is nice. It’s well tapered and very comfortable in the hands. The ito is synthetic and the crossovers in the maki don’t alternate, but the samegawa underneath is real. The menuki are kind of generic and blasé; they’re just there. I do like the fushigashira quite a bit though, as they’re plain unto the point I could call them Higo style. They add a simplistic, elegant touch.
Tsuba
The tsuba is a decently-made blackened steel sukashi design. There is a little debate over what to call this exact design; some people refer to it as a ‘double ring’, others still call it a momo, or peach. It’s also been called the ‘Musashi’ design, as Musashi Myamoto did design a tsuba of this sort. I believe the most accurate is that is a sukashi in the Higo style, representing two cucumbers. While it is pretty well made, I have never been a fan of these tsuba and refer to every single one I see as a ‘butt’ tsuba. I realize that this style has its fans, I just don’t happen to be one of them. (Note: The author would like to take this opportunity to apologize to fans of the ‘butt’ tsuba.)
Fuchigashira
The fushigashira on the Light Cutter are my favorite components of its koshirae. They are blackened steel in a plain, Higo style. I feel they are very elegant and add an almost courtly air to this sword.
Saya
I chose to review the red version of this sword specifically because of the saya. It’s so dark it’s almost black, but really comes to life with some red metalflake. In just a little flash of light it’s very eye catching and in the sun, it positively glistens.
Another thing to like about this sword is the fact that the chemical fiber sageo is just that: sageo. It is not the same material as the ito and is a very nice addition to the sword.
Handling Characteristics
As I stated previously, the Light Cutter reminds me a bit of a shortened Kamakura tachi. It has a good taper to it and a balance that just begs to be cut with. It’s light and lively in the hand but with enough weight behind it that it can handle traditional targets but is not cumbersome. It’s also great for shredding water bottles.
Test Cutting
This is one of the Cutting Squads’ most used cutting swords and, as such, I couldn’t think of a single movie that could best personify it, as it has cameos in literally all of them. It’s another Munetoshi with a never-say-die heat treat; just this Friday my supervisor took a sizable slice out of our hardwood bottle stand and the Light Cutter shows no evidence of it. Perhaps I should get some photos of that stand…
Conclusions
I believe that the Light Cutter is a fantastic sword for the sub $200.00 price bracket that it sits in. It would make a great ‘first sharp’, has proven itself against both traditional and non-traditional targets, as well as the abuse the group of us can dole out. The hamon is gorgeous, the fushigashira are elegant, and the tsuka is tapered nicely. Things I would like to see done differently on this sword are actually putting some shape to the kissaki, getting the alternations in the itomaki correct and getting a few different tsuba to choose from. Overall, I believe it’s a great bang for the buck and that Sword N Armory has really delivered a great sword for the price.
Pros
Traditional geometry, giving a Nihonto-esque feel
Gorgeous hamon that’s tough as nails
Nice Higo-style fushigashira
Real samegawa
Beautiful metalflake on the saya (red model only)
Sageo that is SAGEO!
Nicely tapered tsuka
Very nice nylon sword bag
Price!
Cons
Ito crossovers do not alternate, which is incorrect
Kissaki has no definite shape
Slim sword; has an almost ‘tired’ feel
*Personal Taste* It has a ‘butt tsuba’
The Bottom Line
I would recommend this sword to someone looking for their first sharp, a great ‘backyard cutter’ or even as a nice display piece. I’d also recommend it to someone looking for a good sword on a budget, as this sword packs a lot of bang for the buck!
Good Evening SBG,
After some deliberation on what I was going to review next, I decided on Munetoshis’ Light Cutter. These swords retail for $168.98 and come in two flavors: red and black, which can be found here: www.swordnarmory.com/T10-Handmade-Battle-Ready-Musashi-Samurai-Sword-p/hm-233rd.htm
and here: www.swordnarmory.com/T10-Handmade-Battle-Ready-Samurai-Katana-Sword-p/hm-233bk.htm
There are a few reasons I chose this specific sword; I like the fact there’s a color option other than black, it comes with accessories that are not the standard cotton-linen-ish sword bag (though it has that, too) and it has a proven track record with our cutting group. I also believe there’s more to this blade than first meets the eye.
Historical overview
I’m not entirely certain what the designer had in mind when they created this sword, but the handling and geometry is very reminiscent of some of the old Koto blades I’ve had an opportunity to inspect and handle. The blade is thin, but not quite ‘tired-from-the-box’, or ‘one-polish-away-from-ruination’ thin. Instead, it has a feel of a much loved and well cared for Koto piece, like an old warrior that still has a few battles left in them.
The Koto period in Japan fell between the years of 900 C.E. and 1596 C.E. It was characterized by two major periods within the Koto period, which were defined by the blade shapes of the time. The first half of the Koto period was called the Kamakura period. The blades of this time were typically long, with graceful curves toward the tsuka and very small kissaki in both length and depth.
Source: www.jp-sword.com
The second half was called Nambokucho and was defined by much heavier, more robust blades with o-kissaki and wider hamon.
Source: www.jp-sword.com
The Light Cutter is reminiscent of a shortened Kamakura tachi. The sword features a chu kissaki, shinogi zukuri geometry and no bohi. It is well balanced and just has the almost inexplicable feeling of being a dedicated cutting blade, being ready to go head-to-head with and take down tatami warriors at any time.
Initial Impressions
The box is just the standard cardboard, but the sword sits very securely inside, thanks to three huge pieces of Styrofoam and the zippered Nylon carrying bag it comes with. I really love the carrying bag; it’s lightly padded and has a pocket for cleaning supplies or tools for a quick fix. Its made of nice, heavy material and has a shoulder strap, so it’s perfect to carry a sword back and forth to practice in.
The paperwork for the sword is attached to an envelope in the top half of the box and is about average as far as sword paperwork goes. No monumental hurrah there.
These swords also come with the weird cotton/linen sword bag. Again, nothing to write home about and very average for the price. I can’t say enough how much I love the nylon carrying bag, though; for the price range of these swords, it is a very nice addition.
The first things I noticed upon handling the Light Cutter were its nicely tapered tsuka, the phenomenal hamon on the blade, the good blance…and the sukashi Higo cucumber tsuba, of which I have never been a fan. The blade feels very good in the hands and ready to cut. It is light enough to practice cuts repeatedly with without overworking ones’ arms.
Statistics
Nagasa Length: 28”
Tsuka Length: 10.75”
Overall Length: 39”
Tsuba Width: 3”
POB (Point of Balance): Approx. 4.5” From Tsuba
Weight without Saya: 2.2 Lb.
Components
To-shin
This is what sets this sword apart from others in its price range. The blade has a somewhat tired--though traditional—shinoji zukuri shape and an absolutely eye-popping hamon. The best I can describe the hamon as is gunome midare; I’ve never seen two even remotely alike on these blades. It is complete through the boshi and generally has a nice turn-back.
The Light Cutter weighs 2.2 pounds without the saya, which is on the light end for my tastes. It manages this without a bohi somehow, which I really like. I prefer my iaito with bohi, but my cutting swords without. I’m not entirely certain why this is; it could be subconscious. The blade is also 28” long, which is right in a comfortable draw/noto length for me. The one strike it has against it is that the kissaki is not well defined.
Tsuka
The tsuka on this sword is nice. It’s well tapered and very comfortable in the hands. The ito is synthetic and the crossovers in the maki don’t alternate, but the samegawa underneath is real. The menuki are kind of generic and blasé; they’re just there. I do like the fushigashira quite a bit though, as they’re plain unto the point I could call them Higo style. They add a simplistic, elegant touch.
Tsuba
The tsuba is a decently-made blackened steel sukashi design. There is a little debate over what to call this exact design; some people refer to it as a ‘double ring’, others still call it a momo, or peach. It’s also been called the ‘Musashi’ design, as Musashi Myamoto did design a tsuba of this sort. I believe the most accurate is that is a sukashi in the Higo style, representing two cucumbers. While it is pretty well made, I have never been a fan of these tsuba and refer to every single one I see as a ‘butt’ tsuba. I realize that this style has its fans, I just don’t happen to be one of them. (Note: The author would like to take this opportunity to apologize to fans of the ‘butt’ tsuba.)
Fuchigashira
The fushigashira on the Light Cutter are my favorite components of its koshirae. They are blackened steel in a plain, Higo style. I feel they are very elegant and add an almost courtly air to this sword.
Saya
I chose to review the red version of this sword specifically because of the saya. It’s so dark it’s almost black, but really comes to life with some red metalflake. In just a little flash of light it’s very eye catching and in the sun, it positively glistens.
Another thing to like about this sword is the fact that the chemical fiber sageo is just that: sageo. It is not the same material as the ito and is a very nice addition to the sword.
Handling Characteristics
As I stated previously, the Light Cutter reminds me a bit of a shortened Kamakura tachi. It has a good taper to it and a balance that just begs to be cut with. It’s light and lively in the hand but with enough weight behind it that it can handle traditional targets but is not cumbersome. It’s also great for shredding water bottles.
Test Cutting
This is one of the Cutting Squads’ most used cutting swords and, as such, I couldn’t think of a single movie that could best personify it, as it has cameos in literally all of them. It’s another Munetoshi with a never-say-die heat treat; just this Friday my supervisor took a sizable slice out of our hardwood bottle stand and the Light Cutter shows no evidence of it. Perhaps I should get some photos of that stand…
Conclusions
I believe that the Light Cutter is a fantastic sword for the sub $200.00 price bracket that it sits in. It would make a great ‘first sharp’, has proven itself against both traditional and non-traditional targets, as well as the abuse the group of us can dole out. The hamon is gorgeous, the fushigashira are elegant, and the tsuka is tapered nicely. Things I would like to see done differently on this sword are actually putting some shape to the kissaki, getting the alternations in the itomaki correct and getting a few different tsuba to choose from. Overall, I believe it’s a great bang for the buck and that Sword N Armory has really delivered a great sword for the price.
Pros
Traditional geometry, giving a Nihonto-esque feel
Gorgeous hamon that’s tough as nails
Nice Higo-style fushigashira
Real samegawa
Beautiful metalflake on the saya (red model only)
Sageo that is SAGEO!
Nicely tapered tsuka
Very nice nylon sword bag
Price!
Cons
Ito crossovers do not alternate, which is incorrect
Kissaki has no definite shape
Slim sword; has an almost ‘tired’ feel
*Personal Taste* It has a ‘butt tsuba’
The Bottom Line
I would recommend this sword to someone looking for their first sharp, a great ‘backyard cutter’ or even as a nice display piece. I’d also recommend it to someone looking for a good sword on a budget, as this sword packs a lot of bang for the buck!