Cold Steel Chisa Katana review
Aug 8, 2007 0:30:02 GMT
Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2007 0:30:02 GMT
Hello,
This is my review of one of my favorite swords, the Chisa Katana by Cold Steel.
By cs76cs, shot with FinePix S9000 at 2007-08-07
I wanted this sword ever since the first time that I saw it a few years back, for one reason, the blade, the size of the blade to be exact. I am one of the few people who actually prefer heavy, thick, beefy blades, and when I read the specs on this sword I knew I had to have it. I already own the warrior series katana from Cold Steel, so I had I good idea of what I could expect from the Chisa.
By cs76cs at 2007-08-07
Specifications:
Weight: 45 oz.
Blade Thick: 3/8"
Blade Length: 24 1/2"
Handle: 11 1/2" Samé (Ray Skin). Black braid cord with brass Menuki
Steel: 1055 Carbon
Overall Length: 36"
Sheath: Black Lacquered Wood w/blue violet cover bag
By cs76cs, shot with FinePix S9000 at 2007-08-07
I was aware of 3 problems that that the Chisa might have judging by the warrior katana, and when I received it, sure enough, all 3 issues were present. First, the fit of the sword into the scabbard (saya) was not very good, first problem I had with the warrior series katana, this isn’t tragic , as a little bit of sandpaper and some elbow grease took care of that.
By cs76cs, shot with FinePix S9000 at 2007-08-07
Second, the finish of the tip (kissaki) was not great, again same aas the warrior katana, at this price point, I don’t expect much from these swords, so this is not a big deal for me, but some who are looking into buying one of these might like to know this ahead of time.
Third, and this only becomes apparent after you disassemble the sword, just like on the warrior series katana, the wood used for the handle (tsuka) is not very strong and has a tendency to crack very easily, infact both my swords have small cracks running along the handle. This isn’t as horrible as it might sound, the sword will not fall apart on your during everyday use, the overall assembly actually holds the handle together pretty well, I would say, more than enough for daily cutting. Also, some people have complained about the ray skin not covering properly the wood on the handle, I have not had this problem on either one of my swords, so that wasn’t an issue for me.
By cs76cs, shot with FinePix S9000 at 2007-08-07
By cs76cs, shot with FinePix S9000 at 2007-08-07
I have no problem at all with any of the materials used to make this sword (except for the weak wood on the handle). The tsuba (guard), the menuki (ornaments), the kashira (end caps), fuchi (collar) , habaki (blade collar) and tsepa (washers) are all made from good quality iron and brass with an attractive pattern. The handle is wrapped with real same (stingray skin) and black cotton (I believe) cord, very tightly with the diamonds on the handle being pretty even.
By cs76cs at 2007-08-07
The blade (other than the tip) is very nicely made, straight lines, very sharp and clean, and my favorite part, 3/8” thick at the guard, with a clean and well-executed bo-hi (fuller). There is however the significant lack of a hamon (temper line), real or etched, this might be a turn off for some people, doesn’t bother me at all.
The scabbard is made of wood with a black lacquer finish, it’s nicely done and once the opening gets sanded a bit, it does a fine job of housing the blade. My saya (scabbard) came with an end cap, I didn’t notice this in any of the online photos for this sword, and I would prefer if it wasn’t there, but hey, minor quibble.
Handling and cutting. This sword is a beast. For it’s relatively short length, it’s quite heavy, not only is the blade thick but it’s also pretty “tall”, 1 ½” at the habaki making cutting quite the exercise. The Chisa is capable of devastating cuts; I would say that it destroys targets. This is not a sword that has that “extension of your arm” feeling, and I would strongly recommend that anyone who is interested in purchasing it, be aware of that.
As you can probably guess from the photos, mine has been modified a bit. I did this just to make the sword “more my own” not because there were any issues with the overall finish. I replaced the tsuba and rewrapped the handle. Also, The Chisa comes with a dark blue carrying bag (mine did anyway). I am not an expert in swords and I am not Japanese, so if I misspelled or misrepresented any of the Japanese swords terms, please don’t hold that against me.
By cs76cs, shot with FinePix S9000 at 2007-08-07
In conclusion, the Cold Steel Japanese style swords are my favorite of the lower priced Katanas available on the market today. The Chisa Katana can be purchased online for around $250us which in my humble opinion is a pretty good buy, just make sure you consider the weight and size and see if that works for you before you buy.
Thanku.
Chris,
The Score:
Historical Accuracy: 3.5/5
Fit and Finish : 4/5
Structural Integrity: 4/5
Handling: 3/5 (mostly cause of the weight)
Value for Money: 4/5
Overall: 3.5 - 4/5
Recommended, but for people specifically looking for a heavy blade only.
This is my review of one of my favorite swords, the Chisa Katana by Cold Steel.
By cs76cs, shot with FinePix S9000 at 2007-08-07
I wanted this sword ever since the first time that I saw it a few years back, for one reason, the blade, the size of the blade to be exact. I am one of the few people who actually prefer heavy, thick, beefy blades, and when I read the specs on this sword I knew I had to have it. I already own the warrior series katana from Cold Steel, so I had I good idea of what I could expect from the Chisa.
By cs76cs at 2007-08-07
Specifications:
Weight: 45 oz.
Blade Thick: 3/8"
Blade Length: 24 1/2"
Handle: 11 1/2" Samé (Ray Skin). Black braid cord with brass Menuki
Steel: 1055 Carbon
Overall Length: 36"
Sheath: Black Lacquered Wood w/blue violet cover bag
By cs76cs, shot with FinePix S9000 at 2007-08-07
I was aware of 3 problems that that the Chisa might have judging by the warrior katana, and when I received it, sure enough, all 3 issues were present. First, the fit of the sword into the scabbard (saya) was not very good, first problem I had with the warrior series katana, this isn’t tragic , as a little bit of sandpaper and some elbow grease took care of that.
By cs76cs, shot with FinePix S9000 at 2007-08-07
Second, the finish of the tip (kissaki) was not great, again same aas the warrior katana, at this price point, I don’t expect much from these swords, so this is not a big deal for me, but some who are looking into buying one of these might like to know this ahead of time.
Third, and this only becomes apparent after you disassemble the sword, just like on the warrior series katana, the wood used for the handle (tsuka) is not very strong and has a tendency to crack very easily, infact both my swords have small cracks running along the handle. This isn’t as horrible as it might sound, the sword will not fall apart on your during everyday use, the overall assembly actually holds the handle together pretty well, I would say, more than enough for daily cutting. Also, some people have complained about the ray skin not covering properly the wood on the handle, I have not had this problem on either one of my swords, so that wasn’t an issue for me.
By cs76cs, shot with FinePix S9000 at 2007-08-07
By cs76cs, shot with FinePix S9000 at 2007-08-07
I have no problem at all with any of the materials used to make this sword (except for the weak wood on the handle). The tsuba (guard), the menuki (ornaments), the kashira (end caps), fuchi (collar) , habaki (blade collar) and tsepa (washers) are all made from good quality iron and brass with an attractive pattern. The handle is wrapped with real same (stingray skin) and black cotton (I believe) cord, very tightly with the diamonds on the handle being pretty even.
By cs76cs at 2007-08-07
The blade (other than the tip) is very nicely made, straight lines, very sharp and clean, and my favorite part, 3/8” thick at the guard, with a clean and well-executed bo-hi (fuller). There is however the significant lack of a hamon (temper line), real or etched, this might be a turn off for some people, doesn’t bother me at all.
The scabbard is made of wood with a black lacquer finish, it’s nicely done and once the opening gets sanded a bit, it does a fine job of housing the blade. My saya (scabbard) came with an end cap, I didn’t notice this in any of the online photos for this sword, and I would prefer if it wasn’t there, but hey, minor quibble.
Handling and cutting. This sword is a beast. For it’s relatively short length, it’s quite heavy, not only is the blade thick but it’s also pretty “tall”, 1 ½” at the habaki making cutting quite the exercise. The Chisa is capable of devastating cuts; I would say that it destroys targets. This is not a sword that has that “extension of your arm” feeling, and I would strongly recommend that anyone who is interested in purchasing it, be aware of that.
As you can probably guess from the photos, mine has been modified a bit. I did this just to make the sword “more my own” not because there were any issues with the overall finish. I replaced the tsuba and rewrapped the handle. Also, The Chisa comes with a dark blue carrying bag (mine did anyway). I am not an expert in swords and I am not Japanese, so if I misspelled or misrepresented any of the Japanese swords terms, please don’t hold that against me.
By cs76cs, shot with FinePix S9000 at 2007-08-07
In conclusion, the Cold Steel Japanese style swords are my favorite of the lower priced Katanas available on the market today. The Chisa Katana can be purchased online for around $250us which in my humble opinion is a pretty good buy, just make sure you consider the weight and size and see if that works for you before you buy.
Thanku.
Chris,
The Score:
Historical Accuracy: 3.5/5
Fit and Finish : 4/5
Structural Integrity: 4/5
Handling: 3/5 (mostly cause of the weight)
Value for Money: 4/5
Overall: 3.5 - 4/5
Recommended, but for people specifically looking for a heavy blade only.