Oni Forge Kenshi katana. (Hannya series)
Oct 26, 2007 3:38:23 GMT
Post by slav on Oct 26, 2007 3:38:23 GMT
OniForge Kenshi.
reviewed by Andrew G. Kentucky. USA.
The Oniforge Kenshi is a through-hardened, 1060, full size katana with bo-hi. It comes in two versions, folded and monosteel.
www.oniforge.com/0401.html
I will be reviewing the monosteel (Higo I) version. MRP is $199.
Mark Mowery touched upon this katana in his review of three different swords from the Hannya line. I already own a JL Bamboo katana, and have been looking for a sword of similar price and quality, but with better aesthetics and built for cutting. Mark's review gave me the impression that the Kenshi was exactly what I was looking for...so I began my search for one.
Interestingly, I recently found this sword up for sale on eBay. The seller turned out to be none other than--you guessed it--Mark Mowery! I will now do an exclusive review of the Kenshi, trying to touch upon some of the finer details of the sword.
(eye-candy photo from Mark's review)
Mark had the sword in the mail and at my doorstep in the blink of an eye. It came in its decorative box, and mark had included pieces of pool-noodle as padding. The Kenshi itself was also wrapped in its black sword bag.
The sword dimensions are as follows:
Nagasa: 32"
Tsuka Length: 10"
Overall: 42"
This sword feels very light in the hand, and balances better than any other Katana I've handled. It is very quick, and changes cutting direction effortlessly.
The Blade:
The blade is Shinogi-Zukuri with a prominent bo-hi. It has a nice, moderate sori and a Sughua-style etched hamon, which is actually quite subtle and well done. The blade thickness is more than you would think, considering it's weight/feel, but bear in mind that this is not a heavy cutter by any stretch. The boshi portion of the kissaki seems to be hand-filed on, and the yokote is, of course, the result of counter-polishing. The bo-hi is actually shaped at its end, rather than just tapering off. This makes all the difference, and sets it apart from others in its class.
I immediately refined the boshi myself using a masked hybrid-polish. Note that the pictures were taken after this alteration [which you can easily do yourself.]
With a little work, the Kenshi's kissaki can easily be one of the sharpest and nicest in its class.
Overall, the blade is very carefully designed and produced. One would never guess that this is a $199 sword.
The Tsuka:
The Kenshi's tsuka is decent. The ito is fairly tight, but not perfectly even. The menuki are very flat, and can be wiggled the slightest bit. In terms of feel, the tsuka is quite narrow left-to right, but quite girthy front-to-back (if you know what I mean. [see photo]) Surprisingly, this actually makes the Kenshi feel quite nice and controllable! The same is real, and the tsuka is wood. Overall, it is just your average low-end tsuka.
note: The tsuka of the Kenshi was not as long as I am used to and would prefer, so I have since installed a custom tsuka.
The Tsuba:
The tsuba is very simple and elegant. It is a variant of the "double-ring" design, and serves its purpose well. The seppa are a copper color, and are the typical gear-shape.
The tsuba on the Kenshi is installed extremely tightly, and is one of the most solid tsubas I have seen. Overall, the tsuba is much better than expected.
The Kenshi's saya is your run-of-the mill black, piano-finish type. I happen to like this simple style, so I am impressed. The sageo seems to be the same cheap material as the ito. This was replaced immediately by a more robust custom sageo.
The fit of the saya is very nice. There is little to no rattle, and the habaki fits PERFECTLY into the mouth of the saya. There is no fancy buffalo-horn tip on this one, but the fit is obviously custom for each sword. Overall the craftsmanship of the saya is wonderful!
CUTTING:
I am busy with school right now, and have not had a chance to take this sword out for a proper cutting test. Cutting info is to come!
However, I did make a makeshift cut with this sword when it first arrived. This thing is deadly sharp! My target was a heavy cardboard tube: 3" diameter with 1/4" wall thickness.
The cut was made in a very cramped room, therefore my form was not nearly at its best. The cardboard was dry, not soaked.
Here's the damage:
IMPRESSIVE is all I can say! The sword made it all the way through 'cept for a few paper-thin layers of cardboard that barely held it all together. I guess you could say I had the honor of being this tube's Kaishaku! ;D The cut was fairly clean most of the way through, with minimal curvature.
As you can see, Kenshi's blade is extremely sharp, and it WANTS to cut! Also, the balance and feel of this particular model makes keeping good form a breeze! It's a pure cutter.
Conclusion:
The Oniforge Kenshi is a steal! Though the fittings are only average, the blade makes up all the difference! This blade is one of the best handling, sharpest, and prettiest blades in its class and above!
I would recommend Kenshi to anybody who is looking to spend under $200 for a fully functional light [to meduim] cutter. A great blade to start out with, or to add to your collection.
If you want flashier fittings, this is also a great sword to customize and upgrade, because the blade itself is so pretty, and is just begging for some nicer accessories!
Ratings:
Historical Accuracy: 1/5
Fit and Finish: 3/5
Handling: 6/5
Structural Integrity: 5/5
Value for money paid ($130): 5/5
Value for MRP($199): 4/5
Oni Forge Kenshi Katana OVERALL: 4.75/5
reviewed by Andrew G. Kentucky. USA.
The Oniforge Kenshi is a through-hardened, 1060, full size katana with bo-hi. It comes in two versions, folded and monosteel.
www.oniforge.com/0401.html
I will be reviewing the monosteel (Higo I) version. MRP is $199.
Mark Mowery touched upon this katana in his review of three different swords from the Hannya line. I already own a JL Bamboo katana, and have been looking for a sword of similar price and quality, but with better aesthetics and built for cutting. Mark's review gave me the impression that the Kenshi was exactly what I was looking for...so I began my search for one.
Interestingly, I recently found this sword up for sale on eBay. The seller turned out to be none other than--you guessed it--Mark Mowery! I will now do an exclusive review of the Kenshi, trying to touch upon some of the finer details of the sword.
(eye-candy photo from Mark's review)
Mark had the sword in the mail and at my doorstep in the blink of an eye. It came in its decorative box, and mark had included pieces of pool-noodle as padding. The Kenshi itself was also wrapped in its black sword bag.
The sword dimensions are as follows:
Nagasa: 32"
Tsuka Length: 10"
Overall: 42"
This sword feels very light in the hand, and balances better than any other Katana I've handled. It is very quick, and changes cutting direction effortlessly.
The Blade:
The blade is Shinogi-Zukuri with a prominent bo-hi. It has a nice, moderate sori and a Sughua-style etched hamon, which is actually quite subtle and well done. The blade thickness is more than you would think, considering it's weight/feel, but bear in mind that this is not a heavy cutter by any stretch. The boshi portion of the kissaki seems to be hand-filed on, and the yokote is, of course, the result of counter-polishing. The bo-hi is actually shaped at its end, rather than just tapering off. This makes all the difference, and sets it apart from others in its class.
I immediately refined the boshi myself using a masked hybrid-polish. Note that the pictures were taken after this alteration [which you can easily do yourself.]
With a little work, the Kenshi's kissaki can easily be one of the sharpest and nicest in its class.
Overall, the blade is very carefully designed and produced. One would never guess that this is a $199 sword.
The Tsuka:
The Kenshi's tsuka is decent. The ito is fairly tight, but not perfectly even. The menuki are very flat, and can be wiggled the slightest bit. In terms of feel, the tsuka is quite narrow left-to right, but quite girthy front-to-back (if you know what I mean. [see photo]) Surprisingly, this actually makes the Kenshi feel quite nice and controllable! The same is real, and the tsuka is wood. Overall, it is just your average low-end tsuka.
note: The tsuka of the Kenshi was not as long as I am used to and would prefer, so I have since installed a custom tsuka.
The Tsuba:
The tsuba is very simple and elegant. It is a variant of the "double-ring" design, and serves its purpose well. The seppa are a copper color, and are the typical gear-shape.
The tsuba on the Kenshi is installed extremely tightly, and is one of the most solid tsubas I have seen. Overall, the tsuba is much better than expected.
The Kenshi's saya is your run-of-the mill black, piano-finish type. I happen to like this simple style, so I am impressed. The sageo seems to be the same cheap material as the ito. This was replaced immediately by a more robust custom sageo.
The fit of the saya is very nice. There is little to no rattle, and the habaki fits PERFECTLY into the mouth of the saya. There is no fancy buffalo-horn tip on this one, but the fit is obviously custom for each sword. Overall the craftsmanship of the saya is wonderful!
CUTTING:
I am busy with school right now, and have not had a chance to take this sword out for a proper cutting test. Cutting info is to come!
However, I did make a makeshift cut with this sword when it first arrived. This thing is deadly sharp! My target was a heavy cardboard tube: 3" diameter with 1/4" wall thickness.
The cut was made in a very cramped room, therefore my form was not nearly at its best. The cardboard was dry, not soaked.
Here's the damage:
IMPRESSIVE is all I can say! The sword made it all the way through 'cept for a few paper-thin layers of cardboard that barely held it all together. I guess you could say I had the honor of being this tube's Kaishaku! ;D The cut was fairly clean most of the way through, with minimal curvature.
As you can see, Kenshi's blade is extremely sharp, and it WANTS to cut! Also, the balance and feel of this particular model makes keeping good form a breeze! It's a pure cutter.
Conclusion:
The Oniforge Kenshi is a steal! Though the fittings are only average, the blade makes up all the difference! This blade is one of the best handling, sharpest, and prettiest blades in its class and above!
I would recommend Kenshi to anybody who is looking to spend under $200 for a fully functional light [to meduim] cutter. A great blade to start out with, or to add to your collection.
If you want flashier fittings, this is also a great sword to customize and upgrade, because the blade itself is so pretty, and is just begging for some nicer accessories!
Ratings:
Historical Accuracy: 1/5
Fit and Finish: 3/5
Handling: 6/5
Structural Integrity: 5/5
Value for money paid ($130): 5/5
Value for MRP($199): 4/5
Oni Forge Kenshi Katana OVERALL: 4.75/5