Mouko--- Musashi swords
Oct 22, 2007 15:07:41 GMT
Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2007 15:07:41 GMT
Mouko Hand-forged Katana
MUSASHI SWORDS
Listed at Musashiswords.com as Hand-forged Katana #63, price 159.99-free shipping, in stock.
Reviewed by VAFarmer , Virginia, U.S.
I was attracted by the ad, and the fact that I was looking for a good buy on one entry-level quality Katana. I read the little site history on this Chris Zhou and it sounded good. With sbg discount and the description, I was hooked. I will insert the Musashi site’s description.
Created by master smiths from the forge of Sword Artisan Chris Zhou. This Katana was designed for practical functionality with simplicity in mind. These samurai swords are full-tang and can be fully disassembled. The blades are built with traditional high carbon steel. The steel is entirely hand forged, working out impurities and evenly distributing the carbon for a consistent hardness. The steel is then quenched in water to improve it's overall durability and strength. The Katana feature genuine ray skin handle in cotton braided cord wrap. The saya has a beautiful black lacqured finish while the fittings are done in black with tones of gold. The Tusba was blackened then polished to create a contrast, highlighting it's natural alloy making this sword pleasing to practitioners and collectors alike. Sword measures 43" inches with the scabbard and 41" inches without. The handle 11" inches with a 29.5" blade. Comes complete with a display box, sword cleaning kit, sword bag and certificate of authenticity.
Just the one of the two I picked, what more can I say?
UPS did an adequate job of shipping. I received it about 8 days after placing the order. It was safely packed in peanuts, along with another sword I had ordered from Musashi. They did pack it with a divider in the box, which kept the two sword boxes from rubbing each other. I unpacked the Mouko (which I am told means “Fierce Tiger” in Japanese) in it’s blue cloth covered box. The first thing I noticed was the MADE IN CHINA sticker on the outside (wonder what Mouko means in Chinese?). The box also had nice little latches on it and a consistant image, a dragon mixed with another image that I cannot figure out. Maybe you can by the pics.
I opened it up and voila! I was instantly pleased by my first look. The sword was wrapped in its blue exterior/gold interior sword bag.
In the top half of the box was the sword cleaning kit, which had the brass hammer/awl, the powder ball, powder, oil and rice paper.
Included you notice the certificate of authenticity. Who knows, it was not translated. It was not signed by Chris Zhou, but a Sam Sung(I think this dude once forged a tv/vcr combo that I also bought).
I contacted sales at Musashi, and got a prompt reply. This particular sword is through hardened 1060 steel! Through hardening is a good process if it is done right. I removed the sword from the bag, and the saya immediately stood out. Black lacquered to the hilt, or should I say tsuba. I personally don’t care for lacquer, but if someone does, they will not be disappointed. Removed the katana, and it was covered in packing grease, good sign. The sword felt good and looked good. I looked it over and was pleased, except upon inspection, I noticed that it the tsuka is held in place by only one mekugi. I prefer two, but I can certainly fix this. The tsuka was tight, though. All fittings are snug, too. Blade was straight, solid, shiny and SHARP. Near razor finish, if I wanted to make my arm red, I probably could have shaved hair. But I was too afraid. Enjoy the pics, if I can get them to turn out right.
Blade length: 29 inches
Tsuka length: 11 inches
Overall: 43inches total with saya, 41 inches total without
Tsuba Height: 3 1/5 in
POB (point of balance): around 5" from base of guard
COP (center of percussion) I would guesstimate 6-8 inches from kissaki
Weight: Around 2-3 lbs, I guess. I don’t have a scale made for measuring anything other than people or cattle! Very weight-forward sword.
The Blade
Blade is hand forged from high-carbon steel, 1060 through hardend. It is 29 inches from Kissaki(tip) to Tsuba(hilt) I learned on this sword that a 29 inch blade does not feel comfortable to me. The Habaki(blade collar) is brass or copper, about 1 inch with the Musashi logo on the left side. The bo-hi(groove) runs from where the Boshi(curved area near tip) and Mune(back) line up, to the Habaki, roughly the entire length of the blade. The fake Hamon(edge pattern) is either acid-etched or wire-brushed, but has lots of irregular activity. It did come VERY sharp. Very clean cuts in paper and plastic.
The Grip
Tsuka is wood core(no idea what wood), single Megkuni(pin). It has a ray skin Same, wrapped in black cotton braided Ito(wrap). The Fuchi image is of a tiger, almost a gold color. There are two Kashira, one on each side,gold colored, both of a tiger that resembles the one on the Fuchi.
The Pommel
The Kashira is black with a tiger that resembles the one on the on the Fuchi. The tiger is gold, probably plated. Fittings are a zinc alloy.
The Guard
The Tsuba is zinc alloy metal, finished black. The same gold tiger image that is inlayed on the Ito side of the tsuka appears on the tsuba.
while the blade side has the image of a single flower.
I am no florist, so a rose maybe. The edge of the tsuba is a copper finish. Both seppa(spacers) are gold plated. Black and gold have always been two great color schemes, and this one certainly fits the sword well. Interestingly enough, the seppa on the habaki side has a big CHINA stamped into it, directly below the Musashi logo.
The Scabbard
The Saya is black lacquered and extremely shiny. It has gold colored inlay at the sageo. Sageo itself is a black cotton cord, that matches the tsuka ito. The sword fits well inside, although when I insert the sword in the saya, it rattles around in the bottom area. This is odd to me, because the Habaki fits snugly, and the sword does not fall out if held upside down.
Cutting
Ladies and Gents, the piece de resistance! Did I say that right? Man, this thing cuts! The plastic used here is tougher than a milk jug, but about the same mass as a plastic water bottle. These particular little jugs are tough when filled with water. The sword swings easily. It allowed me to concentrate on speed and technique(both cases I could use help) rather than getting it going. It is well suited for light cutting, and I am sure medium as well. At the moment, I have no medium targets available, though I did hack a couple ½ inch branches off of the nearby dogwood after the camera batteries died. No rolling or chipping on the SHARP edge. It easily made 3 good cuts on the very first time I attempted, on a small target. This blade controls very well.
Tried again today after plowing ( this is a multi-day review), Took a few cuts and accidentally hit the 2x4. Nothing, so I decided to try slashing the 2x4. Pics speak for themselves. Made a stand today, out of the 2x4 that I hacked up. Some action pics of cutting. After all this abuse and a good oiling, the blade has some surface scuffs, but no visible rolling, bending, chipping that I would have thought the 2x4 might inflict. In fact, the action pics are after the wood. Really didn’t even seem to dull the edge
Thrusting
Sorry, not dead center, this target is only about 5X5 . This is also a good picture of the blade/hamon. For reference of any size, the board supporting this is a 2x4.
CONCLUSION and SBG Ratings
Historical Accuracy: 2/5
Fit and Finish: 4/5
Handling: 3/5
Structural Integrity: 5/5
Value for Money: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5
Pluses—good looks for display, feels solid. Fittings are tight, feels good when cutting. Nice blade, SHARP. 1060 thru hardened. Good speed thru target. Bo-hi makes the swish(gotta love that sound) on a good speed swing. Polished very nicely, and fake hamon is as nice of a fake as any. I prefer a curved Boshi to Kissaki, so the geometry of the blade is attractive. Looks equally good in saya or naked. Mouko listed for 160.00 on the site. If you use SBG’s discount, it takes it to around 140.00. This is a good price for this sword. It feels durable and good in my hands, and I believe that it is capable of much more abuse than I have put it through. Okay, maybe not more than the 2x4 but hey, that’s pretty darn good for a beater.
Minuses—None really. I personally prefer a double-pegged sword, but it seems solid enough with the one for now, and I will drill this out and add a second.
This is a good sword for the money. It is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and looks good in the stand. More important to me, it cuts well on light-medium targets, and I am confident will cut well through medium-heavy. With an ever-so –slight weight forward feeling, you can concentrate on form and slice, without feeling that you have to muscle it to initiate movement.
Kudos to Musashiswords. I asked my questions, and got replies within an hour. I will not be returning this sword, but I feel that if I did, they would be very good to work with.
Would I buy Mouko again? In a heartbeat.
Please guys, feel free to give constructive criticisim. I know I need vids, just haven’t done it yet with the camera, and need to research it more. I feel confident enough with this sword to try and split wood once I learn the camera and have drilled and installed 2nd meguki.
MUSASHI SWORDS
Listed at Musashiswords.com as Hand-forged Katana #63, price 159.99-free shipping, in stock.
Reviewed by VAFarmer , Virginia, U.S.
I was attracted by the ad, and the fact that I was looking for a good buy on one entry-level quality Katana. I read the little site history on this Chris Zhou and it sounded good. With sbg discount and the description, I was hooked. I will insert the Musashi site’s description.
Created by master smiths from the forge of Sword Artisan Chris Zhou. This Katana was designed for practical functionality with simplicity in mind. These samurai swords are full-tang and can be fully disassembled. The blades are built with traditional high carbon steel. The steel is entirely hand forged, working out impurities and evenly distributing the carbon for a consistent hardness. The steel is then quenched in water to improve it's overall durability and strength. The Katana feature genuine ray skin handle in cotton braided cord wrap. The saya has a beautiful black lacqured finish while the fittings are done in black with tones of gold. The Tusba was blackened then polished to create a contrast, highlighting it's natural alloy making this sword pleasing to practitioners and collectors alike. Sword measures 43" inches with the scabbard and 41" inches without. The handle 11" inches with a 29.5" blade. Comes complete with a display box, sword cleaning kit, sword bag and certificate of authenticity.
Just the one of the two I picked, what more can I say?
UPS did an adequate job of shipping. I received it about 8 days after placing the order. It was safely packed in peanuts, along with another sword I had ordered from Musashi. They did pack it with a divider in the box, which kept the two sword boxes from rubbing each other. I unpacked the Mouko (which I am told means “Fierce Tiger” in Japanese) in it’s blue cloth covered box. The first thing I noticed was the MADE IN CHINA sticker on the outside (wonder what Mouko means in Chinese?). The box also had nice little latches on it and a consistant image, a dragon mixed with another image that I cannot figure out. Maybe you can by the pics.
I opened it up and voila! I was instantly pleased by my first look. The sword was wrapped in its blue exterior/gold interior sword bag.
In the top half of the box was the sword cleaning kit, which had the brass hammer/awl, the powder ball, powder, oil and rice paper.
Included you notice the certificate of authenticity. Who knows, it was not translated. It was not signed by Chris Zhou, but a Sam Sung(I think this dude once forged a tv/vcr combo that I also bought).
I contacted sales at Musashi, and got a prompt reply. This particular sword is through hardened 1060 steel! Through hardening is a good process if it is done right. I removed the sword from the bag, and the saya immediately stood out. Black lacquered to the hilt, or should I say tsuba. I personally don’t care for lacquer, but if someone does, they will not be disappointed. Removed the katana, and it was covered in packing grease, good sign. The sword felt good and looked good. I looked it over and was pleased, except upon inspection, I noticed that it the tsuka is held in place by only one mekugi. I prefer two, but I can certainly fix this. The tsuka was tight, though. All fittings are snug, too. Blade was straight, solid, shiny and SHARP. Near razor finish, if I wanted to make my arm red, I probably could have shaved hair. But I was too afraid. Enjoy the pics, if I can get them to turn out right.
Blade length: 29 inches
Tsuka length: 11 inches
Overall: 43inches total with saya, 41 inches total without
Tsuba Height: 3 1/5 in
POB (point of balance): around 5" from base of guard
COP (center of percussion) I would guesstimate 6-8 inches from kissaki
Weight: Around 2-3 lbs, I guess. I don’t have a scale made for measuring anything other than people or cattle! Very weight-forward sword.
The Blade
Blade is hand forged from high-carbon steel, 1060 through hardend. It is 29 inches from Kissaki(tip) to Tsuba(hilt) I learned on this sword that a 29 inch blade does not feel comfortable to me. The Habaki(blade collar) is brass or copper, about 1 inch with the Musashi logo on the left side. The bo-hi(groove) runs from where the Boshi(curved area near tip) and Mune(back) line up, to the Habaki, roughly the entire length of the blade. The fake Hamon(edge pattern) is either acid-etched or wire-brushed, but has lots of irregular activity. It did come VERY sharp. Very clean cuts in paper and plastic.
The Grip
Tsuka is wood core(no idea what wood), single Megkuni(pin). It has a ray skin Same, wrapped in black cotton braided Ito(wrap). The Fuchi image is of a tiger, almost a gold color. There are two Kashira, one on each side,gold colored, both of a tiger that resembles the one on the Fuchi.
The Pommel
The Kashira is black with a tiger that resembles the one on the on the Fuchi. The tiger is gold, probably plated. Fittings are a zinc alloy.
The Guard
The Tsuba is zinc alloy metal, finished black. The same gold tiger image that is inlayed on the Ito side of the tsuka appears on the tsuba.
while the blade side has the image of a single flower.
I am no florist, so a rose maybe. The edge of the tsuba is a copper finish. Both seppa(spacers) are gold plated. Black and gold have always been two great color schemes, and this one certainly fits the sword well. Interestingly enough, the seppa on the habaki side has a big CHINA stamped into it, directly below the Musashi logo.
The Scabbard
The Saya is black lacquered and extremely shiny. It has gold colored inlay at the sageo. Sageo itself is a black cotton cord, that matches the tsuka ito. The sword fits well inside, although when I insert the sword in the saya, it rattles around in the bottom area. This is odd to me, because the Habaki fits snugly, and the sword does not fall out if held upside down.
Cutting
Ladies and Gents, the piece de resistance! Did I say that right? Man, this thing cuts! The plastic used here is tougher than a milk jug, but about the same mass as a plastic water bottle. These particular little jugs are tough when filled with water. The sword swings easily. It allowed me to concentrate on speed and technique(both cases I could use help) rather than getting it going. It is well suited for light cutting, and I am sure medium as well. At the moment, I have no medium targets available, though I did hack a couple ½ inch branches off of the nearby dogwood after the camera batteries died. No rolling or chipping on the SHARP edge. It easily made 3 good cuts on the very first time I attempted, on a small target. This blade controls very well.
Tried again today after plowing ( this is a multi-day review), Took a few cuts and accidentally hit the 2x4. Nothing, so I decided to try slashing the 2x4. Pics speak for themselves. Made a stand today, out of the 2x4 that I hacked up. Some action pics of cutting. After all this abuse and a good oiling, the blade has some surface scuffs, but no visible rolling, bending, chipping that I would have thought the 2x4 might inflict. In fact, the action pics are after the wood. Really didn’t even seem to dull the edge
Thrusting
Sorry, not dead center, this target is only about 5X5 . This is also a good picture of the blade/hamon. For reference of any size, the board supporting this is a 2x4.
CONCLUSION and SBG Ratings
Historical Accuracy: 2/5
Fit and Finish: 4/5
Handling: 3/5
Structural Integrity: 5/5
Value for Money: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5
Pluses—good looks for display, feels solid. Fittings are tight, feels good when cutting. Nice blade, SHARP. 1060 thru hardened. Good speed thru target. Bo-hi makes the swish(gotta love that sound) on a good speed swing. Polished very nicely, and fake hamon is as nice of a fake as any. I prefer a curved Boshi to Kissaki, so the geometry of the blade is attractive. Looks equally good in saya or naked. Mouko listed for 160.00 on the site. If you use SBG’s discount, it takes it to around 140.00. This is a good price for this sword. It feels durable and good in my hands, and I believe that it is capable of much more abuse than I have put it through. Okay, maybe not more than the 2x4 but hey, that’s pretty darn good for a beater.
Minuses—None really. I personally prefer a double-pegged sword, but it seems solid enough with the one for now, and I will drill this out and add a second.
This is a good sword for the money. It is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and looks good in the stand. More important to me, it cuts well on light-medium targets, and I am confident will cut well through medium-heavy. With an ever-so –slight weight forward feeling, you can concentrate on form and slice, without feeling that you have to muscle it to initiate movement.
Kudos to Musashiswords. I asked my questions, and got replies within an hour. I will not be returning this sword, but I feel that if I did, they would be very good to work with.
Would I buy Mouko again? In a heartbeat.
Please guys, feel free to give constructive criticisim. I know I need vids, just haven’t done it yet with the camera, and need to research it more. I feel confident enough with this sword to try and split wood once I learn the camera and have drilled and installed 2nd meguki.