Bushido Dragon Katana Review
Dec 6, 2007 4:01:38 GMT
Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2007 4:01:38 GMT
Bushido Dragon Katana reviewed by Firehand10k
$119.99 at Swords of Might
www.swordsofmight.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=53
Initial Impression: I bought this sword from the closeout section of the Swords of Might forum with some mild aesthetic defects. Even though I got this sword at about half price the customer service made sure it got the same personal treatment as any other purchase and it was shipped the day I called in the payment. When it arrived I was surprised to find the flaws as minor as they are. The closeout description said it had some pitting on the blade and the ito was crooked. My inspection revealed much less pitting than I expected and that it was the faux ray-skin same that was crooked , the ito is very nicely done. Looking at the blade proved difficult at first too since the saya is fitted much too tight on the habaki. With a great deal of careful but very forceful pushing on the tsuba and pulling on the tsuka I did manage to draw it with out getting cut. I found that the pitting mentioned on it was a small spot of rust near the point on the back side of the blade. With a bit of oil and a course rag I cleaned off the rust and found some fine pits that were much smaller than I had anticipated. The upfront honesty about the flaws had actually drawn down my expectations enough that I was very pleasantly surprised.
STATISTICS:
Blade length-27 1/2 ”
Tsuka length-10 3/4 ”
Overall length-39 1/2 ”
Balance Point-6 1/2 ” from tsuba
Weight- 2 Lb 4 oz
FIT and FINISH:
Blade- This blade is not highly shined but does have a good working finish. The hamon is etched on but the wave is applied unevenly giving a more natural appearance.
In spite of its flaws this sword is very sharp. It tapers evenly, without so much as a slight curving from the widest point by the bohi to the razor edge. It does have some pitting near the point but it is fixable and is small enough that it doesn’t really detract from this sword as a light cutter.
Tsuba (Hand Guard)- The Tsuba is an antiqued copper dragon carving (hence the name of the sword). It is fairly intricately cast but simply finished giving a distinguished functional appearance.
Tsuka (Handle)- Although this has the most noticeable flaws on the whole sword it is still quite nice overall. The same wrap is obviously faux ray-skin and done in panels instead of a full wrap. There is a recess cut into the wood of the handle to let the same lay in flat under the ito. As I mentioned briefly before the panels, while fitted well into the handle, have visible gaps at the end near the fuchi.
The ito is thick cotton cord that is wrapped evenly and tightly. It is a pleasant soft cotton that makes the grip comfortable while still keeping it secure. I can’t pull it back enough to tell, without possibly damaging it, but when I attempted to look under the edges it felt like it may be glued in place. The knots at the end of the tsuka are tight also and quite secure, which is very good because the kashira is loose, as is the fuchi. Aside from those two pieces everything is very tight making for a solid sword.
Saya (Sheath)- The saya had a nice gloss finish and an evenly tied sageo of the same soft cord as the ito. The only fault to the saya is that it is too tight. There are distinct scuffs on the habaki where it has been pushed in and out. It does not fit in any further than show in the picture without excessive force.
That is something easy to fix but I haven’t gotten around to it yet.
Testing: This is always the fun part and this sword is more fun than any other I have. The weight and balance of this sword make it quite quick and maneuverable. Even with my inexperience this sword’s sharpness and the flatly tapered blade to edge shape allow me to cut more targets than I bat and the good balance lets me do it quicker than I was used to. Even the easily swatted pool noodles are cut smoothly easily with this blade.
In spite of all of the imperfections in appearance this sword’s cutting ability makes it very worth the money. After enough soda bottles that I lost count everything that was tight to start with (all of the functional components) are still just as solid. In fact this sword is sharp enough that I have felt far less impact when it meets a target than any other sword I have used. It is just great fun to cut with.
CONCLUSION: While I thought that I was getting a good deal by buying a flawed sword for a reduced price I quickly realized it was actually a great deal. There is definitely more effort put into making this sword a functional katana for light cutting than there is in the aesthetics of it. After cutting with this and seeing how durable and sharp it is I think I can say that I wouldn’t hesitate to pay full price for one of these swords. I recommend it to any of my friends who ask about getting a sword of their own in this price range and when someone I know wants to try cutting this is the one I take out. A truly fun sword.
Fit and Finish- 3/5 Obvious reasons
Handling- 5/5
Structural Integrity- 4/5
Value for the money- 6/5 I would have given it the 5 if I had paid full price.
Overall- 4/5
$119.99 at Swords of Might
www.swordsofmight.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=53
Initial Impression: I bought this sword from the closeout section of the Swords of Might forum with some mild aesthetic defects. Even though I got this sword at about half price the customer service made sure it got the same personal treatment as any other purchase and it was shipped the day I called in the payment. When it arrived I was surprised to find the flaws as minor as they are. The closeout description said it had some pitting on the blade and the ito was crooked. My inspection revealed much less pitting than I expected and that it was the faux ray-skin same that was crooked , the ito is very nicely done. Looking at the blade proved difficult at first too since the saya is fitted much too tight on the habaki. With a great deal of careful but very forceful pushing on the tsuba and pulling on the tsuka I did manage to draw it with out getting cut. I found that the pitting mentioned on it was a small spot of rust near the point on the back side of the blade. With a bit of oil and a course rag I cleaned off the rust and found some fine pits that were much smaller than I had anticipated. The upfront honesty about the flaws had actually drawn down my expectations enough that I was very pleasantly surprised.
STATISTICS:
Blade length-27 1/2 ”
Tsuka length-10 3/4 ”
Overall length-39 1/2 ”
Balance Point-6 1/2 ” from tsuba
Weight- 2 Lb 4 oz
FIT and FINISH:
Blade- This blade is not highly shined but does have a good working finish. The hamon is etched on but the wave is applied unevenly giving a more natural appearance.
In spite of its flaws this sword is very sharp. It tapers evenly, without so much as a slight curving from the widest point by the bohi to the razor edge. It does have some pitting near the point but it is fixable and is small enough that it doesn’t really detract from this sword as a light cutter.
Tsuba (Hand Guard)- The Tsuba is an antiqued copper dragon carving (hence the name of the sword). It is fairly intricately cast but simply finished giving a distinguished functional appearance.
Tsuka (Handle)- Although this has the most noticeable flaws on the whole sword it is still quite nice overall. The same wrap is obviously faux ray-skin and done in panels instead of a full wrap. There is a recess cut into the wood of the handle to let the same lay in flat under the ito. As I mentioned briefly before the panels, while fitted well into the handle, have visible gaps at the end near the fuchi.
The ito is thick cotton cord that is wrapped evenly and tightly. It is a pleasant soft cotton that makes the grip comfortable while still keeping it secure. I can’t pull it back enough to tell, without possibly damaging it, but when I attempted to look under the edges it felt like it may be glued in place. The knots at the end of the tsuka are tight also and quite secure, which is very good because the kashira is loose, as is the fuchi. Aside from those two pieces everything is very tight making for a solid sword.
Saya (Sheath)- The saya had a nice gloss finish and an evenly tied sageo of the same soft cord as the ito. The only fault to the saya is that it is too tight. There are distinct scuffs on the habaki where it has been pushed in and out. It does not fit in any further than show in the picture without excessive force.
That is something easy to fix but I haven’t gotten around to it yet.
Testing: This is always the fun part and this sword is more fun than any other I have. The weight and balance of this sword make it quite quick and maneuverable. Even with my inexperience this sword’s sharpness and the flatly tapered blade to edge shape allow me to cut more targets than I bat and the good balance lets me do it quicker than I was used to. Even the easily swatted pool noodles are cut smoothly easily with this blade.
In spite of all of the imperfections in appearance this sword’s cutting ability makes it very worth the money. After enough soda bottles that I lost count everything that was tight to start with (all of the functional components) are still just as solid. In fact this sword is sharp enough that I have felt far less impact when it meets a target than any other sword I have used. It is just great fun to cut with.
CONCLUSION: While I thought that I was getting a good deal by buying a flawed sword for a reduced price I quickly realized it was actually a great deal. There is definitely more effort put into making this sword a functional katana for light cutting than there is in the aesthetics of it. After cutting with this and seeing how durable and sharp it is I think I can say that I wouldn’t hesitate to pay full price for one of these swords. I recommend it to any of my friends who ask about getting a sword of their own in this price range and when someone I know wants to try cutting this is the one I take out. A truly fun sword.
Fit and Finish- 3/5 Obvious reasons
Handling- 5/5
Structural Integrity- 4/5
Value for the money- 6/5 I would have given it the 5 if I had paid full price.
Overall- 4/5