Cheness Delux 1045 Carbon Steel Iaito
Apr 27, 2008 1:38:01 GMT
Post by OldSchool on Apr 27, 2008 1:38:01 GMT
This is a review for the Cheness Delux 1045 Carbon Steel Iaito by David McGlynn from Michigan, USA
I was in the market for a sub $300 Iaito and after doing much research I came across Cheness's Delux Iaito and I was taken. The price was more than fair, the fittings and everything else was just what I was looking for in a Iaito. One thing I liked aobut it was that it wasnt made of Zinc-Alloy like most Iaito's are made of. This one had the weight and feel of a true shinken, without all the danger that comes with a live blade. After a visit to the SBG Store and one week later it arrived at my house.
During its transit I sent several questions to Paul and he was quick to reply, even though he was on his Japan trip (sorry Paul!) But it just goes to show that even during his vacation, Paul is always there to help out the customer.
"Wow!"
Thats the only word that could describe what I had infront of me when I opened the custom box that held my Iaito. To be honest the only sword I had ever held in my life was some wall-hanger 440 Stainless Steel Katanas that one of my friends had bought. Needless to say that when you hold onto the real thing for the first time, your bound to be blown away by its beauty.
Being 6' I needed a Iaito that would feel comfortible for me and thank God they made this with a 29" blade. Here's the stats:
Blade length: 29"
Hilt length: 11"
Overall: 40"
POB (point of balance): 6.5" from base of guard
Weight: 2 lbs. 6 oz.
DESIGN, FIT & FINISH
The Blade
Its a 1045 Carbon Steel blade that has been hand polished and left unsharpened.
The Hamon is fake but thats not a problem for me, it still looks real nice, plus I can't cut with it anyway.
Fittings
The Delux version of the Cheness Iaito (which is the one I bought) has much nicer fittings than its normal version. This has a Brown Cotton Ito wrap that feels very tight. I've been using it consistantly for over a month and everything is still held together very nicely.
The Same are black dyed Ray Skin panels which mesh well with the Brown wrap. The Tsuba is simple, yet beautiful at the same time.
Saya
The Saya is just a basic hardwood painted black with a glossy coat. To be expected on a sword of this price.
CONCLUSION and SBG Ratings
Overall, in all honesty this sword is so much better that I thought it was going to be, expecially for the price. I am very pleased with the overall package and with Paul's great customer service over this process. If you are in the market for a different kind of Iaito, maybe one with a little more weight to it like a shinken, then this is your blade.
Historical Accuracy: 3/5
Fit and Finish: 4/5
Handling: 4/5
Structural Integrity: 4/5
Value for Money: 5/5
OVERALL: 4/5
I was in the market for a sub $300 Iaito and after doing much research I came across Cheness's Delux Iaito and I was taken. The price was more than fair, the fittings and everything else was just what I was looking for in a Iaito. One thing I liked aobut it was that it wasnt made of Zinc-Alloy like most Iaito's are made of. This one had the weight and feel of a true shinken, without all the danger that comes with a live blade. After a visit to the SBG Store and one week later it arrived at my house.
During its transit I sent several questions to Paul and he was quick to reply, even though he was on his Japan trip (sorry Paul!) But it just goes to show that even during his vacation, Paul is always there to help out the customer.
"Wow!"
Thats the only word that could describe what I had infront of me when I opened the custom box that held my Iaito. To be honest the only sword I had ever held in my life was some wall-hanger 440 Stainless Steel Katanas that one of my friends had bought. Needless to say that when you hold onto the real thing for the first time, your bound to be blown away by its beauty.
Being 6' I needed a Iaito that would feel comfortible for me and thank God they made this with a 29" blade. Here's the stats:
Blade length: 29"
Hilt length: 11"
Overall: 40"
POB (point of balance): 6.5" from base of guard
Weight: 2 lbs. 6 oz.
DESIGN, FIT & FINISH
The Blade
Its a 1045 Carbon Steel blade that has been hand polished and left unsharpened.
The Hamon is fake but thats not a problem for me, it still looks real nice, plus I can't cut with it anyway.
Fittings
The Delux version of the Cheness Iaito (which is the one I bought) has much nicer fittings than its normal version. This has a Brown Cotton Ito wrap that feels very tight. I've been using it consistantly for over a month and everything is still held together very nicely.
The Same are black dyed Ray Skin panels which mesh well with the Brown wrap. The Tsuba is simple, yet beautiful at the same time.
Saya
The Saya is just a basic hardwood painted black with a glossy coat. To be expected on a sword of this price.
CONCLUSION and SBG Ratings
Overall, in all honesty this sword is so much better that I thought it was going to be, expecially for the price. I am very pleased with the overall package and with Paul's great customer service over this process. If you are in the market for a different kind of Iaito, maybe one with a little more weight to it like a shinken, then this is your blade.
Historical Accuracy: 3/5
Fit and Finish: 4/5
Handling: 4/5
Structural Integrity: 4/5
Value for Money: 5/5
OVERALL: 4/5