Ritter Steel Skull Katana
Jun 27, 2008 18:41:47 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2008 18:41:47 GMT
Ritter Steel Skull Katana
Review by Chad Werner, Ellettsville, IN (USA)
Knights Edge description:
“It long has been the belief that the "Soul" of a warrior lived within his sword and to be a Samurai warrior was to uphold the highest spiritual and physical disciplines than one can on a mortal plain, his sword brought together in steel by the ancient and highly skilled "mieko" (swordsmiths). These religious mieko wore costumes resembling the garb of Shinto priests and undertook purification rituals before forging to clarify mind and body in their strive for perfection in the creation of a blade. Each sword created was the culmination of such efforts and our fine Ritter Steel Skull Katana exemplifies these ideals. The historical tsuba skull design along with the skull head pommel and accents is complemented with an all black leather braid wrapping. A spiritual sword for the samurai soul in you! Overall 44", Blade 29".”
My first functional sword was the Ritter Steel Reverse Blade Katana. I was on a big Japanese Katana kick and after receiving that one and seeing how strong and durable it seemed, I wanted another! The Skull Katana quickly grabbed my attention, but at the price of $250, I had to save up. I finally did purchase it from Knights Edge. I believe I ordered it via telephone, which by the way is the easiest way to get ahold of them. Emails to Knights Edge can take a while to be returned; that is if you are lucky enough to receive a response.
Shipping took about a week from date of the order. The sword was well protected with packing paper packed tightly around the sword to prevent it from getting banged around during shipping. The sword arrived in a black cloth storage/travel bag and a small, attached tag giving advice for care and maintenance. Unsheathing the katana made me fully realize how big this sword really is. I did read the description, but still didn’t realize the size difference when compared to the Reverse Blade Katana. This sword was massive! The detail on the handle, saya (scabbard), tsuba, and kashira (pommel) is extremely impressive and I was in awe! The blade was clean and oil free. I found this unusual, but there was not a trace of any corrosion on the blade. The factory edge felt very sharp, but is a far cry from razor sharp like Cold Steel’s katanas. Dry handling felt comfortable and the blade was extremely responsive and maneuverable.
Sword Overview:
Blade Length: 29”
Blade Width: 1 ¼”
Blade Material: Hand Forged High Carbon Steel
Hilt Length: 14 ¾”
Overall Length: 43 ¾” (advertised as 44”)
Guard Width: 3” (side to side) and 3 3/8” (top to bottom)
Pommel: 2 ¼”
Weight: 3lbs
Point of Balance: 1 3/16” from guard (Precisely where the mune-machi (back blade notch) meets the habaki
The sword laying on the hood of a Dodge Charger for size reference.
Design, Fit & Finish
The Blade
The blade was simple in design with no hi (groove) and no hamon. This was no problem for me since I feel if the blade is not differentially heat treated, it should not have a simulated hamon. The kissaki (point) was sharp and the yokote (point line) was distinct.
Hammer marks from the forging process were present, but subtle. One common complaint with Ritter Steel blades is the presence of the grind marks. It is present on all three of my blades and probably ALL of the swords they sell. Personally, the grind marks don’t bother me, only because you have to look closely to see them. I look at it as a minor cosmetic flaw. The blade is sturdy and seems capable of some nice cuts.
The Grip
The grip on this sword is extremely long. Just the leather braided section itself is 11 ¼” long. One each side of the grip are 3 blackened steel menuki skulls. The black finish on the menuki has started to wear off causing them to look a whitish, silver. I think the menuki look much better with the finish wore off. The braided leather is very soft and is comfortable in my hands. Behind the braided leather and the menuki is more leather and not a traditional ray skin. Though this may seem cheap, I feel it’s a good touch to the handle.
The Pommel
The pommel is constructed of blackened steel. The uniqueness of this pommel is that it is themed with the rest of the sword; it’s a skull! The detail on the pommel is very commendable and just makes the sword look mean! The pommel is solid steel and assists in balancing the long blade well.
The Guard
The guard on this sword is like none I’ve ever seen before. Its constructed to look like, you guessed it, a skull. The skull design of the tsuba looks very ancient and seems like something you would see in a museum. As with the other furniture of the sword, it is constructed of blackened steel, which the black finish has started to wear off but still looks amazing just the same. The tsuba did move a bit, but is in no danger of coming off the sword.
The Scabbard
The saya is one of my favorite features of this weapon. It is constructed of wood covered in black leather. Nearly 2/3 of the saya is wrapped in braided leather to perfectly match the handle complete with the 3 skulls.
The saya to my Reverse Blade was very simple, if not somewhat generic looking, but this saya is very impressive! It compliments the katana perfectly!
Testing
Cutting
As with the Two Handed Great Sword and the War Sword, the first cutting test I did was on the high density, 1/4” peg board. It produced several good cuts and sent some of the board flying; but I realize the katana was not designed for that type of target.
You can see the wood markings on the blade. As with the War Sword, the markings came off easily with a blade eraser and some WD-40.
I then decided to try cutting some water bottles and jugs. My first target, a 32oz water bottle was ruined before I even had a chance to swing the sword. My German Shepherd must have sensed I was just going to destroy the bottle anyways so he stole it from my stand and punctured it before I could catch him! I figured I better put him away during the cut tests or he was liable to steal the other targets as well!
Not knowing how the katana was going to cut, I started with a single 1 gallon jug of water. One quick swing of the sword cleaved the bottle clean through! I was happy and decided to try for two jugs next! I carefully set the two targets up side by side and took my stance. After a moment of gauging my swing, I met the target with my blade. Just as before, the blade easily cleaved both targets clean through! I was impressed!
I wanted to see how easily the sword would thrust into the gallon of water, so my last target was set up for a thrust test. The sword penetrated the jug with extreme ease several times. The jug then was quickly dispatched with a swift swing of the sword.
Flex Test
I used a wooden base for my sword as I conducted my flex test of the katana. The blade was extremely stiff and I had some difficulty getting a good flex out of the blade. I was finally able to get a good flex from the sword and when I let off the blade, it immediately returned to true. This is one tough cookie!
Conclusion
I like this sword. Though it is not a beater katana like that of Cold Steel, it seems very capable of traditional cutting tests designed for katanas. I’ve had no trouble with the sword and it always receives compliments from friends when they see it. The blade has gone up in price to about $298 at Knights Edge, but I was able to find it much cheaper at $224.10. This might still be a bit pricey and one could get a number of other excellent katanas for cheaper. Basically, what it comes down to is you are paying for the aesthetic beauty of the katana along with functionality. If you want a katana that is capable of good performance and attention grabbing looks, you might want to consider this one!
I stole this pose from Paul!
Historical Accuracy: 1/5
Fit and Finish: 4/5
Handling: 4/5
Structural Integrity: 4/5
Value for Money: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5
Where to get:
Swords of Might has the best price I could find anywhere at $224.10! Most places have the sword for about $283 and as high as $325!
Thanks for reading!
Review by Chad Werner, Ellettsville, IN (USA)
Knights Edge description:
“It long has been the belief that the "Soul" of a warrior lived within his sword and to be a Samurai warrior was to uphold the highest spiritual and physical disciplines than one can on a mortal plain, his sword brought together in steel by the ancient and highly skilled "mieko" (swordsmiths). These religious mieko wore costumes resembling the garb of Shinto priests and undertook purification rituals before forging to clarify mind and body in their strive for perfection in the creation of a blade. Each sword created was the culmination of such efforts and our fine Ritter Steel Skull Katana exemplifies these ideals. The historical tsuba skull design along with the skull head pommel and accents is complemented with an all black leather braid wrapping. A spiritual sword for the samurai soul in you! Overall 44", Blade 29".”
My first functional sword was the Ritter Steel Reverse Blade Katana. I was on a big Japanese Katana kick and after receiving that one and seeing how strong and durable it seemed, I wanted another! The Skull Katana quickly grabbed my attention, but at the price of $250, I had to save up. I finally did purchase it from Knights Edge. I believe I ordered it via telephone, which by the way is the easiest way to get ahold of them. Emails to Knights Edge can take a while to be returned; that is if you are lucky enough to receive a response.
Shipping took about a week from date of the order. The sword was well protected with packing paper packed tightly around the sword to prevent it from getting banged around during shipping. The sword arrived in a black cloth storage/travel bag and a small, attached tag giving advice for care and maintenance. Unsheathing the katana made me fully realize how big this sword really is. I did read the description, but still didn’t realize the size difference when compared to the Reverse Blade Katana. This sword was massive! The detail on the handle, saya (scabbard), tsuba, and kashira (pommel) is extremely impressive and I was in awe! The blade was clean and oil free. I found this unusual, but there was not a trace of any corrosion on the blade. The factory edge felt very sharp, but is a far cry from razor sharp like Cold Steel’s katanas. Dry handling felt comfortable and the blade was extremely responsive and maneuverable.
Sword Overview:
Blade Length: 29”
Blade Width: 1 ¼”
Blade Material: Hand Forged High Carbon Steel
Hilt Length: 14 ¾”
Overall Length: 43 ¾” (advertised as 44”)
Guard Width: 3” (side to side) and 3 3/8” (top to bottom)
Pommel: 2 ¼”
Weight: 3lbs
Point of Balance: 1 3/16” from guard (Precisely where the mune-machi (back blade notch) meets the habaki
The sword laying on the hood of a Dodge Charger for size reference.
Design, Fit & Finish
The Blade
The blade was simple in design with no hi (groove) and no hamon. This was no problem for me since I feel if the blade is not differentially heat treated, it should not have a simulated hamon. The kissaki (point) was sharp and the yokote (point line) was distinct.
Hammer marks from the forging process were present, but subtle. One common complaint with Ritter Steel blades is the presence of the grind marks. It is present on all three of my blades and probably ALL of the swords they sell. Personally, the grind marks don’t bother me, only because you have to look closely to see them. I look at it as a minor cosmetic flaw. The blade is sturdy and seems capable of some nice cuts.
The Grip
The grip on this sword is extremely long. Just the leather braided section itself is 11 ¼” long. One each side of the grip are 3 blackened steel menuki skulls. The black finish on the menuki has started to wear off causing them to look a whitish, silver. I think the menuki look much better with the finish wore off. The braided leather is very soft and is comfortable in my hands. Behind the braided leather and the menuki is more leather and not a traditional ray skin. Though this may seem cheap, I feel it’s a good touch to the handle.
The Pommel
The pommel is constructed of blackened steel. The uniqueness of this pommel is that it is themed with the rest of the sword; it’s a skull! The detail on the pommel is very commendable and just makes the sword look mean! The pommel is solid steel and assists in balancing the long blade well.
The Guard
The guard on this sword is like none I’ve ever seen before. Its constructed to look like, you guessed it, a skull. The skull design of the tsuba looks very ancient and seems like something you would see in a museum. As with the other furniture of the sword, it is constructed of blackened steel, which the black finish has started to wear off but still looks amazing just the same. The tsuba did move a bit, but is in no danger of coming off the sword.
The Scabbard
The saya is one of my favorite features of this weapon. It is constructed of wood covered in black leather. Nearly 2/3 of the saya is wrapped in braided leather to perfectly match the handle complete with the 3 skulls.
The saya to my Reverse Blade was very simple, if not somewhat generic looking, but this saya is very impressive! It compliments the katana perfectly!
Testing
Cutting
As with the Two Handed Great Sword and the War Sword, the first cutting test I did was on the high density, 1/4” peg board. It produced several good cuts and sent some of the board flying; but I realize the katana was not designed for that type of target.
You can see the wood markings on the blade. As with the War Sword, the markings came off easily with a blade eraser and some WD-40.
I then decided to try cutting some water bottles and jugs. My first target, a 32oz water bottle was ruined before I even had a chance to swing the sword. My German Shepherd must have sensed I was just going to destroy the bottle anyways so he stole it from my stand and punctured it before I could catch him! I figured I better put him away during the cut tests or he was liable to steal the other targets as well!
Not knowing how the katana was going to cut, I started with a single 1 gallon jug of water. One quick swing of the sword cleaved the bottle clean through! I was happy and decided to try for two jugs next! I carefully set the two targets up side by side and took my stance. After a moment of gauging my swing, I met the target with my blade. Just as before, the blade easily cleaved both targets clean through! I was impressed!
I wanted to see how easily the sword would thrust into the gallon of water, so my last target was set up for a thrust test. The sword penetrated the jug with extreme ease several times. The jug then was quickly dispatched with a swift swing of the sword.
Flex Test
I used a wooden base for my sword as I conducted my flex test of the katana. The blade was extremely stiff and I had some difficulty getting a good flex out of the blade. I was finally able to get a good flex from the sword and when I let off the blade, it immediately returned to true. This is one tough cookie!
Conclusion
I like this sword. Though it is not a beater katana like that of Cold Steel, it seems very capable of traditional cutting tests designed for katanas. I’ve had no trouble with the sword and it always receives compliments from friends when they see it. The blade has gone up in price to about $298 at Knights Edge, but I was able to find it much cheaper at $224.10. This might still be a bit pricey and one could get a number of other excellent katanas for cheaper. Basically, what it comes down to is you are paying for the aesthetic beauty of the katana along with functionality. If you want a katana that is capable of good performance and attention grabbing looks, you might want to consider this one!
I stole this pose from Paul!
Historical Accuracy: 1/5
Fit and Finish: 4/5
Handling: 4/5
Structural Integrity: 4/5
Value for Money: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5
Where to get:
Swords of Might has the best price I could find anywhere at $224.10! Most places have the sword for about $283 and as high as $325!
Thanks for reading!