Last legend shinRyu Special edition Katana
Dec 6, 2008 21:29:04 GMT
Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2008 21:29:04 GMT
Last Legend ShinRyu SE Katana Sword
This is limited to Last Legend's available stock of Dragon fittings. Once the fittings are gone so is this katana. I’ve checked it and they are still available, by the release of this review. I could give you some explanation on dragons in Japanese mythology, but I’ve done this yet in my review of the ryumon dragon katana, so if you want some background information on dragons I refer to my older review.
So I just gona give you a little explanation on this katana only and tell you why it is a special edition.The Shinryu SE is a Special Edition that was asked to Last Legend. There was a customer request regarding the Last Legend 02 series and their top of the line Dragon katana from that series. Last Legend had still a good amount of the Dragon fitting at their foundry, so they were asked to make a "New Dragon" or Shinryu.
All the Shinryu's have the Dragon blade geometry but with a 28" T10 tool steel differentially tempered blade with BoHi and a half inch sori. The swords come with complete Dragon fitting with a 12 inch handle that is battle wrapped in black Japanese cotton over real white samé (ray skin). The saya is Last Legend's customary deep black lacquer.
DESIGN, FIT and FINISH
Stats:
Weight : 1205 gr
Blade : 74 cm
Overall length : 103 cm
Point of balance : 15 cm after tsuba
The Blade
This blade has a beautiful waved hamon and a very deep and broad bo-hi. I was questioning myself what this katana would weigh if there wasn’t such a bo-hi.
The kissaki is well defined.
The Tsuka
The tsuka is wood wrapped with real rayskin and with Midnight Black Japanese Cotton Battlewrap, also double pegged. The fittings are also rusty, and this is in my opinion pitiable.
The fuchi is a rusty dragon themed fitting. On the other side we can see some waves so this must be a water dragon (like my ryumon katana, so for the explanation on water dragons I refer to my ryumon dragon review).
Also the menuki are dragon themed with a gold color (I don’t know if it’s gold plated or not).
The quality of the rayskin is not good but also not bad. If I would have made this katana, and had to use so little amount of rayskin, I would certainly used a better quality of rayskin.
The Kashira
Also a rusty, dragon themed fitting.
Disassembling the katana wasn’t an easy job. I had to use a hammer to remove the tsuka of the blade. The forge used a little amount of karton to fixate the tsuka on the blade. Once everything was pulled out of each other, I saw the signature on the tang.
The Tsuba
On one side a dragon and on the other side water (I guess). This is an iron, black painted tsuba.
The Saya
Black lacquered wood, no scratches, no defects. Not much else to add there, it looks really good.
The sageo is a high quality Midnight Black Japanese Cotton Battlewrap cord and very tightly wrapped. A nice touch is the golden colored shitidome, which gives the saya that dash of color and character.
The Last Legend katana fits very well in the saya. As we know,I prefer to have a snug fit and not have the katana fall out if turned upside down. The koiguchi (saya opening) is completely lacquered like the saya.
TESTING
Oooh I’m so curious! I’ve heard a lot about the quality of Last Legend katanas so LET’S BEAT IT!!!
Video cutting plastic bottles
Nice clean cuts!
video cutting a bottle on a wire
Nice clean cuts!
Video cutting tatami mat
Nice clean cuts!
5 minutes of fun…
CONCLUSION
Is the Last Legend SE ShinRyu a decent cutter? Of course it is! The LL katana seems to be a very well built beautiful looking sword. This katana will carry on the tradition of Last Legend's famous Dragon line. Only the rusty fittings are a lesser point to this katana.
THE VERDICT
Historical Accuracy: N/A
Fit and Finish: 2/5 (rusty!)
Handling: 4/5 (a bit heavy for a katana with bo-hi)
Structural Integrity: 5/5
Value for Money: 4/5
OVERALL: 3/5
WHERE TO BUY
The LL SE katana normally sell at US$389 at imperial weapons but now at this moment there is a reduction so you’ll get this katana for the price of $297.95.
This is limited to Last Legend's available stock of Dragon fittings. Once the fittings are gone so is this katana. I’ve checked it and they are still available, by the release of this review. I could give you some explanation on dragons in Japanese mythology, but I’ve done this yet in my review of the ryumon dragon katana, so if you want some background information on dragons I refer to my older review.
So I just gona give you a little explanation on this katana only and tell you why it is a special edition.The Shinryu SE is a Special Edition that was asked to Last Legend. There was a customer request regarding the Last Legend 02 series and their top of the line Dragon katana from that series. Last Legend had still a good amount of the Dragon fitting at their foundry, so they were asked to make a "New Dragon" or Shinryu.
All the Shinryu's have the Dragon blade geometry but with a 28" T10 tool steel differentially tempered blade with BoHi and a half inch sori. The swords come with complete Dragon fitting with a 12 inch handle that is battle wrapped in black Japanese cotton over real white samé (ray skin). The saya is Last Legend's customary deep black lacquer.
Last legend shinRyu Special edition Katana
Review by Serge Winckelmans, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Review by Serge Winckelmans, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium
DESIGN, FIT and FINISH
Stats:
Weight : 1205 gr
Blade : 74 cm
Overall length : 103 cm
Point of balance : 15 cm after tsuba
The Blade
This blade has a beautiful waved hamon and a very deep and broad bo-hi. I was questioning myself what this katana would weigh if there wasn’t such a bo-hi.
The kissaki is well defined.
The Tsuka
The tsuka is wood wrapped with real rayskin and with Midnight Black Japanese Cotton Battlewrap, also double pegged. The fittings are also rusty, and this is in my opinion pitiable.
The fuchi is a rusty dragon themed fitting. On the other side we can see some waves so this must be a water dragon (like my ryumon katana, so for the explanation on water dragons I refer to my ryumon dragon review).
Also the menuki are dragon themed with a gold color (I don’t know if it’s gold plated or not).
The quality of the rayskin is not good but also not bad. If I would have made this katana, and had to use so little amount of rayskin, I would certainly used a better quality of rayskin.
The Kashira
Also a rusty, dragon themed fitting.
Disassembling the katana wasn’t an easy job. I had to use a hammer to remove the tsuka of the blade. The forge used a little amount of karton to fixate the tsuka on the blade. Once everything was pulled out of each other, I saw the signature on the tang.
The Tsuba
On one side a dragon and on the other side water (I guess). This is an iron, black painted tsuba.
The Saya
Black lacquered wood, no scratches, no defects. Not much else to add there, it looks really good.
The sageo is a high quality Midnight Black Japanese Cotton Battlewrap cord and very tightly wrapped. A nice touch is the golden colored shitidome, which gives the saya that dash of color and character.
The Last Legend katana fits very well in the saya. As we know,I prefer to have a snug fit and not have the katana fall out if turned upside down. The koiguchi (saya opening) is completely lacquered like the saya.
TESTING
Oooh I’m so curious! I’ve heard a lot about the quality of Last Legend katanas so LET’S BEAT IT!!!
Video cutting plastic bottles
Nice clean cuts!
video cutting a bottle on a wire
Nice clean cuts!
Video cutting tatami mat
Nice clean cuts!
5 minutes of fun…
CONCLUSION
Is the Last Legend SE ShinRyu a decent cutter? Of course it is! The LL katana seems to be a very well built beautiful looking sword. This katana will carry on the tradition of Last Legend's famous Dragon line. Only the rusty fittings are a lesser point to this katana.
THE VERDICT
Historical Accuracy: N/A
Fit and Finish: 2/5 (rusty!)
Handling: 4/5 (a bit heavy for a katana with bo-hi)
Structural Integrity: 5/5
Value for Money: 4/5
OVERALL: 3/5
WHERE TO BUY
The LL SE katana normally sell at US$389 at imperial weapons but now at this moment there is a reduction so you’ll get this katana for the price of $297.95.