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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2009 2:27:59 GMT
has anyone else purchased anything from handmadeswords.com?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2009 3:54:10 GMT
Hello
I have just bough a sub-100 $ katana from this seller/producer/whatever. Overall, I like it, I cut around 40 water bottles and a few other targets, some of my cuts missed their mark and hit some bottle's caps and even the cutting stand. Yet, the blade hasn't chipped, taken a set or anything, still sharp enough for cutting. However, the handguard and the pommel are a bit loose (they were after around 10 cuts), not in a dangerous way (I dismantled my katana to make sure, and everything was safe ''under the hood''). Also, the saya felt cheaply made.
So, overall, I think mine is a good, robust beater, but with a number of flaws that makes the blade feel like a cheaply-made product, but still a functional and fun cutter.
Two more things ; 1) If you search around the site, you should find a few threads about this seller, including a few reviews of their products 2) This seller seems to get their products form different forges, from what I have heard, so quality control may vary from one katana to the other. However, I haven't heard about someone who has gotten a pure lemon from them, yet.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2009 10:10:39 GMT
Their stuff might be good, but the name "handmade" is a big deterrent for me personally. No, I havent bought anything from them. But I'm sure if you cross refference their swords with swords from the known (budget-)forges you'll be able to pick out decent swords.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2009 11:56:23 GMT
beware the ten thousand dollar tachi.....
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Post by tengu76 on Jun 4, 2009 12:17:47 GMT
I have no personal hands on with there swords,but a few friends of mine have gotten from them and from what I understand its hit or miss. Most of there complants were in the fittings being loose or poorly done and so on. But for a beater....might not be bad.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2009 13:38:23 GMT
While the feedback isn't completely unanimous, the general consensus is that they're usually low quality, misleading and often not sharp enough. One thing is certain, you can get far better for the same or better prices at other forges/dealers.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2009 13:47:38 GMT
One of my first katanas was from Handmade Swords on Ebay. It is one they marketed as the Fudo Myoo katana with some figures engraved on the blade. They still sell it with a different name .( #284 ) www.handmadesword.com/284.htmlThe quality was not too bad fro the price. As it was cheap and not the sharpest compared to some others I had, I dulled the blade and use it for iai practice . The ito is very tight and has held up well to fairly constant use. Cotton ito but very well wrapped. The fuchi and kashira on mine are the exact same ones used on the Oni Forge Shobu but the tsuba is different . Menukis are solid copper. Wire-brushed fake hamon. The saya fit was a bit rattley and I had to resort to the 'cotton ball down the saya' technique to cure the looseness. Overall, for the price it is a decent enough blade with very nice fit and furniture.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2009 16:37:12 GMT
I have 2 Bride's swords. The cheap version and the good version. Both blades will do just fine for cutting. The Cheap is 1065 steel with brush hamon however if you repolish you will see the real thing (like the bamboo). Habaki is right on (better than KC), tsuba is good and saya is fine (slightly better than Cheness). Sucky same, fuchi/kashira and fake leather wrap though tight.
The Good version is 1095mono steel clay tempered. There's a gorgeous hamon yet on a shorter blade. Light and an amazing cutter. VERY light. Tsuba is smaller and well made. Habaki fits right, thicker same with tight, tight, real leather wrap though I wish they used the same leather as the UC black kat. Blade geometry questionable.
I know I've had good experience cutting with these. It's better to remount them however. Years ago, I'm not sure if it was Marc Ridgeway or Aaron Justice that we had discussed on SFI of how these are pretty good bades, then one day I think Aaron found the hamon. Haha those were the days.
Phillip Starr
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2009 4:39:30 GMT
thank you all!both the swords i bought were from the clearance section due to the fact i knew nothing about them.they seem soft yet ok for light duty work or katas.im just not shure id buy anything else from them,although their customer service was excellent.at least theres that!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2009 22:17:11 GMT
Glad you like your sword man.
Personnaly, I am considering buying one of their daisho, mostly as a functionnal decorative piece. You get the stand, the wak', the kat' and their sayas for 200 $ or less, seems like a decent deal for me ...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2009 4:02:10 GMT
Glad you like your sword man. Personnaly, I am considering buying one of their daisho, mostly as a functionnal decorative piece. You get the stand, the wak', the kat' and their sayas for 200 $ or less, seems like a decent deal for me ... Don't buy one of the daisho from them, the one I have has an okay wak (I'm going to shorten the tsuka) but the kat took an "S" shaped set when I cut some cardboard with it. From what I have you should go for the stuff that's over the $150 price mark. But good customer service.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2009 5:26:23 GMT
i did some cuttin with my zatiochi the other day and not only bent it,but smashed the rear peg and split the tsuka.it bent back ok,but now i have to fix the handle.bummin.
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