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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2010 10:05:57 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2010 13:08:26 GMT
Never handled any before by I find problems with product listings that call the object "sword" three times in different languages.  |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2010 17:20:14 GMT
what really twists my drawers is that sites like amazon or ebay seem to never put up an acurate product description. it would be nice to know what steel it is, what hardening (if any), and what company manufactures it. not to mention length, width, POB, etc.
sites like these, i consider to be for newbs to loose, oops, i mean, spend their money.
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Post by sicheah on Jun 26, 2010 17:29:06 GMT
From the pictures, I doubt the sword is even functional (just look at the grip wrap, looks loose to begin with). Besides it is sold by Martial arts lands which seems to consist mostly of SLO.
In other words, avoid it like plague.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2010 5:45:01 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2010 18:20:43 GMT
what really twists my drawers is that sites like amazon or ebay seem to never put up an acurate product description. it would be nice to know what steel it is, what hardening (if any), and what company manufactures it. not to mention length, width, POB, etc. sites like these, i consider to be for newbs to loose, oops, i mean, spend their money. Thats because amazon.com doesnt cater to people who want quality weapons. Most people who buy swords from there use them for decoration. Though it would be nice if their information was accurate and detailed enough, I agree. I bought a Musha katana from there, and while functional, it looked slightly different from the picture, was falsely labeled as Musashi brand, and the measurements were a little off. But whatever. It was around $50 so I never expected much to begin with. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2010 5:32:47 GMT
Hey guys, week or so ago I went to Chinatown, San Francisco and saw tons of Hanwei and Masahiro swords! I saw this as well, but I did not get a chance to hold it. Just from looking at it up close though,it really looks like an SOL. I wouldn't buy it if I were you and my advise is to stick with what you know!  |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2010 5:38:24 GMT
Doesn't look good, I'd steer clear of this one.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2010 10:59:48 GMT
This looks identical to the one at Kultofathena. I have it. The blade is folded steel, the scabbard is very good rosewood. The sword rattles in the scabbard but a good tight fit at the mouth. I tried bending tang by hand, but couldn't bend it. So I don't think its a rat-tail. Koa calls it "Battle Ready," a claim they do not use loosely. Reading the above posts, I'm surprised that so many "experts" pass judgement based on poor internet photos of a sword that might actually be good.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2010 15:17:20 GMT
This looks identical to the one at Kultofathena. I have it. The blade is folded steel, the scabbard is very good rosewood. The sword rattles in the scabbard but a good tight fit at the mouth. I tried bending tang by hand, but couldn't bend it. So I don't think its a rat-tail. Koa calls it "Battle Ready," a claim they do not use loosely. Reading the above posts, I'm surprised that so many "experts" pass judgement based on poor internet photos of a sword that might actually be good. We're by no means experts and nobody is making such claims. When you're dealing with anything that could possibly kill you if it fails, rule of thumb is always play it safe. Why I thought it was better to pass? 1.Cheap, SLO-like "engravings" on the blade 2. A bad description that shows poor knowledge of the product or at least lowest denominator marketing of it 3. Generally poor construction of Han jian throughout the mid/low-tier Chinese sword market (with Jin-Shi seemingly an exception) 4. Have handled ITO katana, which seem to be along the same lines as the very low end Musashi. Cheap and okay but really, there are higher quality, safer choices. Cannot comment on QC. 5. No pictures of the tang. Have you disassembled it? There's more to a good tang than not being a rat tail, like properly formed shoulders, how it's secured, etc. Do a review on yours and let us know it's good. Until then, though, I still would recommend a proven product (like Jin-Shi or the Rodell jian) over something generally unknown/untested amongst the community. It's simply a matter of safety and, of course, making a good investment. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2010 4:46:10 GMT
Several points well taken.  I went back to this advertisement and checked it again. This is an amazing likeness to the GENS sword sold at Kultofathena. But it does not have the blatant circled Registered trademark of the GENS company. Obviously it is a rip-off, and selling at a price that exceeds the GENS. I would recommend the Kultofathena (KOA) sword because I trust them. If it is listed as "battle ready," it's exactly that. The Han Dynasty model I have is made by Zhejinag Jiang's Sword Co. in Longquan. Unlike a katana, a Han jian can't be easily disassembled to see how it's built. The handle wrapping is intrigal, and if you remove it you have destroyed the sword's value. Most Han jians have a threaded tang. The higher quality Longquan blades are built from folded 1050 or 1095 steel. Better ones are made from sandwiched iron and steel "cheeks," and even better ones are clay tempered. The tangs are rectangular, not a thin round rat-tail. I believe-- without exception-- that all of the better blades come with cast brass furnishings produced by the lost-wax method. (At least mine are so constructed). As you and I know, swords at "entery level" prices are a risky investment. But the one exception might be the KOA Han jian, selling for $189 in two different styles (in colors only). |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2010 20:56:37 GMT
It says it's a threaded pommel on KoA. I'm hoping to take a trip out there soon, actually, so I'll be sure to take a look at this one. On a side note, no one buy the KC Viking Sword... lol
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SlayerofDarkness
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Post by SlayerofDarkness on Jul 27, 2010 22:01:15 GMT
KoA lists a CAST sword that's 24" long and 4.5 lbs as battle ready... I had one, and it was VERY un-battle-ready... www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=BK1432&name=War+BladeThey also list ---THIS--- sword as battle ready, and it is obviously NOT. Basically, if the sword is carbon steel, KoA lists it as battle ready without testing it. While their rating does help rule out the obviously bad ones, it does NOT mean battle ready, truthfully. All it means is 'potentially not an SLO, but no guarantee', IMO.  I like KoA, and have bought from them multiple times, but that kind of trust is not deserved, as those two examples prove. They will tell you exactly what a sword is and is not if you call them or email them, but the ratings on the site are not all that accurate... not saying KoA is lying, just that they don't do their research before listing something as such.  Pity, but at least their battle ready listing system does help thin out most of the bad stuff. ;D HTH, Slayer |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2010 23:05:34 GMT
We're by no means experts and nobody is making such claims. When you're dealing with anything that could possibly kill you if it fails, rule of thumb is always play it safe.
Why I thought it was better to pass?
1.Cheap, SLO-like "engravings" on the blade
2. A bad description that shows poor knowledge of the product or at least lowest denominator marketing of it
3. Generally poor construction of Han jian throughout the mid/low-tier Chinese sword market (with Jin-Shi seemingly an exception)
4. Irrelevant.
5. No pictures of the tang. Have you disassembled it? There's more to a good tang than not being a rat tail, like properly formed shoulders, how it's secured, etc.[/quote]
That sounds like someone describing a sub-$100 katana, and some people swear by those with their lives.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2010 23:36:32 GMT
That sounds like someone describing a sub-$100 katana, and some people swear by those with their lives. Yes, it does. But the thing about sub-$100 dollar katana is that there are some that have been tested/reviewed. Prospective buyers know what they're getting and what to expect. Hell, I have a few of those myself and they're pretty nice for the price. Here, we have a $285 dollar sword with no previous reviews. The prospective buyer asked for advice/experience rather than straight out saying "hey guys, I'm going to bite the bullet, get this, and report back if it's dirt." In that case, I certainly wouldn't want to be the one recommending an unknown nearly $300 sword with descriptions that fit a sub-$100 katana when there are better options out there for a similar price |
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Post by randomnobody on Jul 29, 2010 13:44:40 GMT
I'm not really sure how point 4 is "irrelevant." Seems pretty valid and important to me.
I have no interest in this sword and would not put my money to it, but I would certainly like to have one like it. If I had to pick a favorite Chinese sword, the Han jians would be it. Maybe.
But this...this just isn't a sword. It merely resembles one.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2010 4:05:56 GMT
That's my feeling, too. This one in the advertisment is a cheap rip off of the GENS model sold by KOA. I was impressed by this GENS sword, right down to the lost-wax fittings and deluxe rosewood scabbard. Since I bought it, KOA has added a "twin" GENS Han Dynasty jian in a light burled wood scabbard with blackened fittings. Which indicates that some collectors will buy a second one to match the original offering. I'm not saying these two folded-blade swords could cut anything. They just have that $500 look for the price of $189 (not $289). |
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Pity, but at least their battle ready listing system does help thin out most of the bad stuff. ;D
