Ronin Dojo Pro Model 3 Quick Review
Jul 5, 2010 13:07:12 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2010 13:07:12 GMT
sorry there are no pictures. will try to get some put up soon.
Introduction
I am completely new to the forum and have only been lurking around for about 2 months. But in that time i have gained a lot of knowledge about katanas. I have an obsession with all things Japan, but especially samurai. My love started with Shogun Assassin, then went on to the whole Lone Wolf and Cub series, to pretty much any Kurosawa movie i could put my hands on. Which then led to my independent comic book Blood, Guts and Bushido(www.sinistershoguncomics.com). I really, really love feudal Japan. In that, it was only a matter of time before I got my hands on some katanas. Thanks to the resources of this site, I tracked down my first purchase, along with several others to get in the future. Due to my obsession with Lone Wolf and cub, and the overwhelming great reviews I read beforehand, the Ronin Dojo Pro line was a pretty logical choice to start with.
Historical overview
The dotanuki is the sword that Ogami Itto uses throughout Lone Wolf and Cub. "torso cutter" or "torso stabber" makes me think of a pretty hefty blade, but honestly, I was really surprised...
Initial Impressions
Kind of an ugly box...I kind of figured the display of this sword would be a little neater. But I would easily take the ugly box for the beautiful blade that was contained within. This thing was exactly as i figured it would be. It was sharp but not insanely sharp. polish was really good except a few super small scratches.
Statistics
Really havent dont much measuring or calculations. Everything seems pretty close to roninkatana.com's site tho.
Components
The Blade
This blade was awesome. Really loved the curve and balance of it. polish was excellent. No evidence of "ghost hamon" what so ever.
The Handle/Tsuka
The tsuka ito really pops out at u with this sword. Great shade of brown silk that really looks beautiful.
The Guard/Tsuba
tsuba was also nice, one of my top picks from the dojo pro line, but i still prefer something a little more rustic looking. i know the fittings are iron, and thats nice and all, but they are a little plain in my opinion.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
Iron fittings, functional, but not necessarily fancy or anything either.
The Scabbard/Saya
Now here is one thing that really annoyed me. The saya had wax inside and every time i draw the blade there is wax on it. Now I have tried to scrape the wax out but i can only do so much with what i have. And it still shows up every time. Just figured with all the talks of high quality it would have been a perfect experience, but the wax really bugs me. Even more so than minor cosmetic flaws.
Handling Characteristics
Using this sword was a breeze, I have no traditional training, nor any real experience with functional katana swords but this thing was like a walk in the park to use.
Test Cutting
So first things first, paper cut test...
No.
Didn't really want to go through the paper. Didn't have that ready to shave sharpness I was thinking it would have, but after doing a little sharpening....
Water bottles - clean clear cuts, even really thick ones.
Milk jugs - seriously? I didn't think it would be this easy.
Boxes - not much resistance here either.
One thing I noticed after I had purchased a few other katana's(which i will be reviewing as well) is that this thing stabs exceptionally better. It is scary how easily it slides into water/milk jugs/cardboard etc. MUCH easier than the other swords i've tried.
Had a few bad cuts on the wooden stand going about 5-7 inches deep in the wood!! Then on a couple of other bad cuts, sliced clean through the wood cutting off about 3 inches long 1 inch deep sections of wood out of my cutting stand. But no damage at all to the blade! Would love to try out some better targets since I know this blade can take a little punishment.
Conclusions
Surpassed many expectations and really proved to be an excellent choice for me. Great sword for a cutter OR collector as the beauty is only half of this very decent cutting machine.
Pros
- nice silk ito
- light and great handling
- tough blade
Cons
- Wax in saya. comes out on sword every time even after trying to remove it.
- Fuchi and kashira very plain.
- Menuki seemed a little on the cheap side compared to the rest of the sword.
The Bottom Line
Easily worth the money and trust me I have done my research. For $250 dollars I don't see a whole lot of worthy competition to this sword...
Introduction
I am completely new to the forum and have only been lurking around for about 2 months. But in that time i have gained a lot of knowledge about katanas. I have an obsession with all things Japan, but especially samurai. My love started with Shogun Assassin, then went on to the whole Lone Wolf and Cub series, to pretty much any Kurosawa movie i could put my hands on. Which then led to my independent comic book Blood, Guts and Bushido(www.sinistershoguncomics.com). I really, really love feudal Japan. In that, it was only a matter of time before I got my hands on some katanas. Thanks to the resources of this site, I tracked down my first purchase, along with several others to get in the future. Due to my obsession with Lone Wolf and cub, and the overwhelming great reviews I read beforehand, the Ronin Dojo Pro line was a pretty logical choice to start with.
Historical overview
The dotanuki is the sword that Ogami Itto uses throughout Lone Wolf and Cub. "torso cutter" or "torso stabber" makes me think of a pretty hefty blade, but honestly, I was really surprised...
Initial Impressions
Kind of an ugly box...I kind of figured the display of this sword would be a little neater. But I would easily take the ugly box for the beautiful blade that was contained within. This thing was exactly as i figured it would be. It was sharp but not insanely sharp. polish was really good except a few super small scratches.
Statistics
Really havent dont much measuring or calculations. Everything seems pretty close to roninkatana.com's site tho.
Components
The Blade
This blade was awesome. Really loved the curve and balance of it. polish was excellent. No evidence of "ghost hamon" what so ever.
The Handle/Tsuka
The tsuka ito really pops out at u with this sword. Great shade of brown silk that really looks beautiful.
The Guard/Tsuba
tsuba was also nice, one of my top picks from the dojo pro line, but i still prefer something a little more rustic looking. i know the fittings are iron, and thats nice and all, but they are a little plain in my opinion.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
Iron fittings, functional, but not necessarily fancy or anything either.
The Scabbard/Saya
Now here is one thing that really annoyed me. The saya had wax inside and every time i draw the blade there is wax on it. Now I have tried to scrape the wax out but i can only do so much with what i have. And it still shows up every time. Just figured with all the talks of high quality it would have been a perfect experience, but the wax really bugs me. Even more so than minor cosmetic flaws.
Handling Characteristics
Using this sword was a breeze, I have no traditional training, nor any real experience with functional katana swords but this thing was like a walk in the park to use.
Test Cutting
So first things first, paper cut test...
No.
Didn't really want to go through the paper. Didn't have that ready to shave sharpness I was thinking it would have, but after doing a little sharpening....
Water bottles - clean clear cuts, even really thick ones.
Milk jugs - seriously? I didn't think it would be this easy.
Boxes - not much resistance here either.
One thing I noticed after I had purchased a few other katana's(which i will be reviewing as well) is that this thing stabs exceptionally better. It is scary how easily it slides into water/milk jugs/cardboard etc. MUCH easier than the other swords i've tried.
Had a few bad cuts on the wooden stand going about 5-7 inches deep in the wood!! Then on a couple of other bad cuts, sliced clean through the wood cutting off about 3 inches long 1 inch deep sections of wood out of my cutting stand. But no damage at all to the blade! Would love to try out some better targets since I know this blade can take a little punishment.
Conclusions
Surpassed many expectations and really proved to be an excellent choice for me. Great sword for a cutter OR collector as the beauty is only half of this very decent cutting machine.
Pros
- nice silk ito
- light and great handling
- tough blade
Cons
- Wax in saya. comes out on sword every time even after trying to remove it.
- Fuchi and kashira very plain.
- Menuki seemed a little on the cheap side compared to the rest of the sword.
The Bottom Line
Easily worth the money and trust me I have done my research. For $250 dollars I don't see a whole lot of worthy competition to this sword...