Cheness Cutleries 'Tenchi' Review
Oct 15, 2007 16:42:59 GMT
Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2007 16:42:59 GMT
Cheness Cutleries 9260 Spring Steel Katana – Tenchi reviewed by Jeff I. - Virginia, USA
During my search for reviews on movie replica swords, I came across the SBG website. Reading the various reviews and forum posts, I discovered that not only was there a large community of edged weapon enthusiasts, but that there were some very fine swords available in a price range that was very affordable. Until I discovered this, the only edged weapons in my collection consisted of some knives picked up here and there, a claymore from Windlass Steelcrafts, and a wall-hanger katana purchased years ago. I had always wanted a “real” sword to add to my collection, and I was mainly looking for a katana.
After reading Paul’s review on the Cheness Cutleries Tenchi, and various posts about katanas made by other manufacturers, I decided the Tenchi was the way to go. The price, durability, fit and finish all seemed to be very good, so I placed an order through SBG. The process couldn’t have been easier. Placed the order, made the payment, chatted with Paul via e-mail, and within a very short time, my new Tenchi was at the front door.
The sword was in a cotton carry bag, inside the dragon themed wood box, along with a wood display stand, all inside a cardboard box.
Per the official description, the statistics are:
Blade Length: 28"
Handle Length: 11"
Overall Length: 42.5" (includes Saya)
Weight: 2.9lbs (solid bodied blade)
DESIGN, FIT & FINISH
The Blade
I unpacked everything and removed the sword from the bag to examine. No noticeable scratches seen at this point – the blade had some sort of protective goo on it. The fit and finish was excellent – everything tight and the blade extremely sharp. As I had never used a live blade before (other than knives of course), I was a bit intimidated by the sharpness of the blade. I put off doing a cutting test for a few weeks, but finally broke down and gave it a go. After wiping down the blade, I did notice a few minor scratches here and there, and what appeared to be some tool marks. At the kissaki, marks from polishing/sharpening are much more noticeable but that is really the only negative. The hamon is subtle but visible. I ordered the blade without bo-hi.
The Tsuka and Tsuba
Everything tightly wrapped and very solid feeling. As mentioned in Paul’s review, nothing fancy. The tsuba is plain brass with an antique look. Overall, this is a clean, functional looking sword – attractive in its simplicity.
The Saya
Once again, nothing fancy. Plain, black, nicely lacquered with no visible scratches or marks.
TESTING
Cutting
Not having handled a live blade before, I was somewhat reluctant to do any cutting. After building a stand, though, I finally had to cut something. All I had on hand was a ½ gallon milk jug, so not a very extensive test. With my wife nearby in case I did something real stupid, I set up my stand and target. Gripping the Tenchi as shown in chopchop’s thread, I got a quick feel for the blade. I focused on the target, took a swing, and zip – right through the milk jug with no trouble at all. I was surprised at the minimal amount of resistance encountered. I swung harder than I needed to, as my left hand/wrist flexed more than it should at the end of the swing, and came off the grip during the over-extended follow through. I definitely need to practice. I did take another swing at the bottom part of the milk jug – I should have skipped on that as there wasn’t much target left – certainly not enough for someone with my lack of skill and experience. End result was a whack on the cutting stand, shaving off some wood. I examined the blade after that and no visible damage, so it survived my poor technique. I’ll probably invest in some other targets to try and develop some proficiency, and may join up with a club that teaches Battodo.
CONCLUSION and SBG Ratings
I am very pleased with this purchase. The quality of the sword is excellent for the price and purchasing it through SBG could not have been easier. For someone looking for a quality cutter, the Cheness Cutleries Tenchi is a bargain. It is a solidly constructed katana with an elegant simplicity.
Historical Accuracy: 2/5 (mainly because it is mono-steel)
Fit and Finish: 5/5
Handling: 4/5
Structural Integrity: 5/5
Value for Money: 5/5
OVERALL: 5/5 Definitely a great deal!
During my search for reviews on movie replica swords, I came across the SBG website. Reading the various reviews and forum posts, I discovered that not only was there a large community of edged weapon enthusiasts, but that there were some very fine swords available in a price range that was very affordable. Until I discovered this, the only edged weapons in my collection consisted of some knives picked up here and there, a claymore from Windlass Steelcrafts, and a wall-hanger katana purchased years ago. I had always wanted a “real” sword to add to my collection, and I was mainly looking for a katana.
After reading Paul’s review on the Cheness Cutleries Tenchi, and various posts about katanas made by other manufacturers, I decided the Tenchi was the way to go. The price, durability, fit and finish all seemed to be very good, so I placed an order through SBG. The process couldn’t have been easier. Placed the order, made the payment, chatted with Paul via e-mail, and within a very short time, my new Tenchi was at the front door.
The sword was in a cotton carry bag, inside the dragon themed wood box, along with a wood display stand, all inside a cardboard box.
Per the official description, the statistics are:
Blade Length: 28"
Handle Length: 11"
Overall Length: 42.5" (includes Saya)
Weight: 2.9lbs (solid bodied blade)
DESIGN, FIT & FINISH
The Blade
I unpacked everything and removed the sword from the bag to examine. No noticeable scratches seen at this point – the blade had some sort of protective goo on it. The fit and finish was excellent – everything tight and the blade extremely sharp. As I had never used a live blade before (other than knives of course), I was a bit intimidated by the sharpness of the blade. I put off doing a cutting test for a few weeks, but finally broke down and gave it a go. After wiping down the blade, I did notice a few minor scratches here and there, and what appeared to be some tool marks. At the kissaki, marks from polishing/sharpening are much more noticeable but that is really the only negative. The hamon is subtle but visible. I ordered the blade without bo-hi.
The Tsuka and Tsuba
Everything tightly wrapped and very solid feeling. As mentioned in Paul’s review, nothing fancy. The tsuba is plain brass with an antique look. Overall, this is a clean, functional looking sword – attractive in its simplicity.
The Saya
Once again, nothing fancy. Plain, black, nicely lacquered with no visible scratches or marks.
TESTING
Cutting
Not having handled a live blade before, I was somewhat reluctant to do any cutting. After building a stand, though, I finally had to cut something. All I had on hand was a ½ gallon milk jug, so not a very extensive test. With my wife nearby in case I did something real stupid, I set up my stand and target. Gripping the Tenchi as shown in chopchop’s thread, I got a quick feel for the blade. I focused on the target, took a swing, and zip – right through the milk jug with no trouble at all. I was surprised at the minimal amount of resistance encountered. I swung harder than I needed to, as my left hand/wrist flexed more than it should at the end of the swing, and came off the grip during the over-extended follow through. I definitely need to practice. I did take another swing at the bottom part of the milk jug – I should have skipped on that as there wasn’t much target left – certainly not enough for someone with my lack of skill and experience. End result was a whack on the cutting stand, shaving off some wood. I examined the blade after that and no visible damage, so it survived my poor technique. I’ll probably invest in some other targets to try and develop some proficiency, and may join up with a club that teaches Battodo.
CONCLUSION and SBG Ratings
I am very pleased with this purchase. The quality of the sword is excellent for the price and purchasing it through SBG could not have been easier. For someone looking for a quality cutter, the Cheness Cutleries Tenchi is a bargain. It is a solidly constructed katana with an elegant simplicity.
Historical Accuracy: 2/5 (mainly because it is mono-steel)
Fit and Finish: 5/5
Handling: 4/5
Structural Integrity: 5/5
Value for Money: 5/5
OVERALL: 5/5 Definitely a great deal!