Musashi Hand Honed Katana
Nov 13, 2007 22:15:19 GMT
Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2007 22:15:19 GMT
Hey all, this is my first stab at a review. I'll be reviewing a $60 Musashi Katana (as the title suggests).
It arrived intact but I soon found out that was one of the only things right about this sword. the first thing I noticed was some kind of glue on the saya.
Anything short of sanding wouldn't remove it.
The fuchi was scratched and discolored.
and the ito was loose. I have it pushed back into place for this pic.
Drawing the blade I felt a lot of resistance in the saya. This was due to 2 factors. A bent blade ( which I fixed before this review) and a warped saya
The blade itself was not in very good shape. Aside from the bend, it is scratched and pitted. The following are the only good shots I could get after numerous attempts.
When I cleaned and oiled the blade it felt "weird". The thickness of the blade from the habaki to the tip changed dramatically in the middle of the sword. so much so that when cleaning it, it was immediately noticeable. there is no smooth transition, just a sudden drop in thickness. You can even see this when you catch the reflection of something in the blade. I tried to capture it with the following pic.
The scariest part happened during disassembly. BOTH mekugi could be pushed out with only my FINGER!! I could push them Back and forth in the hole easily enough that I used the ear piece of my glasses to shove them through the holes.
Against my better judgment at this point, I wanted to see what it would cut. the only available thing was the box it came it. Sorry no pics but needless to say it was a dismal failure. the blade pounded the cardboard more like a hammer than a sword. No cutting at all actually, just tearing and crushing. Maybe it was my technique because I really didn't want to swing it.
On the plus side, the tsuka is not cracked and the fittings are tight. Once I replace the mekugi I expect to have some fun with this sword. I'll have to sharpen it if I want to cut anything harder than Jello ;D
For $60, you get what you pay for. This was an experiment into the sub $100 katana market.... and probably my last. I'll save the money next time for another Cheness. Maybe a Kaza....Ummmm, Kaza.
It arrived intact but I soon found out that was one of the only things right about this sword. the first thing I noticed was some kind of glue on the saya.
Anything short of sanding wouldn't remove it.
The fuchi was scratched and discolored.
and the ito was loose. I have it pushed back into place for this pic.
Drawing the blade I felt a lot of resistance in the saya. This was due to 2 factors. A bent blade ( which I fixed before this review) and a warped saya
The blade itself was not in very good shape. Aside from the bend, it is scratched and pitted. The following are the only good shots I could get after numerous attempts.
When I cleaned and oiled the blade it felt "weird". The thickness of the blade from the habaki to the tip changed dramatically in the middle of the sword. so much so that when cleaning it, it was immediately noticeable. there is no smooth transition, just a sudden drop in thickness. You can even see this when you catch the reflection of something in the blade. I tried to capture it with the following pic.
The scariest part happened during disassembly. BOTH mekugi could be pushed out with only my FINGER!! I could push them Back and forth in the hole easily enough that I used the ear piece of my glasses to shove them through the holes.
Against my better judgment at this point, I wanted to see what it would cut. the only available thing was the box it came it. Sorry no pics but needless to say it was a dismal failure. the blade pounded the cardboard more like a hammer than a sword. No cutting at all actually, just tearing and crushing. Maybe it was my technique because I really didn't want to swing it.
On the plus side, the tsuka is not cracked and the fittings are tight. Once I replace the mekugi I expect to have some fun with this sword. I'll have to sharpen it if I want to cut anything harder than Jello ;D
For $60, you get what you pay for. This was an experiment into the sub $100 katana market.... and probably my last. I'll save the money next time for another Cheness. Maybe a Kaza....Ummmm, Kaza.