Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2011 17:54:58 GMT
Hello everyone,
I would like to know what's a good beginner's katana that handles well and has a decent cutting ability. I've looked at the cheness tenchi, kaze, Dynasty forge musha and also the Hanwei practical lines. I'm a small person so some of these swords don't handle well for me. Any suggestions for other brands?
|
|
|
|
Post by templar on Feb 9, 2011 18:30:07 GMT
Welcome! The first sword I bought for cutting was the Tenchi with bo-hi; I was very pleased. There were a LOT of bad cuts with very poor edge alignment and it took it all in stride. It is still the one I use first if I have not cut for awhile and have form concerns (meaning most of the time). At 2lb 5oz it is not light, but worth the small extra weight in strength; and 28" is a middle length. After a while, I switched to my PPK and really liked it but I do not think it would have stood up to the punishment early on (I had no instructor, so it was trial and error; a lot of error). My .02 . You will find opinions vary. Again, Welcome to the forum.
|
|
ecovolo
Senior Forumite
Retired Moderator
Posts: 2,074
|
Post by ecovolo on Feb 9, 2011 18:46:12 GMT
Other brands? I recommend checking out some of the reviews on the old site, here: sbgswordforum.proboards.com/inde ... read=10166 --tons of info, there. --Edward |
|
|
|
Post by templar on Feb 9, 2011 21:47:30 GMT
Edward-ecovolo: great post and link. I was at a loss as to how to attack the broad question of "others". This will benefit all newbies and others. Have a karma. Lou-templar
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2011 23:27:57 GMT
Lou,
Thanks for the reply. I have a question. I've looked at the PPK and it is listed as 2lb 5oz as well. So it seems that it weighs the same as the Tenchi. I guess there's a lot more that goes into the handling of a sword. Can you enlighten me, anyone?
|
|
|
|
Post by Midori Kawakami on Feb 10, 2011 0:49:22 GMT
Balance is a big issue, and can come down to personal preference. Some swords are forward-weighted (making them feel heavier), some are backward-weighted (making them feel lighter) and some are weighted more in the middle (which is more historically accurate and makes the blade feel more 'alive'. 'Middle' refers to middle balance, rather than middle of the sword, so about 4-5" from the tsuba). A 2.5 lb sword can feel much heavier with a forward balance.
Of the swords you listed, my preference lies with the DF Musha. It is balanced the best of the three and they blades are very good. There are a myriad of other options, however, such as Kris Cutlery, Kensei, Huawei, other Hanwei swords, Munetoshi, SBG's own swords... it'll all boil down to your personal preferences and price range. I still believe the Musha is a good choice. Hope this helps.
|
|
|
|
Post by Student of Sword on Feb 10, 2011 1:12:47 GMT
I also want to add 1 more to the the list for consideration: Hanwei Raptor.
|
|
|
|
Post by templar on Feb 10, 2011 3:34:08 GMT
newbie33: in this case it is not so much the weight as the steel. The Tenchi is a mono steel and the PPK is DH (differentially hardened). Mono steel is less likely to "take a set" on a bad cut and is more forgiving for beginners. Edward=ecovolo's review link should be a great help with other katana and there are numerous threads dealing with mono or TH and DH blades (a good idea since I'm no expert; just sharing what I believe to be correct). Balance is also a factor, but VERY personal as to preference and the kind of use the katana is to be put.
|
|
