Cheness 9260 or Munetoshi T-10

By the way, as soon as I get a camera I would be delighted to write reviews on both of my swords. If you don't mind not having pics, then say so and I will write something on both my blades anyway.

@student of sword- Probably because the weight of the sword helps in cutting through various objects, though in terms of control :?

@op, I'd like to ask you what you're actually going to use it for >.>

If you're going to use it for cutting I'd recommend the TH 9260 Cheness
It's a lot sturdier due to it being Thoroughly hardened

However if you want a blade that is good for both display and function
I'd go with the t-10 since the hamon on the munetoshi is beautiful
But Differentially hardened blades are rather susceptible to putting a nasty bend with a botched cut....
Apart from that the niku on the munetoshi is thin... making it more susceptible to putting a nasty bend on it...
Hence "Light cutter"
Though... I'm not a fan of the design of both the cheness tenchi 9260 or munetoshi t-10 light cutter tsuba...

Ok, I feel the need to point something out here. Ignore the POB number. That number alone is pretty much meaningless if it is isolated; both in terms of cutting ability and handling/control.

Unless we're doing something extreme like comparing a broadsword to a rapier, the weight and balance of a given blade does not have a huge impact on its cutting ability, because a sword is not an axe. It doesn't do damage by plowing through the target with its weight or power given by the user. A sword doesn't do its damage through hitting; a sword used with good technique doesn't hit. A sword cuts, and there's a difference. Assuming everything else is designed well (I'll get to that aspect in the next paragraph) the main things that affect a sword's cutting ability are the sharpness of the edge, the edge geometry, but most important of all, the skill of the user. When a sword is correctly swung, the edge must impact the target at a given angle, depending on the broadness of the blade being used, and if it is sharp and technique is correct, it will begin to cut. As the sword is drawn through the target, the rest of the edge will keep slicing through the target, opening up the wound. It is this slicing motion that is akin to slicing bread, rather than powering through it like a cleaver. Weight is not terribly much of an issue here, again, unless we're talking about something like a rapier, but even with a rapier, it is more the narrowness of the blade rather than the light weight that hampers its cutting ability.

So is the balance point important? Yes it is, but not as an absolute value. That is the cart leading the horse. The point of balance is more of a byproduct of correct mass distribution of the sword as a whole, which is intended to make it react to the shock of the initial impact of a cut in such a way that the shock doesn't transmit into your hand(s) and sting you and rattle your teeth (yes, there is a lot of momentum transferred in a cut, don't get me wrong, but it is mostly due to the length, and therefore speed of the blade).

On a given sword of given dimensions, assuming the people who made it are competent, the balance point is where it is for a reason. If it is arbitrarily moved in either direction, the sword will become unwieldy and will hurt you if you try to cut with it.

Now, let's say we have swords that pretty much "everyone" can agree is worse-handling than another. In that case, it's more than just the POB being too far forward or back that is affecting its handling or cutting performance. Both the better and worse handling swords may have balance points that are perfect for their given dimensions and weights. In that case, something else is wrong with the overall design and shape/geometry of the poorer performer, and whoever made it needs to rethink their whole design.

Of course, even among "good" swords, there are always personal preferences over which ones handle more preferably.

In any case, sorry for the long ramble, but I just thought I would add my reasons on why I think that the common outlook of a forward POB adding to cutting power and a backwards POB making a sword move faster and handle better is a bit simplistic and not true, most of the time.

MuerteBlack: I agree completely. The P.O.B is not a big factor for me when buying a sword. The Ronin is a bit heavier, but as I stated, actually feels lighter and handles more readily. The Cheness has a lot of niku, and so is somewhat more difficult to cut with for a beginner like myself. Ecovolo: I also agree. I am much more appreciative of the fittings of my Kaze now that I have something to compare them to. I'm glad I got the Cheness first, as if I had a less forgiving blade I'd likely had to get a second sword out of necessity rather than just for the fun of it. I'm not sure how my point went from a hopeful bit of advising on a Munetoshi T-10 and a Cheness 9260 TH to the point of balance of a sword, but again, thanks for all of the input. I'm new to all of the specifics of Japanese style swords and so anything anybody wants to add is welcome.

I have personally handled one of the lighter variants of the Munetoshi series, and although I did not do any cutting with it, it seemed to handle OK, though not as well as my Kuramono. I think the biggest difference is the fact that its tsuka (handle) seemed slightly bigger around than my Kuramono and therefore deadened the feel of the sword slightly for me as I couldn't feel the blade tracking in the cut as well. Still, it wasn't a deal breaker and I'm sure that due to simple muscle memory it would have still performed well in the cut for me.

Fittings wise, it was a very well designed sword. It had the flaws common in most lower-end production swords in that its habaki wasn't in perfect alignment and it didn't fit perfectly into the saya, but it had it where it counts, which is in the whole hilt assemly. The tsuba (guard) and tsuka core were both custom fitted to the nakago (tang), and the tsuka core was made from good wood and properly channeled with no cracks. The ito, though made of synthetic silk, was tightly wrapped and correctly alternated. The blade had no niku and the edge was paper-cutting sharp, but not shaving sharp. It was polished highly enough that the hamon was naturally visible.

All in all, it was a good sword for the money.

I like the Hanwei Practical line, especially the practical special (or practical light as it used to be called). I'm not a big fan of the XL shape Hanwei blades but the Elite line isn't too bad. I still prefer the traditional geometry over the Elite though. the Hanwei practical swords just aren't much to look at but they are very solid performers and their fit and fittings are often way ahead of others in their price range.

allow your Kaze to proudly display its battle scars, they add character to a blade. eventually it may get to the point where you won't worry about messing up the polish with sand paper.

not having a lot of money is something I understand. I was there for a long time. I'm still there really, but not as much as in the past. anyway if $270 is a lot to you then I think that's all the more reason not to waste it on a TH Cheness sword. if you really, really like the Kaze's look and want one for display and one to cut with then there's nothing wrong with getting a second for display purposes. if that is the sword you really want on display.

quite honestly, I think it is a terrible shame to let anyone spend the $200 on a Cheness shirasaya when they could get this: www.swordnarmory.com/T10-Steel-H ... -238br.htm

this is the sword the Kokoro Ichi was made out of and I own one and it is one of the best katana I have ever had. a few years ago it was selling for over $400 and people were praising it. mind you there was a custom tsukamaki job on it and that is worth at least $100 but still it was praised as a good deal. it beats the holy snot out of anything Hanwei or cheness have to offer in the price range. it is pretty tough too.



you want a great cutter and display piece all in one? look at this:



the Munetoshi Matsu Red is the same sword, same saya, same quality of hamon though the style does vary, you even get the same zip up sword bag. what you don't get is the red battle wrap grip the tachi menuki, and unkept promises. your tsuka wrap will be plain black and done in normal hineri maki. but that's the only difference.

I have had this sword for more than 2 years and it barely shows any scratches and is just now starting to feel like it needs its very first sharpening.

Sweet, dudes. I believe I'll get the Munetoshi and try and deck out the Kaze.