Munetoshi T10 Take Katana.
Apr 16, 2011 0:28:34 GMT
Post by Adrian Jordan on Apr 16, 2011 0:28:34 GMT
Hello everybody. This is my first attempt at a review, so bear with me. I recently ordered a Munetoshi T10 Take from Swordnarmory, as well as a 7ft. black and white checkered sageo($1.48 per ft.) and 15ft. of green silk ito(2.50 per foot). The katana cost $129.98 with free shipping. The katana that I first received had a pretty badly cracked tsuka, and a small chip in the blade, so small in fact that I didn't notice it until I had wiped all of the packing grease off of the blade. I contacted Swordnarmory and they paid to have it shipped back and replaced with a new sword. Outstanding service.
Here is a picture of the whole shebang.
Here are a couple pictures of the blade. Sorry about the quality of the photos, I'm having to use the crumb-bum built in web-cam on my laptop.
The habiki is not fit very well.
Here are a few photos showing the fittings, which are nice enough, though the ito and sageo are made of the same "shoe-lacey" material.
Here are a some pics of the delightfully un-cracked tsuka, as well as the tsuba and nakago.
And finally, here is the mouth of the saya, which is not scratched or dented, but very light and insubstantial feeling.
I don't have the tools to measure it exactly, but here are the numbers from the Certificate of Authenticity.
Blade length-27.5in. Blade Thickness-0.28in.
Overall length-41in. Handle length-11in.
Blade material-T10 steel. Handle Material-Wood/rayskin panels.
Blade Hardness of Yakiba-HRC 58. Overall Weight-1200gr/2.6lb.
Overall impressions---
I like it. For $130, it's a steal. The blade is straight, sharp, and the hamon is much nicer than my photos display. Cutting was a lot of fun, and the blade sailed through the targets( several milk jugs, some heavier laundry soap bottles, assorted other plastic bottles.) The tsuba, fuchi/kashira, and menuki all seem to be made of the same material, but are fairly nice except for the menuki, which will have to be replaced. They're not bad, just not to my own personal taste. The seppa are the thin copper "gear-tooth" design seen on most sub-$200 katanas. The samegawa is OK, with small nodes but nicely lacquered and with a nice sheen. The habiki is poorly aligned, but that also is somewhat the norm for less expensive pieces. The sword came with a simple black sword bag which while not top quality is none-the-less fairly nice and heavy and will serve its purpose well. Also included was a spare set of seppa and mekugi. Also, it would be a crime not to again point out the outstanding customer service. I will undoubtedly be doing business with this vendor again.
EDITED: Pictures of tsuka core, tsuba and nakago added. Sorry for the lapse, I'm a product of California Public Schools. Please feel free to leave remarks about anything, good or bad, that you see or notice.
Here is a picture of the whole shebang.
Here are a couple pictures of the blade. Sorry about the quality of the photos, I'm having to use the crumb-bum built in web-cam on my laptop.
The habiki is not fit very well.
Here are a few photos showing the fittings, which are nice enough, though the ito and sageo are made of the same "shoe-lacey" material.
Here are a some pics of the delightfully un-cracked tsuka, as well as the tsuba and nakago.
And finally, here is the mouth of the saya, which is not scratched or dented, but very light and insubstantial feeling.
I don't have the tools to measure it exactly, but here are the numbers from the Certificate of Authenticity.
Blade length-27.5in. Blade Thickness-0.28in.
Overall length-41in. Handle length-11in.
Blade material-T10 steel. Handle Material-Wood/rayskin panels.
Blade Hardness of Yakiba-HRC 58. Overall Weight-1200gr/2.6lb.
Overall impressions---
I like it. For $130, it's a steal. The blade is straight, sharp, and the hamon is much nicer than my photos display. Cutting was a lot of fun, and the blade sailed through the targets( several milk jugs, some heavier laundry soap bottles, assorted other plastic bottles.) The tsuba, fuchi/kashira, and menuki all seem to be made of the same material, but are fairly nice except for the menuki, which will have to be replaced. They're not bad, just not to my own personal taste. The seppa are the thin copper "gear-tooth" design seen on most sub-$200 katanas. The samegawa is OK, with small nodes but nicely lacquered and with a nice sheen. The habiki is poorly aligned, but that also is somewhat the norm for less expensive pieces. The sword came with a simple black sword bag which while not top quality is none-the-less fairly nice and heavy and will serve its purpose well. Also included was a spare set of seppa and mekugi. Also, it would be a crime not to again point out the outstanding customer service. I will undoubtedly be doing business with this vendor again.
EDITED: Pictures of tsuka core, tsuba and nakago added. Sorry for the lapse, I'm a product of California Public Schools. Please feel free to leave remarks about anything, good or bad, that you see or notice.