Zhi Sword Iaito - Budget Katana Review
Apr 19, 2011 9:02:31 GMT
Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2011 9:02:31 GMT
Introduction
Before the review starts let me just say that I am writing this, not only to show my appreciation to Zhi (buyiaito.com), but because I wanted a review like this that I could have read before ordering, never mind there are not enough Iaito reviews around trying to find out anything about a Zhi sword was a nightmare, that said I am glad I took the plunge
Now I am no sword expert, far from. But I have always been fascinated with the katana, many years ago I bought a bokken from a car boot sale for a grand total of £1 (I still use this today). Apart from killing some cushions once in a while, I never really did anything with it and it rested proudly on my wall. All the time of having it, I always felt there was something missing, the ability so draw and sheath it, this is probably why when I got the chance I took up Iaido so enthusiastically. One day not so long ago, my colleague announced he is going to a HNIR seminar down the country, and when he hears I've always had a soft spot for the katana he invites me along. It was a blast! I had never realised there was a means in the UK I could learn the old arts, I had always thought kendo was my only option, and that didn't really appeal and also was not local.
I had tried tai chi in the past, but something had seemed lacking, and when we got the opportunity to travel 70miles to a local Iaido dojo in Preston to learn the art, I suddenly understood what was missing, was a sword in my hand.
So we went together and started to learn Iaido, it was real fun, the senseis are great and everyone are very patient, fun and easy going.
After some months and having got the proper clothing, I knew what was next, my first Iaito!
Now being computer geeks, the first thing me and my friend did was scour the internet, between us we must have frequently seen every Iaito on the market, he finally decided on a custom Tozando, his review of which is on the forum.
Me, I found Zhi swords, I tried desperately to find things out about them, I found mixed opinions, but after speaking to my sensei and his good experiences with them some years ago I decided to do it.
I loved Zhi's website, it was a glorified candy shop, everything about the sword to be customised! I was especially excited when I saw the Tomoe themed fittings as Tomoes are just too cool in my eyes. However my budget wasn't great, so I decided on one of their 'budget custom' Katanas.
This meant I was limited to alloy fittings, and apparently an apprentice would be forging my sword for me, but I was not really fussed. I read the cheaper fittings would affect my POB, but figured I could always change them at a later date, if it became an issue.
Historical overview
As an Iaito is a blunt Katana, this sword certainly lives up to its heritage. It looks the part, and with a curved and waisted tsuka it looks and feels more authentic than others I came across, (One in particular, an aluminium sword had a kissaki that would not look out of place attached to my butter knife).
Full Disclosure
As I said earlier I am not expert on swords, my only comparison I can do is against my fellow Iaidoka's and a Hanwei practical viking broadsword I bought in York to replace the bokken on my wall, now the bokken is getting used.
I am in no way affiliated with Zhi sword, and only chose them for their customisation, their apparent quality and most importantly their cheap cost.
Initial Impressions
Firstly, shipping was a dream, it took awhile to reach here from china (5 days) but when it arrived it sailed through customs and was at my door the morning after arriving in the country. I had asked Zhi to send the sword along with a scan of my martial arts license as required in the UK to own a blunt curved blade over 50cm in length. It also got through without costing any extra money in the form of tax or VAT, which was a nice touch as I was doing this on a budget.
It arrived in a nicely moulded polystyrene box, and included a cotton sword bag I was not expecting which was a nice touch. It came delivered to my office and it completely distracted everyone and I was unboxing it, and I am happy to say they were all impressed.
First thing I looked at, the ito was beautifully tight and even, the fittings were tight and there was not rattle atall to the sword. Drawing for the first few times were extremely hard, showing off the snug fit the habaki had to the saya. The weight was nice and reassuringly heavy in my hands, and the blade was a beauty.
I will say communication is not Zhi's strong point, at first it was fantastic, but then my friend had a rather lesser experience when he tried asking questions, and this eventually put him off Zhi and back onto Tozando. The time difference when communicating was not an issue and to Zhi's benefit, he put up with me asking questions about it and being a generally fussy customer very well.
Statistics
Blade/Nagasa Length: 2.45 shaku / 73.5cm (O-Kissaki, 8 staged, polished, full bo-hi)
Handle/Tsuka Length: 8.5 sun / 26cm
Overall Length: 103cm
Guard/Tsuba Width: 7cm dia
POB (Point of Balance): 6.5”
Weight: 1020g
Components
The Blade/Nagasa
As far as I am concerned, this is fantastic, the Hamon looks very aesthetic is very pleasing, there is a section approx 3cm wide where the wire brushing was not done consistently near the kissaki, which in the right light makes it look like the hamon is missing in that section unfortunately this proved too hard to capture on camera.
There is a tiny pit along the bo-hi ridge, not enough to feel or photograph, but enough to bend the light a little if the angle is right.
For the money it exceeded my every expectation.
The Handle/Tsuka
The shape is lovely, and the size feels perfect to my small hands, the ito is very tight and neat, the synthetic silk still feels coarse, but I am told hours of sweat should sort that out. The green is nice. The same, (genuine panel) looks good to me, but I do not know enough to be able to comment properly on it. The Mekugi are seated nicely and are not noticable.
The Tsuba
The Habaki has one, what I will call a chip in it, other than that it is very tight, to begin with nothing could move, but once the sword could come free of the saya easier, the habaki can be moved ever so slightly side to side (not even enough to be able to physically measure) but a noise can be created. The top seppa can be moved with some force.
The tsuba apart from feeling very nastily cheap has a rough casting make inline with the balde edge and has very minor casting mess which would need to be filed off. Solid, does not move and looks nice.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
They feel as cheap as promised, defiantly not a solid metal, the pattern and fit however are spot on, and I really like how the colour goes with the green.
The Scabbard/Saya
The decoration is fantasic, definitely unique in my dojo, the sageo came fully wrapped like I asked, when I unraveled it, I saw some marks, either it has been filed or missed being painted. The sageo itself looks abit frayed in places and the Shito-Dome can be moved and need gluing in place.
Handling Characteristics
Handling the tsuka, it fits very nicely in my hands. The coarse ito rubs ever so slightly but will hopefully smooth out. The sword is around 200g heavier than my friend's aluminium one, but the tip feels alot heavier, being the result of the blade being out of balance.
Conclusions
Very impressed with this Iaito, heavier fittings will improve it, and get the sword more balanced though.
I have an artsy friend who is currently designing a wolf themed tsuba for me, that I will be making and casting in something suitably heavy to help improve this.
Will update the review, if this helps when it is finished, and the effects it has.
Pros
- Tsuka is nice to hold, nicely shaped
- The whole sword is very nicely finished
- Beautiful blade
- Saya nicely decorated
- Everything feels solid
Cons
- POB too far out, the fittings are too light
- Sageo quality could be better
- They used zinc alloy fittings, when brass or iron for slightly more would have been better - however this was my choice
The Bottom Line
So, if you have come to this bit to avoid my waffling (I don't blame you). Then it stands like this:
The sword is fantastic, for $79 + $40 p+p (£75) absolutely fantastic.
However an extra $50 would have gotten me a higher grade and heavier fittings which would have helped with the POB.
It is a great value for money sword and can see me using it for my Iaido for many years. If you were to buy a sharp one from this range I have no doubt it would be fantastic and I may well end up doing just that!
Without hesitation I would recommend this for someone looking for a cheap but reliable Iaito, although I would recommend the more expensive fittings.
Before the review starts let me just say that I am writing this, not only to show my appreciation to Zhi (buyiaito.com), but because I wanted a review like this that I could have read before ordering, never mind there are not enough Iaito reviews around trying to find out anything about a Zhi sword was a nightmare, that said I am glad I took the plunge
Now I am no sword expert, far from. But I have always been fascinated with the katana, many years ago I bought a bokken from a car boot sale for a grand total of £1 (I still use this today). Apart from killing some cushions once in a while, I never really did anything with it and it rested proudly on my wall. All the time of having it, I always felt there was something missing, the ability so draw and sheath it, this is probably why when I got the chance I took up Iaido so enthusiastically. One day not so long ago, my colleague announced he is going to a HNIR seminar down the country, and when he hears I've always had a soft spot for the katana he invites me along. It was a blast! I had never realised there was a means in the UK I could learn the old arts, I had always thought kendo was my only option, and that didn't really appeal and also was not local.
I had tried tai chi in the past, but something had seemed lacking, and when we got the opportunity to travel 70miles to a local Iaido dojo in Preston to learn the art, I suddenly understood what was missing, was a sword in my hand.
So we went together and started to learn Iaido, it was real fun, the senseis are great and everyone are very patient, fun and easy going.
After some months and having got the proper clothing, I knew what was next, my first Iaito!
Now being computer geeks, the first thing me and my friend did was scour the internet, between us we must have frequently seen every Iaito on the market, he finally decided on a custom Tozando, his review of which is on the forum.
Me, I found Zhi swords, I tried desperately to find things out about them, I found mixed opinions, but after speaking to my sensei and his good experiences with them some years ago I decided to do it.
I loved Zhi's website, it was a glorified candy shop, everything about the sword to be customised! I was especially excited when I saw the Tomoe themed fittings as Tomoes are just too cool in my eyes. However my budget wasn't great, so I decided on one of their 'budget custom' Katanas.
This meant I was limited to alloy fittings, and apparently an apprentice would be forging my sword for me, but I was not really fussed. I read the cheaper fittings would affect my POB, but figured I could always change them at a later date, if it became an issue.
Historical overview
As an Iaito is a blunt Katana, this sword certainly lives up to its heritage. It looks the part, and with a curved and waisted tsuka it looks and feels more authentic than others I came across, (One in particular, an aluminium sword had a kissaki that would not look out of place attached to my butter knife).
Full Disclosure
As I said earlier I am not expert on swords, my only comparison I can do is against my fellow Iaidoka's and a Hanwei practical viking broadsword I bought in York to replace the bokken on my wall, now the bokken is getting used.
I am in no way affiliated with Zhi sword, and only chose them for their customisation, their apparent quality and most importantly their cheap cost.
Initial Impressions
Firstly, shipping was a dream, it took awhile to reach here from china (5 days) but when it arrived it sailed through customs and was at my door the morning after arriving in the country. I had asked Zhi to send the sword along with a scan of my martial arts license as required in the UK to own a blunt curved blade over 50cm in length. It also got through without costing any extra money in the form of tax or VAT, which was a nice touch as I was doing this on a budget.
It arrived in a nicely moulded polystyrene box, and included a cotton sword bag I was not expecting which was a nice touch. It came delivered to my office and it completely distracted everyone and I was unboxing it, and I am happy to say they were all impressed.
First thing I looked at, the ito was beautifully tight and even, the fittings were tight and there was not rattle atall to the sword. Drawing for the first few times were extremely hard, showing off the snug fit the habaki had to the saya. The weight was nice and reassuringly heavy in my hands, and the blade was a beauty.
I will say communication is not Zhi's strong point, at first it was fantastic, but then my friend had a rather lesser experience when he tried asking questions, and this eventually put him off Zhi and back onto Tozando. The time difference when communicating was not an issue and to Zhi's benefit, he put up with me asking questions about it and being a generally fussy customer very well.
Statistics
Blade/Nagasa Length: 2.45 shaku / 73.5cm (O-Kissaki, 8 staged, polished, full bo-hi)
Handle/Tsuka Length: 8.5 sun / 26cm
Overall Length: 103cm
Guard/Tsuba Width: 7cm dia
POB (Point of Balance): 6.5”
Weight: 1020g
Components
The Blade/Nagasa
As far as I am concerned, this is fantastic, the Hamon looks very aesthetic is very pleasing, there is a section approx 3cm wide where the wire brushing was not done consistently near the kissaki, which in the right light makes it look like the hamon is missing in that section unfortunately this proved too hard to capture on camera.
There is a tiny pit along the bo-hi ridge, not enough to feel or photograph, but enough to bend the light a little if the angle is right.
For the money it exceeded my every expectation.
The Handle/Tsuka
The shape is lovely, and the size feels perfect to my small hands, the ito is very tight and neat, the synthetic silk still feels coarse, but I am told hours of sweat should sort that out. The green is nice. The same, (genuine panel) looks good to me, but I do not know enough to be able to comment properly on it. The Mekugi are seated nicely and are not noticable.
The Tsuba
The Habaki has one, what I will call a chip in it, other than that it is very tight, to begin with nothing could move, but once the sword could come free of the saya easier, the habaki can be moved ever so slightly side to side (not even enough to be able to physically measure) but a noise can be created. The top seppa can be moved with some force.
The tsuba apart from feeling very nastily cheap has a rough casting make inline with the balde edge and has very minor casting mess which would need to be filed off. Solid, does not move and looks nice.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
They feel as cheap as promised, defiantly not a solid metal, the pattern and fit however are spot on, and I really like how the colour goes with the green.
The Scabbard/Saya
The decoration is fantasic, definitely unique in my dojo, the sageo came fully wrapped like I asked, when I unraveled it, I saw some marks, either it has been filed or missed being painted. The sageo itself looks abit frayed in places and the Shito-Dome can be moved and need gluing in place.
Handling Characteristics
Handling the tsuka, it fits very nicely in my hands. The coarse ito rubs ever so slightly but will hopefully smooth out. The sword is around 200g heavier than my friend's aluminium one, but the tip feels alot heavier, being the result of the blade being out of balance.
Conclusions
Very impressed with this Iaito, heavier fittings will improve it, and get the sword more balanced though.
I have an artsy friend who is currently designing a wolf themed tsuba for me, that I will be making and casting in something suitably heavy to help improve this.
Will update the review, if this helps when it is finished, and the effects it has.
Pros
- Tsuka is nice to hold, nicely shaped
- The whole sword is very nicely finished
- Beautiful blade
- Saya nicely decorated
- Everything feels solid
Cons
- POB too far out, the fittings are too light
- Sageo quality could be better
- They used zinc alloy fittings, when brass or iron for slightly more would have been better - however this was my choice
The Bottom Line
So, if you have come to this bit to avoid my waffling (I don't blame you). Then it stands like this:
The sword is fantastic, for $79 + $40 p+p (£75) absolutely fantastic.
However an extra $50 would have gotten me a higher grade and heavier fittings which would have helped with the POB.
It is a great value for money sword and can see me using it for my Iaido for many years. If you were to buy a sharp one from this range I have no doubt it would be fantastic and I may well end up doing just that!
Without hesitation I would recommend this for someone looking for a cheap but reliable Iaito, although I would recommend the more expensive fittings.