|
Post by JRDsgns on Oct 23, 2011 2:46:28 GMT
Hi all. Name is Joseph and I just wanted to share my first sword, well first real sword, with you all. Last sword I owned was a $30 Ebay kill bill sword back in 2004 I think... didn't end well lol. I picked up this sword at Comic Con and so far It has been great. I don't have anything to compare it to, so maybe you guys can point me where to go from here (future purchases). Some info about the sword: Honsanmai Edge: 1060 Folds: 6 Rockwell: 54 Rayskin: Strip Wrap: Cotton Price was $275 Here are some pics (Warning, this camera sucks indoors, and outside is NOT an option lol): What do you think as a first sword? I'm a bit worried now because I think I understand what people who get their first tattoo feel like and want to go and get more, and more...and more lol.
|
|
|
Post by Adrian Jordan on Oct 23, 2011 20:27:22 GMT
Howdy. Congratulations on your new sword, and welcome to the forum. Now, I'm not so expert that I can totally decode a sword just by eyeballing a picture, but here's the impressions that I get. Honsanmai- I'm not sure if this is the name it's sold under, or is supposed to refer to its construction method. Honsanmai is the process of forging two plates of harder steel around a soft core. Here is a thread on it. forum.sword-buyers-guide.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2548&start=0To be honest, from the pictures I saw it doesn't appear to be made this way. Also, it is very hard to find a sword under about $350-$400 with this construction method, and this is for a cheaper one. The hamon on yours looks to be real, so I'll venture to guess that is is a Differentially Hardened monosteel blade. I don't think that it is actually folded, but that may just be because of the picture quality. It says that it is made of 1060 carbon steel, and if true that is good. 1060 is a great sword steel, and as long as it has a decent heat treatment it should be good for cutting. The polish is a bit rough, and the kissaki is counter polished. The yokote is non-geometric. None of these facts are out of the ordinary for a lower-cost blade such as this. The ito does indeed look to be cotton, and the strands alternate correctly, which is always nice. Can't tell you anything about the samegawa quality from the pictures. The Sageo(cord wrapped around the saya,) looks to be a decent quality synthetic fiber. Many times, the manufacturer will simply wrap some of the ito material around the saya and call it good. Not so, here. Metal fittings seem to be of decent quality and are not as thin as on some other lower-price swords. Bonus. Saya looks to be of decent quality as well. Is there any rattle when it's shaken? Overall, I'd not say that you got taken to the cleaners, my friend. If you got it at a show, then you probably paid a bit more than you should have, but that's just par for the course. I hope this has helped a little. -Adrian.
|
|
Talon
Member
Senior Forumite
Posts: 2,554
|
Post by Talon on Oct 23, 2011 21:00:00 GMT
its a fine first purchase joseph (welcome to the forum) my first was a 440c shirasaya katana (i remember the guy in the gunshop saying ,yeah its genuine 440c) :oops: i paid £120 for that slo pos, it bent the first time i cut with it,trust me you're doing fine
|
|
|
Post by JRDsgns on Oct 23, 2011 21:20:29 GMT
Thanks for the responses and welcomes guys! Adrian, Yes the Honsanmai was in reference to the construction of the blade. This is what the site from the vendor says about it: "1060 steel folded 4 time, meduim sides folded 4 with a soft iron core, the edge is 1060 high carbon, natural curve caused by real clay-tempering to produce a distinct hamon line and great quality blade. each blade is unique and no two have the same weight, length, balance point, and as with all hand-forged product there will be minor flaws or blemishes." I plan on working in the polish as well. I ordered some 1200, 4000, 6000, and 8000 AO sandpaper cloths and will work my way up when they get here . Could you explain the kissaki and yokote part a bit more? Is the way they were done now bad/good? From what I can tell, the Tsuka has rayskin strips over the wooden handle. I'll see if I can get better pictures of the tsuka for you all. I think the best part of the whole thing was being able to sit there and pick out my Saya and Tsuba. The cyclone style screamed out at me and I just had to have it lol. So overall It was a good first buy then? Can't wait to pick up another one sometime next year lol. Talon, dont worry. My first Kill Bill replica was so funny because the 440 blade lasted longer than the plastic Tsuka lol. Never again will I purchase something like that, but you live and learn...plus I was like 15 or 16 at that time lol.
|
|
|
Post by Adrian Jordan on Oct 23, 2011 21:45:34 GMT
I don't think it's too bad at all. Here is a graph of lamination styles. Honsanmai is on there, just so you can see what it is. Once you refine the polish we'll be able to see any folds or forge lines that would confirm any folding or welding. As it is, I just don't see anything that would lead me to believe that it is an actual Honsanmai blade. After polishing, you may want to etch it. This is a simple process that really brings out things like folds and hamons. Here is a great process to use. The yokote is the tip of the sword. The kissaki is the line of demarcation between the blade and the tip. Having a geometric yokote means that there is an actual change in the shape of the blade starting at the kissaki, It would become sharply narrower from the kissaki line to the tip. There are only a few manufacturers that add this for under $300, and a kissaki that is counter-polished against the rest of the blade is very common. You can see in this picture that this is the case with yours.
|
|
|
Post by JRDsgns on Oct 23, 2011 21:57:21 GMT
Thanks for explaining that a bit further. I'll be sure to post up pictures after I polish it out a bit. Is the process of enhancing and etching cosmetic, or does it add to the overall durability and functionality of the blade?
|
|
|
Post by Adrian Jordan on Oct 23, 2011 22:00:19 GMT
Just cosmetic.
|
|
|
Post by JRDsgns on Oct 24, 2011 2:13:47 GMT
Thanks for the info. For my next sword, I'm not sure if I'll go with an SBG Custom, or go up in price with the guy I got this from. Decisions, decisions lol.
|
|
Marc Kaden Ridgeway
Member
Retired Global Moderator
Awful lot of leaving and joining going on here for me .... And gosh I can't recall doing a bit of i
Posts: 8,778
|
Post by Marc Kaden Ridgeway on Oct 24, 2011 2:42:00 GMT
Ermm it's the other way round... The kissaki is the tip , and the yokote is the demarcation line that results in the change of geometry from the edge to the tip.
|
|
|
Post by Adrian Jordan on Oct 24, 2011 3:32:16 GMT
Thanks Mark. I've been having a pretty severe case of getting terms bass ackwards lately.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2011 4:53:36 GMT
It wasn't Dragon-Song Forge by any chance, was it? I saw them at Otakon this summer, they had a nice setup but the guy was a bit of a semprini. had some unpleasant things to say about SBG, too, which turned me off from his stuff tbh.
|
|
|
Post by JRDsgns on Oct 27, 2011 5:42:00 GMT
Actually it was Dragonsong Forge. He didn't say anything about SBG (didn't find this site till AFTER I got my sword lol). I know he has a rep for being an ass (I've read some of the threads on other forums about him), but I was focused on the swords and not all that other stuff.
|
|
|
Post by nddave on Oct 27, 2011 22:49:48 GMT
before the post above about dragonsong, I thought it was the new musashi tomoe design. only difference seemed to be the tsuka shape, red sageo, and no bohi.
so what about dragonsong? they worth the look or are they just over priced musashi-a-likes?
|
|
|
Post by JRDsgns on Oct 27, 2011 23:01:39 GMT
I've never owned any other brand of sword, so I really can't say. So far I am pleased (still have not been able to do any real cutting tests due to me living in an apartment... fruits dont count lol). Here is a link to the DSG reviews: www.sword-buyers-guide.com/dragonsong-forge.html
|
|