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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2012 19:43:25 GMT
So I just recently bought a cheap $70 katana for light cutting proposes (water bottles, milk jugs, and maybe some tatami mats...) But I want more! I want to get a sword that can slice through a small tree if you know what I mean (I just can't describe the feeling of satisfaction when you slice right through a target, and the strong urge to attempt a slightly larger target ). I have seen the SBG $330 Entry Level Custom Katana's, and I am wondering if they are all that good. I love the idea of it being custom made, but I am also concerned on spending that much on a sword, is it really worth it? and will it hold up to the "use" (read as abuse) I will put it through? if not what would be the right sword for me? what I'm looking for is, pure unaltered power, with amazing agility and speed. (so basically an amazingly strong bo hi sword for ~$300.) Since I am new to swords, I don't have a clear understanding on what a katana can handle. I would never strike a metal target, but I might attempt to slice a ~3" small tree... are my expectations too high? will the sbg custom fit my wants? Another problem I have is deciding whether to go Bo-Hi, or No-Hi. I want speed and agility, but the ability to chop through heavy targets is crucial. so what do you suggest? Thanks for your help/opinions The N00B
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Mar 28, 2012 19:58:34 GMT
Hello. the SBG katana is a good blade for cutting. Fairly solid and sharp. A bo-hi, in my opinion, does very slightly weaken a blade, though as I've said before it is likely that if a blade with bo-hi fails one without probably would have failed to as well. Other good cutters would be the
Ronin Katana Dojo Pro, the Hanwei Raptor(there are multiple models,) the Munetoshi Yama collection(there are multiple models in the Yama collection. Go to Swordnarmory to view.) the Dynasty Forge Musha class 1060 katanas, and the Cheness 9260 Spring Steel line(includes the Tenchi, Oniyuri, O Katana.)
These all go for under $300 and will hold up to a fair amount of abuse. However, all katanas will fail with misuse. Do not hit any objects harder than wood, objects that are literally very heavy(heavy cutting in tameshigiri includes thick bamboo, dry bamboo and multiple mats, not literally "heavy" items,) and I'm not sure I'd take one to a 3in tree. You would likely cut through it, but with multiple strikes and a moderately high chance of bending or chipping the blade.
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Post by chrisperoni on Mar 28, 2012 20:13:46 GMT
3" of tree is a lot. A Living tree that thick would also flex a bit when cutting and that might cause the blade to bind up in it. I'm sure there are swords that can handle it but I'd want something with more width than a katana. Look at other curved blades- ones with more body. Like a kopis or falcata, or something with a nice waist. A Scorpion Sword might be what you want- I think the Eli Sword is on sale right now- to me the design is halfway between a machete and a sword- might be a nice mix for a beastly chopper. Scorpion Swords are sometimes not the most visually appealing but there's a good mix of designs and they are certainly sturdy- usually tactical style - with the tang sandwiched between slabs of wood for a grip. I'm not sure of the distal taper on them though- to me proper distal taper is a big part of what separates a machete from a sword. traditionalarcherybows.com/
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TomK
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Post by TomK on Mar 28, 2012 20:28:58 GMT
I agree that bohi do make the sword weaker overall. they do lighten the sword and make it more agile if placed right and they make that lovely whistle. really to bohi or not to bohi is a personal choice that depends on taste and use, but if you intend to cut heavy targets I would recomend a no bohi sword. if you want tough on a budget take a look at this review I did a while ago: forum.sword-buyers-guide.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1898now, let's be very serious here for a minute: in all honesty you should not chop trees with your sword, that is what is called "destructive testing" I know I did it in that video and I know Paul does a lot of chopping firewood and all that but these things are not good for your sword. I know you never see them blow apart on the videos but that doesn't mean they survived. about the hardest target I would reccomend for a sword is thick bamboo and that stuff can mess up your sword pretty fast too. another thing to remember is that your skill is going to have a lot to do with how much the sword can survive. some people can chop through massive rolls of tatami and bamboo and trees and firewood and have their swords still be straight and whole afterwards while other people can bend or break swords on water bottles or trying to cut sheets of paper hanging from a clothesline (yeah that last one was me). Even if you are pretty good at this stuff it is easy to make a mistake and you only need to make one mistake to mess up your sword forever if you are cutting things like trees. in the end chopping trees and lumber and such is just not really a good idea. I'm not saying that you must not do these things, but I want you to understand that these things come with risks and those risks can end up breaking your sword or inflicting dangerous injury on you or another. good luck, have fun, stay alive.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2012 22:04:34 GMT
Maybe a 3" tree is a bit of an over exaggeration, more like 2" (3" MAX). I do understand the risk of damaging the blade or myself. Most of the stuff I would cut would be like 1 1/2"-2" and its more of shrubbery than an actual trees. I just want something that has, and can hold a better edge than my current katana (its not a bad sword actually, for $70 I'm fairly happy, but it cant hold an edge for very long, after slicing a few cardboard boxes it need to be resharpened, but I use an accusharp so its edge wasn't that good to begin with.) Thanks for your answers, and suggestions, I'll post any other questions I have as they come along. The N00B. P.S. so are you saying that Bo-Hi No-Hi doesn't make a huge strength difference, that is a Bo-Hi fails a No-hi would most likely fail too?
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Mar 28, 2012 23:05:16 GMT
That's correct. Bo-hi are designed to lighten a blade without weakening it. A well done bo-hi will not compromise the integrity of the blade to a noticeable degree. A solid body blade will be slightly heavier, letting you put slightly more weight behind the cut. So if you are looking strictly for a cutter, I'd recommend a solid blade.
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TomK
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Post by TomK on Mar 29, 2012 14:42:56 GMT
the strength of your sword will depend much more on the overall design of the sword much more than simply bohi or no-hi. you should get a sword that is made to be substantial. I prefer solid body blades but it is a preference thing and not absolute for sure.
also, I'll throw in that cardboard, especially the corrogated stuff will dull any blade very quickly. lots of nasty abrasive stuff in there. it seems all innocent and such but it isn't.
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Post by lamebmx on Mar 29, 2012 14:57:38 GMT
Well, abuse wise my experience with my cheness tenchi is right up that alley. 2" limbs in 1 cut, 3" took me a few cuts. I would personally avoid the bo-hi for abusive cutting. While the strenght will be the same for the same mass of metal, I have yet to come across a bo-hi sword with the same mass as the no-hi version. ie, lots of wieght dropped, and a little strength dropped. Since you are talking abusive cutting, the mass at the blade would most definately be the biggest reason for a no-hi. the tenchi wont hold a good edge for long (most swords wont either) in the abuse scenario, so be prepared to learn how to polish it back up. Lastly, be as smart as humanly possible when doing something stupid, invest in safety gear first. Wear that safety gear. Be very very aware of your surrounding before you swing. Keep an excessive level of clear distance, because you have no way of knowing how that blade will break and how it will go flying, this includes right back at you!
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