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Post by DavidW on May 8, 2012 6:04:38 GMT
I used this as the base for my discussion on the SAT essay last saturday :lol: thanks guys.
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Post by Kumdoalan on May 8, 2012 10:23:26 GMT
I do believe there is great merit in seeking out owners of swords that are of current interest to people, and inviting them to join us on this forum and bring to us any views they have of getting their sword now in reflection.
With a bit of luck I would hope that people that have gotten such swords recently (within the last 2 years or so) can be located, and can be attracted to bring their own point of view to the discussion.
It would also be helpful if people that were thinking of getting a sword from a vender that has been seen as questionable in the past by some, would be encouraged to keep a record of their experience so as to be able to provide others later with a first-hand account of their purchase.
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Post by lamebmx on May 8, 2012 11:33:09 GMT
Sorry, I gotta pick on this. Musashi's set the bar pretty high for what you get for $80 w/ inside US shipping rates. Plain, sure but does paying triple for a just as capable drill, with fancy gold plating and scroll work, drill different holes? It basically makes a $100 sharp wallhanger a shock. If you get what you pay for, and you pay $80 and get a musashi, it makes slightly better fittings/choice really expensive looking. Pics taken over the past 5 minutes, pardon the dust & oil as I did not clean the blade. Virtually all scuff are from cutting, The were none standing out upon purchase, might have been a light scuff here and there as I did not inspect it that close. s381.photobucket.com/albums/oo25 ... at%20Wave/ There is the $80 bar.
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Post by johnwalter on May 8, 2012 12:09:05 GMT
I think their new stuff alternates Ricky,they are stepping it up man.
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Post by DavidW on May 8, 2012 15:13:11 GMT
tsuba, fuchi, and kashira are steel, and habaki is brass, according to its specs.
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Sébastien
Senior Forumite
Retired Moderator
Posts: 2,967
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Post by Sébastien on May 8, 2012 16:15:27 GMT
Having recent Ryansword owners around would sure be helpful and help us know if this seller's products have changed over the years. However, I think having new RyanSword owners here would be improbable. As others have pointed out, RS have sold numerous poorly-made, sub-par swords at best, and downright dangerous ones at worst. Due to these hands-on facts, anyone who knows katanas on this forum or on SFI would never, ever suggest to anyone to buy a Ryansword product.
As such, any new RS owners that comes here would be either a newcomer who bought his blade before visiting a sword forum, or someone who did read about RS here but still decided to take the plunge. I think both cases, especially the latter one, are very unlikely. I don't know anyone here who would the kind of guy who willingly buys from such an infamous sword seller, and I do think most new sword buyers can very easily find all the negative feedback there is against RS.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2012 16:22:54 GMT
Okay, then, here's a video of a "Ryan Sword" being abused: ... ure=relmfuMy questions are: Is that actually a Ryan sword? Or is someone using another sword and saying it's a Ryan? I admit not having experience with Ryan, which is why I ask and wish to get at the truth, if it's to be had. Reedit: BTW, my short stainless steel "Last Samurai" tanto that I sharpened myself from an edge (ha) which began 1 whole millimeter wide, is as sharp as his sword. In a paper test just like his. --Lee
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Sébastien
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Retired Moderator
Posts: 2,967
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Post by Sébastien on May 8, 2012 16:34:13 GMT
Considering that this clip comes from RS itself and the experiences our older members have had with these products, I'd take that abuse clip with a pound or two of salt.
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Post by DavidW on May 8, 2012 19:55:03 GMT
I'd say TrueSwords. They generally have cheaper and faster shipping. Amazing customer service. Just look for the Musashi 1060 line. All of them have steel fittings except for the habaki.
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Post by 14thforsaken on May 8, 2012 21:08:26 GMT
+1 I don't think it could be put any better than that Sébastien.
Kumdoalan,
I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you are going to discount anything that is said unless that person actually has bought the sword in question, buy one yourself and share your impressions with the rest of the boards. Maybe it is just me but its getting rather tiresome seeing you repeatedly wanting someone else to go buy one of their swords and test it out or do the research to find people that have one of their swords so you don't have to spend the time and money to do so yourself.
If you want to take the time and energy to try and run down people that have bought Ryan swords in the last couple of years, convince them to come to these forms and share their experiences, good luck. However, I don't think you are going find many current members that are going to be interested in investing any time and effort in that given the shared knowledge and experience on this board and SFI and others that all basically work out to stay away from Ryan swords. Why would I want to spend time, resources and money researching a sword that is low-end, has a well deserved bad reputation and is something I have no interest in owning?
Also, we do have a process by which people can keep a record of their experience with a sword......that's what the sword review section is.
Again, it is unreasonable to expect other members here to buy a sword just so that you can get a first hand impression of it. Just because some of us have been around longer or have decent sized collections it doesn't mean we're made of money. Or for that matter have an interest in buying that sword even if it is fairly cheap. In my case for example, I would much rather spend that money upgrading the fittings on one of my existing Katanas or putting it towards getting a nice custom. It would be foolish for me to waste money on a sword that I don't particularly like, want, have no interest in and that has a bad a reputation among knowledgeable members that I trust.
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Post by Kumdoalan on May 8, 2012 22:43:04 GMT
Well...the name of this topic is hands on.
To that end I havetried to be supportive ....inspite of some voices that seem against the idea of having hands on experience. Hands on....its better than hype....its better than a guess based on only a photo...
Hands on....there is no shame in looking for the people who know based on something they hold...
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jhart06
Member
Slowly coming back from the depths...
Posts: 3,292
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Post by jhart06 on May 8, 2012 22:51:49 GMT
I think some of us need to realize this won't turn out the way it should.
Kumdoalan, no one is going to buy this sword for you. You HAVE links to hands on accounts. There are no more because the company sells over-priced, under made and dangerous products. If you want more, put your money where your mouth is bub. That's the long and short of it. This community is full of some unbelievably helpful and friendly people. But basically badgering them to buy a sword to see if you want to is several things, none of them good. I hope you find what you are asking for, but I think it's best you stop pushing this thread up to try and get it answered, it's getting you nowhere.
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Post by ineffableone on May 8, 2012 23:18:53 GMT
Well we have two members of SBG who have bought the same sword from Ryan and both had incomplete nakago (tangs). Both have mentioned this, and one has a nice review including picture to help inform people of the dangers of Ryanswords.
Then what an educated eye can see from the pictures Ryanswords uses to advertise, as well as their specs and language. That along with the bad reputation of the vendor, well it seems there is little reason to look further into Ryanswords.
While I agree that it would be nice to get as many sword owner/collectors/users to the forum the reality is most wont do more than lurk a little. Also the truth is vendors like Ryanswords sell to inexperienced newbies who don't have the experience and knowledge to know if they have a good sword or bad one often times.
Honestly I don't understand why this topic has gone on so long. Ryansword has one of the worst reputations in the sword community which says a lot as there are tons of horrible irresponsible vendors out there, yet Ryan has achieved the notoriety as terrible even dangerous quality despite the odds. Asking for people to come forward who have actual experience with these is unlikely to happen. People who are on sword forums get educated and avoid scam vendors like Ryan.
If someone wants to spend the cash to buy a new Ryan sword to review, then go for it, but as you can see you have been warned about Ryans issues. As you can see the experienced sword enthusiasts are not too keen to pony up their cash on what they know will be a poor quality over priced blade. So we get to the point we are at. A few people who had horrible experiences with Ryanswords came forward explaining why Ryan has such a horrible reputation. We don't have more because people listened and learned from those mistakes and did not buy from Ryan, so we have no others who have had to have similar bad experiences. However other's bad experiences are found on other sword sites, and they stack up quickly. Ryan's bad rep is not just hype it was earned.
Well said and true.
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Post by Kumdoalan on May 8, 2012 23:37:24 GMT
I am not the one asking people to get squat.....rather I see lots of people asking me to do stuff ...I just think that we should be happy to seek out people that own swords...but I think we should be carefully what we suggest others spend money on....I know I don't even pay any attention at all yo suggestions ....while I am always looking at the sword market I'm not in a hurry...
I also believe that the so called katana talked about on this site are considered by some of my bladesmith friends as all junk...trash....pawn shop crap.. I once asked a bladesmith friend of mine where to find a good katant for $500? And I was told to look in the dime store.....
So while sometimes we act like $100 is a lot of money.... Its actually zip to the real sword market....
I'm not currently interested in a Ryan sword...but I am interested in the reflections of people that own swords under discussion ...as I hope they might have some new slant on a story....
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Marc Kaden Ridgeway
Member
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Awful lot of leaving and joining going on here for me .... And gosh I can't recall doing a bit of i
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Post by Marc Kaden Ridgeway on May 9, 2012 0:53:19 GMT
There has been plenty of well documented hands-on reports of the subpar offerings of Ryan, Brandon, badtrack, Katana1980, dgspirit etc. both by myself , peoples whose opinions I trust, and just generally pissed off customers. In fact, I guess this "group" of sellers enjoys the worst reputation in the production katana universe. I'd bet noone comes close to rivaling their reputation but maybe Thaitsuki.
I'll be quite honest. The preponderance of evidence being against them... I'd actually be skeptical of any positive hands-on report i saw... eye of the beholder and what not.
I lost count a long time ago of how many production kats i have owned... though it is certainly hundreds... amongst kats of somewhat better than production quality... and after all that , I pretty much am confident that I don't have to hold a turd to know what it is.
My past experience is enough... I'll not willingly flush any more cash down Ryan's toliet
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Post by Kumdoalan on May 9, 2012 1:17:14 GMT
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Post by 14thforsaken on May 9, 2012 1:35:19 GMT
The only way for you to get a "hands on" impression is to buy it yourself. If I buy it and review it, the information will still be secondhand for you.
You're right there is no shame is in looking for people who know something based on what they hold; some people would say there is shame and/or laziness in continually asking for others to do it for you so stop asking us to do it and do it yourself.
If you don't even pay attention to any of our suggestions, your words not mine; STOP BRINGING THIS THREAD UP AND LET IT DIE
If a hundred dollars is that small of an amount of money.....buy it yourself.
If your bladesmith friend is so knowledgeable and you obviously trust him more than anyone here on the forms, go ask him and stop asking us. It's not a hard concept to grasp.
If you're not interested in a Ryan Sword, STOP BRINGING THE THREAD UP.
Mods, can we please lock this thread and let it die a merciful death. The main proponent for wanting hands on information about a Ryan sword has already stated he isn't interested in buying one and has no interest in any of our experiences or knowledge. If so, why keep stirring things up? This is just flat out trolling at this point.
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Post by Kumdoalan on May 9, 2012 1:53:31 GMT
LOL.... :lol: Well....I have no real desire to go to the moon too , but I do enjoy reading about the first-hand experiences of the men who have walked on the moon.
I think there is great merit in seeking out people who dont just have a link or a story or photos to base their views on, but actually have the items in their hands....
I think if we just take our time and not rush into this, that we may get lucky and bump into a guy or gal that just got their hands on swords we might talk about...and perhaps if we try to make sure the friendly welcome mat is out for them that they will stop in and share their experiences....
it would be nice to see a post that was hands-on
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Post by Lonely Wolf Forge on May 9, 2012 2:02:53 GMT
My post was hands on. i have 3 of them.....
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Post by 14thforsaken on May 9, 2012 2:03:59 GMT
So how are Kaiyo's and Saito's posts where they show the ryan swords they bought with 14" tsukas had only 8" tangs not firsthand? Or is that not hands on enough for you. You've been given the information you've asked for, you've chosen to ignore it and fan the flames.
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