The Cheness Kaze
May 12, 2012 5:38:37 GMT
Post by Rifleman Lizard on May 12, 2012 5:38:37 GMT
The Cheness Cutlery Kaze katana is a well known sword on the Japanese-style sword market. It is arguably Cheness' most popular creation and has been reviewed by many, mentioned across a plethora of forums.
This is my own in depth look at it. Some members of SBG own this blade and if you yourself are one of them; please feel free to contribute and add your own thoughts to this review.
I now own two Kaze. The first is currently in a project state and this one will be a gift for my younger brother. He has shown a keen interest in swords and he'll need a suitable first blade to call his own.
It's worth noting that these two Kaze have precisely the same issues, despite coming from different retailers and being ordered several months apart.
Introduction
I purchased this sword from Oriental Weaponry for a total of £360 with free 24hr express delivery via Parcel Force. They primarily stock Hanwei blades and I bought most of my eastern swords from this business.
www.oriental-weaponry.co.uk/
They are a well known web-based retailer within the UK and are part of the greater BearArm group.
www.beararm.com/
My experiences with their customer services have always been of a high standard with fast and efficient email communication. Oriental Weaponry has listed the Cheness line of swords since January of this year, but have only recently acquired their stock due to an undisclosed issue with the manufacturer.
Sword prices are significantly higher within the UK due to the small niche market and few retail sources.
Please note that the Kaze is no different and it can be found cheaper elsewhere. The SBG store lists this item at $299 (the equivalent of only £185), but considering international shipping costs, import VAT charges, difficulties with customs clearance and finally waiting times; it's up to you to decide where to buy.
The Kaze is legal like all traditionally forged swords but if you import it you will have to wait over a week for customs clearance, even after you've proven the sword is authentic and not an SLO.
That said, if you buy internationally you will eventually receive your sword and it will not be destroyed by the authorities.
I chose to buy domestic with Oriental Weaponry for convenience and a stress free transaction.
Specifications
Steel: DH 9260 silicon alloy spring steel
Geometry: Shinogi-zukuri
Nagasa: 72cm
Total length: 102cm
Motohabe: 31mm
Kasane: 9mm
Sori: 1.7cm
Hamon: irregular shallow gunome
Polish: Rough tameshigiri hand polish
Habaki: Single piece brass
Tsuka length: 11"
Mekugi: 2 (one wood and one brass)
Weight: 2lbs 9oz
Centre of balance: 6" from tsuba
Disclosure
I have no affiliation with Cheness Cutlery or Oriental Weaponry. The following review is unbiased and based only on my own experience.
Initial impressions and pictures
You can click all of these photographs for a better look.
The package arrived in good order with no damage to the exterior. Inside the thick cardboard box was a patterned wooden display case. It was completely unphased so any problems with the sword did not happen while in transit.
I personally dislike these display cases because they are cheaply constructed. I've consciously linked these boxes to the presence of SLO's because they are identical to those found in local stores, containing overpriced and unsafe tat.
The lining is a bright orange, very thin, artificial fabric that is also cut in a few places. Beneath this stapled lining are cut blocks of polystyrene padding. The wood is panel pinned together making it feeble, likely to split if it were dropped on a hard surface.
As much as I dislike these boxes they are useful for keeping a single sword in storage for long periods of time, offering better protection from dents and scratches than an exposed sword bag. Some people like these but I cannot abide them outside of storage.
Inside the display case the sword was wrapped in a black sword bag. It is made of a thin cotton with shoelace ties but is very practical and has no holes or catch marks. Opening the mouth of the bag I realised it has a black exterior and a white interior lining.
For what it is I really like it.
Opening the bag exposed the tsuka and I immediately inspected the tsuka-maki. I ordered the sword in brown cotton ito but it is also available in black.
This cotton is not of a high quality but it is hard wearing. It is wrapped in a typical hineri-maki style with even diamonds but no hishigami. The wrap does not alternate and every twist follows a right over left pattern. It is tight enough to maintain its shape but loose enough that the twists can be moved apart with little force. The wrap will loosen with use and it could be much tighter.
The samegawa is real but it is card thin, with no large nodes or other note worthy traits. Coloured a natural and very attractive off-white, it is roughly cut and panelled with no wood visible between skin and the ito.
I have purchased production swords at 2x this price bracket and many come with lower quality samegawa than that of the Kaze. Fair shout.
Taking off the fuchi to reveal the tsuka core; I instantly found a prominent crack. It is difficult to gauge the precise nature of this crack without removing the tsuka-maki but pointing a pencil maglite into the mouth opening revealed it is roughly 6cm in length. It was a disappointing discovery but admittedly it could have been much worse.
It is very important that you check the wooden core of your sword handle before using it. If this sword were vigorously used it will stay together for a time but repetitive use will likely lengthen the crack, compromise the structural integrity of your sword... and that could be a very day bad for you.
Always take the time to thoroughly inspect your purchase. It could save your own life or the lives of those around you.
The fuchi kashira are cast in brass and have been darkened to a gunmetal tin colour. The simple mottled design is plagued by thick mold lines left over by a low quality casting process, turning what could be elegantly simple fittings into cheap and nasty eyesores.
Aesthetics aside however; the metal is strong and the pieces cannot be bent in the hands. A prime example of function over appearance.
The Kaze is the only sword I have that has one wooden mekugi and one brass mekugi. It comes across as a novelty act, claiming to add greater support and somehow making the sword safer.
In my opinion; it is entirely unnecessary as two properly made wooden mekugi give any well fitted tsuka a tight hold on the nakago.
When they are assembled and through the nakago these pegs face away from each other so they have to be removed on an awkward angle.
Also they are not shaped like traditonal mekugi and are simply cut dowel rods, meaning the mekugi-ana are also cylindrical. They are a tight fit though and it took a quick whack with a small rubber mallet to remove them.
One of the finer parts of this sword is the tsuba. It has been cast in thick blackened steel and there is no lateral movement when the sword is fully assembled. An excellent fit.
Based on an antique submitted to Chenness Cutlery for reproduction, it sports a four leaf pattern design with a (redundant) kogai hitsu-ana. I was pleased to find that this example does not have any cast lines along the outer rim and there are only a few small lines from the mold visible on more angular parts of the design.
It makes a fine tsuba for any production sword and it is still one of my favourites.
The saya is made of a cheap, very light wood and is coated in a thin, black gloss finish. Unfortunately the sword does rattle in the scabbard, not from side to side but from edge to spine. The fit at the koiguchi is very good and the sword will not fall out of the saya when turned upside down. There are a few minor scratches and a couple of small knocks in the finish.
There are no shitodome in the kurikata and the tunnel is quite wide, accepting the thickest of sageo if you chose to replace the original.
Thick and heavy duty black cord was used as a sageo and tied in an 8-band ronin knot. It was very ugly with large fraying ends that are untied, encouraging the fibres to fray even further if they are left alone.
It is obvious these sageo are simply cut from thick rolls of multi-purpose lace.
I replaced it with a chocolate brown cotton to better match the tsuka-ito. It is stiff and makes the whole sword much more attractive.
The single piece habaki is very difficult to remove from the blade. Two very small impressions indicate that it has been hammered close to the ha-machi and mune-machi. It will not slide off without a spint and wooden mallet. Until I get a new set I won't be able to check beneath it.
It is a close fit to both sides of the blade and there are no gaps.
Moving onto the steel itself; I quickly discovered some small deviations in both sides of shinogi ridge line. They aren't enough to affect cutting performance and they are far from the monouchi sweet spot, but even so the shinogi is not as even as I would have liked.
Vertical scratches mark the surface steel and the polish is basic, but considering the price tag it is more than enough.
The cutting edge is the sharpest I've seen on any production sword and it is literally razor sharp at the monouchi. Fortunately the geometry provides plenty of support with considerable niku.
The hamon is all natural and does not suffer any artificial enhancement. That one reason alone is why some people chose to buy this sword. It is subtle and very difficult to capture in pictures. Personally I prefer much more unconventional hamon but it is easy to appreciate.
Shallow, flowing waves appear from the habaki to the yokote and there is a distinct habuchi line that seperates the main body from the hamon. It is clear no templates have been used as they are nice and irregular.
The worst part of this sword is the chu-kissaki. It is damn ugly.
Uneven yokote lines mar the finish, clearly hand filed to tweak out some form of geometry. The kissaki itself is an exploding minefield of man-made blemishes that are about as obvious as a slap in the face.
Like the rest of the blade the kissaki is incredibly sharp and it has well rounded fukura. The tip isn't so narrow it will break on impact and it seems capable of powerful thrusts.
The alloy steel is strong and it is clear this sword is all about function, with the addition of a traditional forging for some added flare.
Inspecting the nakago coated my hands in a thick, black dirt. It wasn't just unclean, it was filthy. I used a dry cloth to wipe away the majority of the grime, leaving a dark and solid patina. The shinogi line continues all the way to the end.
There are no file markings of any style and a two character signature is clear cut and easy to make out.
Handling
The Kaze feels like a lot of other production katana with a typical size, length of 28" and 6" balance point. It isn't heavy and the weight makes this sword beginner friendly, even without a hi.
Despite the small tsuka crack it is very well put together and nothing moves.
So far I've only dry handled the Kaze but as soon as I get a new core I'll record some of my brothers attempts at using his new sword, to illustrate how new-guy compatible it is.
Conclusion
For your money you're getting a tightly assembled, traditionally forged workhorse. This sword is not a looker even though the fittings aren't without their charm.
Most of the problems I've found with the Kaze are cosmetic but I feel that the whole package is let down by these short cuts. Of course these measures are taken to reduce the total cost of this product, putting functionality before any frills and graces.
Bear in mind that this sword is inexpensive and it does make a brilliant first sword for any rookie wanting to earn their spurs. Please remember to check any and all swords you buy for safety hazards before you use them.
I hope you've found this post informative and enjoyable.
Thanks for reading,
Chris
This is my own in depth look at it. Some members of SBG own this blade and if you yourself are one of them; please feel free to contribute and add your own thoughts to this review.
I now own two Kaze. The first is currently in a project state and this one will be a gift for my younger brother. He has shown a keen interest in swords and he'll need a suitable first blade to call his own.
It's worth noting that these two Kaze have precisely the same issues, despite coming from different retailers and being ordered several months apart.
Introduction
I purchased this sword from Oriental Weaponry for a total of £360 with free 24hr express delivery via Parcel Force. They primarily stock Hanwei blades and I bought most of my eastern swords from this business.
www.oriental-weaponry.co.uk/
They are a well known web-based retailer within the UK and are part of the greater BearArm group.
www.beararm.com/
My experiences with their customer services have always been of a high standard with fast and efficient email communication. Oriental Weaponry has listed the Cheness line of swords since January of this year, but have only recently acquired their stock due to an undisclosed issue with the manufacturer.
Sword prices are significantly higher within the UK due to the small niche market and few retail sources.
Please note that the Kaze is no different and it can be found cheaper elsewhere. The SBG store lists this item at $299 (the equivalent of only £185), but considering international shipping costs, import VAT charges, difficulties with customs clearance and finally waiting times; it's up to you to decide where to buy.
The Kaze is legal like all traditionally forged swords but if you import it you will have to wait over a week for customs clearance, even after you've proven the sword is authentic and not an SLO.
That said, if you buy internationally you will eventually receive your sword and it will not be destroyed by the authorities.
I chose to buy domestic with Oriental Weaponry for convenience and a stress free transaction.
Specifications
Steel: DH 9260 silicon alloy spring steel
Geometry: Shinogi-zukuri
Nagasa: 72cm
Total length: 102cm
Motohabe: 31mm
Kasane: 9mm
Sori: 1.7cm
Hamon: irregular shallow gunome
Polish: Rough tameshigiri hand polish
Habaki: Single piece brass
Tsuka length: 11"
Mekugi: 2 (one wood and one brass)
Weight: 2lbs 9oz
Centre of balance: 6" from tsuba
Disclosure
I have no affiliation with Cheness Cutlery or Oriental Weaponry. The following review is unbiased and based only on my own experience.
Initial impressions and pictures
You can click all of these photographs for a better look.
The package arrived in good order with no damage to the exterior. Inside the thick cardboard box was a patterned wooden display case. It was completely unphased so any problems with the sword did not happen while in transit.
I personally dislike these display cases because they are cheaply constructed. I've consciously linked these boxes to the presence of SLO's because they are identical to those found in local stores, containing overpriced and unsafe tat.
The lining is a bright orange, very thin, artificial fabric that is also cut in a few places. Beneath this stapled lining are cut blocks of polystyrene padding. The wood is panel pinned together making it feeble, likely to split if it were dropped on a hard surface.
As much as I dislike these boxes they are useful for keeping a single sword in storage for long periods of time, offering better protection from dents and scratches than an exposed sword bag. Some people like these but I cannot abide them outside of storage.
Inside the display case the sword was wrapped in a black sword bag. It is made of a thin cotton with shoelace ties but is very practical and has no holes or catch marks. Opening the mouth of the bag I realised it has a black exterior and a white interior lining.
For what it is I really like it.
Opening the bag exposed the tsuka and I immediately inspected the tsuka-maki. I ordered the sword in brown cotton ito but it is also available in black.
This cotton is not of a high quality but it is hard wearing. It is wrapped in a typical hineri-maki style with even diamonds but no hishigami. The wrap does not alternate and every twist follows a right over left pattern. It is tight enough to maintain its shape but loose enough that the twists can be moved apart with little force. The wrap will loosen with use and it could be much tighter.
The samegawa is real but it is card thin, with no large nodes or other note worthy traits. Coloured a natural and very attractive off-white, it is roughly cut and panelled with no wood visible between skin and the ito.
I have purchased production swords at 2x this price bracket and many come with lower quality samegawa than that of the Kaze. Fair shout.
Taking off the fuchi to reveal the tsuka core; I instantly found a prominent crack. It is difficult to gauge the precise nature of this crack without removing the tsuka-maki but pointing a pencil maglite into the mouth opening revealed it is roughly 6cm in length. It was a disappointing discovery but admittedly it could have been much worse.
It is very important that you check the wooden core of your sword handle before using it. If this sword were vigorously used it will stay together for a time but repetitive use will likely lengthen the crack, compromise the structural integrity of your sword... and that could be a very day bad for you.
Always take the time to thoroughly inspect your purchase. It could save your own life or the lives of those around you.
The fuchi kashira are cast in brass and have been darkened to a gunmetal tin colour. The simple mottled design is plagued by thick mold lines left over by a low quality casting process, turning what could be elegantly simple fittings into cheap and nasty eyesores.
Aesthetics aside however; the metal is strong and the pieces cannot be bent in the hands. A prime example of function over appearance.
The Kaze is the only sword I have that has one wooden mekugi and one brass mekugi. It comes across as a novelty act, claiming to add greater support and somehow making the sword safer.
In my opinion; it is entirely unnecessary as two properly made wooden mekugi give any well fitted tsuka a tight hold on the nakago.
When they are assembled and through the nakago these pegs face away from each other so they have to be removed on an awkward angle.
Also they are not shaped like traditonal mekugi and are simply cut dowel rods, meaning the mekugi-ana are also cylindrical. They are a tight fit though and it took a quick whack with a small rubber mallet to remove them.
One of the finer parts of this sword is the tsuba. It has been cast in thick blackened steel and there is no lateral movement when the sword is fully assembled. An excellent fit.
Based on an antique submitted to Chenness Cutlery for reproduction, it sports a four leaf pattern design with a (redundant) kogai hitsu-ana. I was pleased to find that this example does not have any cast lines along the outer rim and there are only a few small lines from the mold visible on more angular parts of the design.
It makes a fine tsuba for any production sword and it is still one of my favourites.
The saya is made of a cheap, very light wood and is coated in a thin, black gloss finish. Unfortunately the sword does rattle in the scabbard, not from side to side but from edge to spine. The fit at the koiguchi is very good and the sword will not fall out of the saya when turned upside down. There are a few minor scratches and a couple of small knocks in the finish.
There are no shitodome in the kurikata and the tunnel is quite wide, accepting the thickest of sageo if you chose to replace the original.
Thick and heavy duty black cord was used as a sageo and tied in an 8-band ronin knot. It was very ugly with large fraying ends that are untied, encouraging the fibres to fray even further if they are left alone.
It is obvious these sageo are simply cut from thick rolls of multi-purpose lace.
I replaced it with a chocolate brown cotton to better match the tsuka-ito. It is stiff and makes the whole sword much more attractive.
The single piece habaki is very difficult to remove from the blade. Two very small impressions indicate that it has been hammered close to the ha-machi and mune-machi. It will not slide off without a spint and wooden mallet. Until I get a new set I won't be able to check beneath it.
It is a close fit to both sides of the blade and there are no gaps.
Moving onto the steel itself; I quickly discovered some small deviations in both sides of shinogi ridge line. They aren't enough to affect cutting performance and they are far from the monouchi sweet spot, but even so the shinogi is not as even as I would have liked.
Vertical scratches mark the surface steel and the polish is basic, but considering the price tag it is more than enough.
The cutting edge is the sharpest I've seen on any production sword and it is literally razor sharp at the monouchi. Fortunately the geometry provides plenty of support with considerable niku.
The hamon is all natural and does not suffer any artificial enhancement. That one reason alone is why some people chose to buy this sword. It is subtle and very difficult to capture in pictures. Personally I prefer much more unconventional hamon but it is easy to appreciate.
Shallow, flowing waves appear from the habaki to the yokote and there is a distinct habuchi line that seperates the main body from the hamon. It is clear no templates have been used as they are nice and irregular.
The worst part of this sword is the chu-kissaki. It is damn ugly.
Uneven yokote lines mar the finish, clearly hand filed to tweak out some form of geometry. The kissaki itself is an exploding minefield of man-made blemishes that are about as obvious as a slap in the face.
Like the rest of the blade the kissaki is incredibly sharp and it has well rounded fukura. The tip isn't so narrow it will break on impact and it seems capable of powerful thrusts.
The alloy steel is strong and it is clear this sword is all about function, with the addition of a traditional forging for some added flare.
Inspecting the nakago coated my hands in a thick, black dirt. It wasn't just unclean, it was filthy. I used a dry cloth to wipe away the majority of the grime, leaving a dark and solid patina. The shinogi line continues all the way to the end.
There are no file markings of any style and a two character signature is clear cut and easy to make out.
Handling
The Kaze feels like a lot of other production katana with a typical size, length of 28" and 6" balance point. It isn't heavy and the weight makes this sword beginner friendly, even without a hi.
Despite the small tsuka crack it is very well put together and nothing moves.
So far I've only dry handled the Kaze but as soon as I get a new core I'll record some of my brothers attempts at using his new sword, to illustrate how new-guy compatible it is.
Conclusion
For your money you're getting a tightly assembled, traditionally forged workhorse. This sword is not a looker even though the fittings aren't without their charm.
Most of the problems I've found with the Kaze are cosmetic but I feel that the whole package is let down by these short cuts. Of course these measures are taken to reduce the total cost of this product, putting functionality before any frills and graces.
Bear in mind that this sword is inexpensive and it does make a brilliant first sword for any rookie wanting to earn their spurs. Please remember to check any and all swords you buy for safety hazards before you use them.
I hope you've found this post informative and enjoyable.
Thanks for reading,
Chris