Quick Review: Kris Cutlery 26a Katana
Jun 28, 2012 12:09:17 GMT
Post by jblakey on Jun 28, 2012 12:09:17 GMT
Hi guys,
got this sword in second-hand (probably at least third-hand) from Aaron Justice recently, and I'm really impressed with it. So I figured I'd post up a quick review...
Up for your consideration today is a KC (Kris Cutlery) 26a katana. I'm very impressed with this sword. In the past I've bought a bare wakizashi blade from KC and it was sharp, reasonably well-shaped, and tough. Getting a fully finished sword from KC is a different story, though - a much better story!
The sword is well-crafted - I don't think there is any other word for that. I've had a lot of experience with Hanwei models, everything from iaito to a L6 Oni, and I think the differences between those swords and this sword really point out a difference in production methods, a difference in business philosophy, if you will:) Hanwei parts are excellent - the blades are beautiful, the fittings are well done. I have yet to see cast lines on any Hanwei parts. Their production methods are modern and well-done. However, their swords, to me, feel assembled from components. They spent their production time up front on making the individual pieces as good as possible, and then the sword gets put together from these very nice pieces (IMHO). This does not appear to be how KC swords are made.
The KC sword that I'm looking at right now is not perfect. The ito is synthetic and rough. The shinogi-ji is not as crisp as it could be. The habaki is slightly loose. The fittings are plain, and not patinated. The menuki are the same on both sides. But what this KC sword is, or so it seems to me, is an example of craftsmanship. It looks very much to me like the fuchi/kashira were made for this sword - not a thousand swords, but this sword. Every part of this sword has the number '13' engraved or marked on it (good ol' lucky thirteen ), indicating that these parts go together, and they won't go with another sword. The lines of the tsuka are excellent. The ito lines up with the fuchi and the kashira perfectly. The seppas make a perfect ring around both the fuchi and the koigouchi of the saya. The top/bottom of the saya line up with the top/bottom of the tsuka. The saya to habaki fit is excellent, just the right amount of friction/stickage. The wrap is tighter than any Hanwei I've ever seen. The tsuka curve follows the sori of the blade. There are no cracks. There are no shims.
Twice now, I've been out snipping tree branches with this guy - I just can't resist cutting with it. And, so far, it seems to cut fine. Blade is unmarked, and finish is fine.
I replaced the tsuba with one of my own when I got it - it needed a slightly thicker tsuba (or an additional seppa). I'm at least the third owner on this sword, and the mekugi it came with were not the originals (IHMO). They were undersize, and a bit short. I'm thinking things got a little loosened up on it's way to my doorstep, somewhere along in it's past. With the new tsuba and a new mekugi, it's tight and solid.
Honestly, I bought this sword thinking about stripping it down from the get-go. Now that I've got it, I'm just going to restore it, and that's it. New kurigata, new mekugi, some blackening of the fittings. Maybe an etch. That's it. Not even going to re-wrap it (until it need it). It's well done, and I don't want to mess with it.
Thanks,
jason
got this sword in second-hand (probably at least third-hand) from Aaron Justice recently, and I'm really impressed with it. So I figured I'd post up a quick review...
Up for your consideration today is a KC (Kris Cutlery) 26a katana. I'm very impressed with this sword. In the past I've bought a bare wakizashi blade from KC and it was sharp, reasonably well-shaped, and tough. Getting a fully finished sword from KC is a different story, though - a much better story!
The sword is well-crafted - I don't think there is any other word for that. I've had a lot of experience with Hanwei models, everything from iaito to a L6 Oni, and I think the differences between those swords and this sword really point out a difference in production methods, a difference in business philosophy, if you will:) Hanwei parts are excellent - the blades are beautiful, the fittings are well done. I have yet to see cast lines on any Hanwei parts. Their production methods are modern and well-done. However, their swords, to me, feel assembled from components. They spent their production time up front on making the individual pieces as good as possible, and then the sword gets put together from these very nice pieces (IMHO). This does not appear to be how KC swords are made.
The KC sword that I'm looking at right now is not perfect. The ito is synthetic and rough. The shinogi-ji is not as crisp as it could be. The habaki is slightly loose. The fittings are plain, and not patinated. The menuki are the same on both sides. But what this KC sword is, or so it seems to me, is an example of craftsmanship. It looks very much to me like the fuchi/kashira were made for this sword - not a thousand swords, but this sword. Every part of this sword has the number '13' engraved or marked on it (good ol' lucky thirteen ), indicating that these parts go together, and they won't go with another sword. The lines of the tsuka are excellent. The ito lines up with the fuchi and the kashira perfectly. The seppas make a perfect ring around both the fuchi and the koigouchi of the saya. The top/bottom of the saya line up with the top/bottom of the tsuka. The saya to habaki fit is excellent, just the right amount of friction/stickage. The wrap is tighter than any Hanwei I've ever seen. The tsuka curve follows the sori of the blade. There are no cracks. There are no shims.
Twice now, I've been out snipping tree branches with this guy - I just can't resist cutting with it. And, so far, it seems to cut fine. Blade is unmarked, and finish is fine.
I replaced the tsuba with one of my own when I got it - it needed a slightly thicker tsuba (or an additional seppa). I'm at least the third owner on this sword, and the mekugi it came with were not the originals (IHMO). They were undersize, and a bit short. I'm thinking things got a little loosened up on it's way to my doorstep, somewhere along in it's past. With the new tsuba and a new mekugi, it's tight and solid.
Honestly, I bought this sword thinking about stripping it down from the get-go. Now that I've got it, I'm just going to restore it, and that's it. New kurigata, new mekugi, some blackening of the fittings. Maybe an etch. That's it. Not even going to re-wrap it (until it need it). It's well done, and I don't want to mess with it.
Thanks,
jason