Shinwa Black Dragon "Ken" Sword Review
Aug 2, 2012 16:13:35 GMT
Post by THE_SUPERWEIRDO on Aug 2, 2012 16:13:35 GMT
Introduction
Hello SBG Forums!
Today I am having a review on the "Shinwa Black Dragon Katana Sword Damascus", as listed on BudK, but for this review, let's just call it "Shinwa Black Ken Sword", it'll be easier for me to write and easier for you guys to read. :mrgreen: Though many people said NOT to buy it from BudK, I found it both a perfect opportunity to find out if this was a hidden gem in the Sub-$100 range, and a risk I will regret. :? And this is my second review, so it doesn't mean I'm a review expert or something, I would appreciate some questions and corrections.
Historical overview
The historical story I learned about this lead me to call this sword a "Ken" sword. Also called a tsurugi, the sword was made in Japan during the period where they were doing similar methods of the Chinese in making swords. This resulted into the Japanese making straight bladed double edged swords similar to a broadsword or a Chinese Jian. This method was later abandoned by the Japanese when they discovered their methods of making daito, then tachi, and later on, the katana.
Full Disclosure
I have no connections to BudK, and purchased this sword for full price. (Yeah, my coupon thing didn't work. :cry: ) Anyway, from the appearance of this sword, it appears to be slightly heavy then a standard katana, but I'll be finding out... I am also not a professional practitioner of the Japanese Sword Arts and not an expert of Metallurgy, just the average budget collector with average skills who has only handled medium-light weight katana first hand.
Initial Impressions
The sword came in the usual "Sword in a decorative box, in a cardboard retail box, in a cardboard postal service box" (2 free targets IMO :lol: ). After quickly opening through the 2 boxes, I saw this:
Came in a red decorative display box, with the sword wrapped in the usual black cotton sword bag. It also came with 3 of the same pamphlets from BudK, a BudK catalog, and 1 different pamphlet.
Statistics
Nagasa Length: 29 inches (30 inches including the habaki)
Blade Material: "Black Damascus Steel" but it's possibly 1045 folded steel with a black oxidization finish.
Fittings Material: Casted Zinc Alloy
Tsuka Length: 11.5 inches
Overall Length: 43 inches
POB (Point of Balance): 6 inches from the tsuba
Weight: 3.4 lb (I used a somewhat inaccurate weight scale, so it would most likely be around under 3 lb)
Components
The Nagasa
A 29" black blade with a symmetric bo-hi in the middle. Advertised as being made with "Black Damascus Steel", I find it is just folded steel with a black oxidization finish. I noticed that the finish was scratched off from the edge of of the sword, revealing the shiny steel underneath. The heat treat is questionable, but I can suspect that from this price range, the steel is most likely 1045.
The tip made the blade look more like a Chinese Jian, which I think was like the traditional Japanese Ken Sword.
The Shinwa logo etched on the Ura side. (Here on this picture, you can see the red streaks that compliments the black look on the blade)
And etchings that say the serial number of the sword, "Damascus Steel", and "Handcrafted in China" on the Omote side. Overall, I guess that many people might not like the factory etches, for the reasons that it looks like it shouldn't belong there and I bet many people won't show off a Japanese blade with a etch saying it's "Handcrafted in China"
I've been comparing the blade of this sword on another katana I own, so I ended up discovering the real front edge of the sword.
The arrow pointing up indicates where the front edge is facing, so where the etches are is the back edge. I discovered this simply by looking at the saya and the common knowledge of the Japanese sword's edge facing up. But I'm still not sure which is the front. :?
-
The Tsuka
Green synthetic ito in a non alternative tsukamaki, resulting in a loose, shoelacey feel, and is expected of Japanese swords in this price range. The tsukamaki job was done fairly tight, but it felt a bit shoe lacey. I don't find this a problem though, for this a calling for a personal tsukamaki job. The samegawa was a glossy black, which I personally like.
The Tsuba
Advertised as being made from Zinc-Alloy, my expectations of this tsuba is that it would be very brittle and loose, but I was wrong. It was nice and dead solid, with the HELP OF GLUE. :shock: Yep, the glue was pretty noticable, how little specks of dried glue was on the bottom of the top seppa. This would prove a problem in disassembling the sword. Overall, the tsuba has a classical blackish dragon theme that was nicely detailed and very solid.
The Fuchi-Kashira and Menuki
The Fuchi, Kashira, and the Menuki are all made in Zinc Alloy, as stated in the BudK web site. Fittings generally had the look of blackish-brass with a dragon theme. Though it is cheaper, the durability of Zinc alooy fittings are inferior to those made with brass or iron.
I especially like the Fuchi personally, since the way it overlaps the ito is something I never seen before.
The menuki were golden dragons. It was placed either reversed or standard way (In the fingers or in the palms), now it confuses me since this sword is double edged. :?
The Saya
The saya was uniquely shaped as the blade's profile, like how the end of the saya is a tipped end rather than the usual curved flat end, which I found very aesthetically pleasing. Though the big draw back is that every time I draw the sword from the saya, what appears to be wood glue gets stuck in the edges of the sword. The glue must have come from the saya, which made me think it may weaken the saya over time, and making my blade messy. Then again, I drew the sword several times, and less and less of the glue kept sticking to the blade, so that probably means it's over. Right now the blade is resting in a stand, hoping it would help the saya dry.
The Kurigata was oddly shaped, like a half circle with sharp corners than an arch with rounded edges.
Handling Characteristics
With expectations of the blade being balde heavy, I was wrong. The sword is slightly heavier than I am used to, a bit blade heavy but the handling is just like a 29 inch katana. Swinging the sword in the air gave a good tachi-kaze, which is as loud as my Musashi Bamboo's kaze. Making quick changes is not a difficulty with this sword.
Test Cutting
The sword was stated to be dulled or not sharp in reviews for this sword. I tried the "Paper slicing/cutting Test" to see if the reviews were true: (Top slices represented the top edge, and vice versa in this picture.)
It sliced decently through the paper, but wasn't "Razor" sharp. The top edge was sharper than the bottom for my sword, and if I remembered, the top edge was the front edge... :?:
Well, I also cut the 2 cardboard boxes that the sword was packaged in:
The cut was a bit jagged, but cutting through the box felt like I was just cutting almost nothing (Though there was resistance)
I also tested the point by stabbing through the boxes:
The stabs were actually like there was nothing there.The stabs had smaller resistance compared to the cuts.
Conclusions
In a hit or miss situation, this would be a hit that was slightly off center from the target. I originally had low expectations for this sword, but this sword ended up being just a decent unique sword that is just a bit over priced for the quality.
Pros
- Unique look, Japanese Ken swords aren't normally popular in the market
- Free sword bag and display case
- A very attractive blade with a nicely done bo-hi.
- A good stabbing weapon, but that doesn't mean it can't cut too.
- As of 8/1/12, it's only Sub-$100 on BudK
Cons
- Edge could've been sharper.
- Etching on the blade ruins the look
- They used zinc alloy fittings, some people like me people like brass or iron for better durability.
- Glued tsuka and fittings, definitely the worst con about this sword.
- Saya having the glue on the blade in every draw.
The Bottom Line
I would recommend this sword to anyone who has the money and is looking for a unique sword to add to their collection. Though if you have more money, it be best to look for another...
or anybody who doesn't mind a glued tsuka. :lol:
Hello SBG Forums!
Today I am having a review on the "Shinwa Black Dragon Katana Sword Damascus", as listed on BudK, but for this review, let's just call it "Shinwa Black Ken Sword", it'll be easier for me to write and easier for you guys to read. :mrgreen: Though many people said NOT to buy it from BudK, I found it both a perfect opportunity to find out if this was a hidden gem in the Sub-$100 range, and a risk I will regret. :? And this is my second review, so it doesn't mean I'm a review expert or something, I would appreciate some questions and corrections.
Historical overview
The historical story I learned about this lead me to call this sword a "Ken" sword. Also called a tsurugi, the sword was made in Japan during the period where they were doing similar methods of the Chinese in making swords. This resulted into the Japanese making straight bladed double edged swords similar to a broadsword or a Chinese Jian. This method was later abandoned by the Japanese when they discovered their methods of making daito, then tachi, and later on, the katana.
Full Disclosure
I have no connections to BudK, and purchased this sword for full price. (Yeah, my coupon thing didn't work. :cry: ) Anyway, from the appearance of this sword, it appears to be slightly heavy then a standard katana, but I'll be finding out... I am also not a professional practitioner of the Japanese Sword Arts and not an expert of Metallurgy, just the average budget collector with average skills who has only handled medium-light weight katana first hand.
Initial Impressions
The sword came in the usual "Sword in a decorative box, in a cardboard retail box, in a cardboard postal service box" (2 free targets IMO :lol: ). After quickly opening through the 2 boxes, I saw this:
Came in a red decorative display box, with the sword wrapped in the usual black cotton sword bag. It also came with 3 of the same pamphlets from BudK, a BudK catalog, and 1 different pamphlet.
Statistics
Nagasa Length: 29 inches (30 inches including the habaki)
Blade Material: "Black Damascus Steel" but it's possibly 1045 folded steel with a black oxidization finish.
Fittings Material: Casted Zinc Alloy
Tsuka Length: 11.5 inches
Overall Length: 43 inches
POB (Point of Balance): 6 inches from the tsuba
Weight: 3.4 lb (I used a somewhat inaccurate weight scale, so it would most likely be around under 3 lb)
Components
The Nagasa
A 29" black blade with a symmetric bo-hi in the middle. Advertised as being made with "Black Damascus Steel", I find it is just folded steel with a black oxidization finish. I noticed that the finish was scratched off from the edge of of the sword, revealing the shiny steel underneath. The heat treat is questionable, but I can suspect that from this price range, the steel is most likely 1045.
The tip made the blade look more like a Chinese Jian, which I think was like the traditional Japanese Ken Sword.
The Shinwa logo etched on the Ura side. (Here on this picture, you can see the red streaks that compliments the black look on the blade)
And etchings that say the serial number of the sword, "Damascus Steel", and "Handcrafted in China" on the Omote side. Overall, I guess that many people might not like the factory etches, for the reasons that it looks like it shouldn't belong there and I bet many people won't show off a Japanese blade with a etch saying it's "Handcrafted in China"
I've been comparing the blade of this sword on another katana I own, so I ended up discovering the real front edge of the sword.
The arrow pointing up indicates where the front edge is facing, so where the etches are is the back edge. I discovered this simply by looking at the saya and the common knowledge of the Japanese sword's edge facing up. But I'm still not sure which is the front. :?
-
The Tsuka
Green synthetic ito in a non alternative tsukamaki, resulting in a loose, shoelacey feel, and is expected of Japanese swords in this price range. The tsukamaki job was done fairly tight, but it felt a bit shoe lacey. I don't find this a problem though, for this a calling for a personal tsukamaki job. The samegawa was a glossy black, which I personally like.
The Tsuba
Advertised as being made from Zinc-Alloy, my expectations of this tsuba is that it would be very brittle and loose, but I was wrong. It was nice and dead solid, with the HELP OF GLUE. :shock: Yep, the glue was pretty noticable, how little specks of dried glue was on the bottom of the top seppa. This would prove a problem in disassembling the sword. Overall, the tsuba has a classical blackish dragon theme that was nicely detailed and very solid.
The Fuchi-Kashira and Menuki
The Fuchi, Kashira, and the Menuki are all made in Zinc Alloy, as stated in the BudK web site. Fittings generally had the look of blackish-brass with a dragon theme. Though it is cheaper, the durability of Zinc alooy fittings are inferior to those made with brass or iron.
I especially like the Fuchi personally, since the way it overlaps the ito is something I never seen before.
The menuki were golden dragons. It was placed either reversed or standard way (In the fingers or in the palms), now it confuses me since this sword is double edged. :?
The Saya
The saya was uniquely shaped as the blade's profile, like how the end of the saya is a tipped end rather than the usual curved flat end, which I found very aesthetically pleasing. Though the big draw back is that every time I draw the sword from the saya, what appears to be wood glue gets stuck in the edges of the sword. The glue must have come from the saya, which made me think it may weaken the saya over time, and making my blade messy. Then again, I drew the sword several times, and less and less of the glue kept sticking to the blade, so that probably means it's over. Right now the blade is resting in a stand, hoping it would help the saya dry.
The Kurigata was oddly shaped, like a half circle with sharp corners than an arch with rounded edges.
Handling Characteristics
With expectations of the blade being balde heavy, I was wrong. The sword is slightly heavier than I am used to, a bit blade heavy but the handling is just like a 29 inch katana. Swinging the sword in the air gave a good tachi-kaze, which is as loud as my Musashi Bamboo's kaze. Making quick changes is not a difficulty with this sword.
Test Cutting
The sword was stated to be dulled or not sharp in reviews for this sword. I tried the "Paper slicing/cutting Test" to see if the reviews were true: (Top slices represented the top edge, and vice versa in this picture.)
It sliced decently through the paper, but wasn't "Razor" sharp. The top edge was sharper than the bottom for my sword, and if I remembered, the top edge was the front edge... :?:
Well, I also cut the 2 cardboard boxes that the sword was packaged in:
The cut was a bit jagged, but cutting through the box felt like I was just cutting almost nothing (Though there was resistance)
I also tested the point by stabbing through the boxes:
The stabs were actually like there was nothing there.The stabs had smaller resistance compared to the cuts.
Conclusions
In a hit or miss situation, this would be a hit that was slightly off center from the target. I originally had low expectations for this sword, but this sword ended up being just a decent unique sword that is just a bit over priced for the quality.
Pros
- Unique look, Japanese Ken swords aren't normally popular in the market
- Free sword bag and display case
- A very attractive blade with a nicely done bo-hi.
- A good stabbing weapon, but that doesn't mean it can't cut too.
- As of 8/1/12, it's only Sub-$100 on BudK
Cons
- Edge could've been sharper.
- Etching on the blade ruins the look
- They used zinc alloy fittings, some people like me people like brass or iron for better durability.
- Glued tsuka and fittings, definitely the worst con about this sword.
- Saya having the glue on the blade in every draw.
The Bottom Line
I would recommend this sword to anyone who has the money and is looking for a unique sword to add to their collection. Though if you have more money, it be best to look for another...
or anybody who doesn't mind a glued tsuka. :lol: