Review: Kris Cutlery Wakizashi-A
Aug 26, 2012 8:54:47 GMT
Post by Kuya on Aug 26, 2012 8:54:47 GMT
Introduction
This sword was purchased and picked up for my friends who bought a 26-A. They wanted a matching wakizashi to go on the sword stand with the katana. I volunteered to pick it up to save on shipping, and it's always pleasant visiting Kris Cutlery's base of operations. After almost four hours of chatting about swords, history, the sword industry (wow, Cecil has been into swords and in the business really long... and met lots of the big named sword people), and showing me some of his upcoming designs, I went to deliver the wakizashi.
They were unhappy with an aspect of the saya, and are allowing me to hold onto the sword while I go about sending the saya to Cottontail Customs to get the issue fixed. I don't mind doing all this middle-man work, as I get to have fun visiting and now I get to review the companion sword to the 26-A I reviewed earlier in the month.
Full Disclosure
I'm a rookie when it comes to the sword scene. This review may not agree with the majority of established veteran sword enthusiasts. I don't get free swords sent to me, so my reviews are from a more realistic buyer's (or in this case, someone close to the buyer) viewpoint.
Initial Impressions
When I first saw the sword on the table at Cecil's, it was a bit bigger than I expected. Next to a 26-Series, it doesn't look very small either. Next to my 29-II, it looks tiny, but my 29-II is a lot longer than a 26-Series. From a personal aesthetic point of view, I think that Kris Cutlery's Wakizashi-A would match a 29-A better.
Statistics
Blade Length: 17.875"
Blade Width (habaki/yokote): 1.125/0.825
Handle Length: 6.25"
Weight (w/out saya): 1.8 lbs
Point of Balance: 3.5"
I was not able to measure the blade thickness, as I don't have a spanner tool.
The Blade
Like the A-Type katana, the blade of the wakizashi has a rather large amount of "niku" meat. While it's not a wide blade, it is thick... but also not thick at he same time because the shinogi-ji area of the blade is more slanted than most other katana I've laid my hands on. The yokote is geometric and the feel of the plane-shift is quite noticeable from both the yokote line and shingi-ji slant. I haven't disassembled the sword (as it's not mine), but assuming from the curve on the tsuka, the sori seems to continue on to the nakago like the katana's does.
A feature I found odd was that the kissaki was the same size as the one on its companion 26-A and my 29-II. It's not scaled down to the blade in proportion. Perhaps this wasn't done on original wakizashis, and is "proper," but it makes the kissaki look unusually large when on such a short blade.
The pictures have an illusory effect on not showing how much more curved the KC blades are compared to your standard run of the mill production katanas, because the curve extends into the handle. You can see a side-by-side comparison illustrating just how much more of a curve these swords have compared to your standard katana in my KC 26-A review:
The Handle
The ito wrap is a synthetic and shiny cloth with alternating twists and pretty even spacing. It is a lighter brown than the ito from the 26-A my friend purchased, however (still a dark brown, though). Kris Cutlery's Filipino Forge lines don't have samegawa, instead using a black lacquered mesh material under the ito. It's a full wrap, so probably provides some form of structural integrity reinforcement. It keeps the tightly wrapped ito in place well enough. Like the companion katanas, the curve of the blade continues into the handle in matching fashion. The fuchi and kashira are the standard matching fare of plain, yet high quality, blackened iron that fit just right.
The Guard
Same as the companion katanas in design, a round blackened iron/steel tsuba with two small (one larger than the other, though) holes at the "top" of the mune/spine side. It is "scaled down" to a bit under 3" in diameter. Despite being rather plain, a nice feature of the tsuba of Kris Cutlery's in-house line is that it's a stamped piece, and not cheaply cast like other production katanas, even those in the $1K+ range.
The Scabbard
The saya is made from unfinished quality wood, and a more oval shame than the standard egg-shape. I was told that many original antique katanas from the old samurai days had oval shaped saya, and the the egg shape was more of a modern addition. I don't know if it's true, and since I'm not a traditionalist when it comes to katanas, I don't really care. All I know is that I find the thicker oval shaped saya more comfortable to carry and hold. The kurikata is bull horn, and also has a small bit of a marble finish on it, like some of the other swords from this batch (Frankthebunny got one in the same batch with the same bit of marble, and my friend's companion 26-A's kurikata also has it).
The koiguchi is blackened iron, but there is no kojiri. At the end of the saya, the wood is just rounded off. I was told that in the past, they also didn't put a cap at the end of the wakizashi sayas during certain time periods. I think it's ugly without a cap, though. It doesn't match the 26-A's saya. The owner also agreed and asked if there were a way to "get it fixed." A matching (in appearance, not material) black bullhorn kojiri will be sourced from Cottontail Customs to fix the aesthetic blemish.
Handling Characteristics
Shorter swords are fun to wield. They don't feel insubstantial like a knife does, but they are much lighter and faster than a sword with a 25+ inch blade. It's especially enjoyable holding and wielding it in a reversed grip (with the blade coming out of the pinky side of your hand, rather than the index/thumb side. This wakizashi did feel a bit more substantial (read: blade heavy) than I thought it would... but then again, this is the only "functional" wakizashi I've ever wielded to date. I was expecting a twirling baton feel. Maybe my expectations were a bit off, since don't have experiences with wakizashi. If I handle more and this turns out to be a more light and graceful wakizashi by comparison, I'll be sure to update the reivew.
Test Cutting
It slices held paper and cuts through assorted plastic drink bottles (even the thicker "Smart Water" and "Gatorade/Powerade" bottles) with ease. A Monday and Tuesday combined roll of soaked newspaper was cut through, but required some actual effort. It felt odd standing so much closer to the targets than usual (with a katana). Yes, "only 10 inches closer" sounds like it's not much, but it actually feels like a lot more when it comes to wielding a sword. At least for me, it did.
Conclusions
Katanas get all the glory, while wakizashis are the unsung heroes. The utility of a smaller, lighter, one-handed sword can't be denied. You can also train and practice with it indoors with a lot less risk of accidentally damaging your home decor. This wakizashi has the same quality fit, finish, and metal/wood materials as the companion katana line, which is a good thing.
As with the KC katanas, the wakizashi has a utilitarian (almost "tactical") aesthetic style to it. It may not be as flashy as a dolled up bride on her wedding day, but the understated look of a woman in a good fitting set of casual clothes is still attractive.
But as a "matching set" to a katana from the same delivery batch, it kinda misses the mark.
Pros
+ Same tough material and blade geometry as KC katanas.
+ Geometric yokote.
+ High quality metal fittings.
+ Attractive sori.
+ Handle and koshirae were made specifically fit for the sword, not mass produced.
Cons
- No kojiri.
- Synthetic ito.
- No samegawa.
- High quality fittings are plain.
- Ito doesn't match companion katana's.
Again, some of the "cons" listed above are for your general katana customer that wants "tradition" stuff and flash/flamboyancy. The lack of samegawa isn't an issue for me personally, and to me the plain fittings and theme look a lot better than the gaudy and tacky stuff that other katana manufacturers stick on their swords. I do find the lack of a matching kojiri displeasing, but I have a bit of a tendency to lean toward the more "uniform/orderly" look. All the cons are more subjective than objective (A cracked tsuka, rattling tsuba, or dull blade for example. This sword had none of those.).
The Bottom Line
If you have a Kris Cutlery katana of the same forge line, then I would recommend getting it. Or if you want something cheap to start a custom project on, it's also a good sword to start with. Even though some parts of it didn't EXACTLY match with the companion katana out of the box, the sori and blade dimensions/geometry are pretty much the only choice you have to match with a KC katana. If you're not a fan of Kris Cutlery's general theme and style (fittings, materials, sori, geometry), then don't get it. It's a high quality product, but there are some who want something else.
I know I'll getting one if they're still available when I get my own KC 26-A, just have to see them together in person first to make sure they match.
Overall Rating: Four out of five stars.
Adjusted Rating: Three out of five stars. (This is in relation to it being a "companion piece" to the 26-A from the same batch. The missing kojiri (while probably accurate, as I've seen other sets with the wakizashi missing a kojiri) grinds at me aesthetically, and the ito not matching the exact same shade of brown does also. This Adjusted Rating also can be for those who are "traditionalists" that have issues with some of the non-factor "cons" I listed.)
This sword was purchased and picked up for my friends who bought a 26-A. They wanted a matching wakizashi to go on the sword stand with the katana. I volunteered to pick it up to save on shipping, and it's always pleasant visiting Kris Cutlery's base of operations. After almost four hours of chatting about swords, history, the sword industry (wow, Cecil has been into swords and in the business really long... and met lots of the big named sword people), and showing me some of his upcoming designs, I went to deliver the wakizashi.
They were unhappy with an aspect of the saya, and are allowing me to hold onto the sword while I go about sending the saya to Cottontail Customs to get the issue fixed. I don't mind doing all this middle-man work, as I get to have fun visiting and now I get to review the companion sword to the 26-A I reviewed earlier in the month.
Full Disclosure
I'm a rookie when it comes to the sword scene. This review may not agree with the majority of established veteran sword enthusiasts. I don't get free swords sent to me, so my reviews are from a more realistic buyer's (or in this case, someone close to the buyer) viewpoint.
Initial Impressions
When I first saw the sword on the table at Cecil's, it was a bit bigger than I expected. Next to a 26-Series, it doesn't look very small either. Next to my 29-II, it looks tiny, but my 29-II is a lot longer than a 26-Series. From a personal aesthetic point of view, I think that Kris Cutlery's Wakizashi-A would match a 29-A better.
Statistics
Blade Length: 17.875"
Blade Width (habaki/yokote): 1.125/0.825
Handle Length: 6.25"
Weight (w/out saya): 1.8 lbs
Point of Balance: 3.5"
I was not able to measure the blade thickness, as I don't have a spanner tool.
The Blade
Like the A-Type katana, the blade of the wakizashi has a rather large amount of "niku" meat. While it's not a wide blade, it is thick... but also not thick at he same time because the shinogi-ji area of the blade is more slanted than most other katana I've laid my hands on. The yokote is geometric and the feel of the plane-shift is quite noticeable from both the yokote line and shingi-ji slant. I haven't disassembled the sword (as it's not mine), but assuming from the curve on the tsuka, the sori seems to continue on to the nakago like the katana's does.
A feature I found odd was that the kissaki was the same size as the one on its companion 26-A and my 29-II. It's not scaled down to the blade in proportion. Perhaps this wasn't done on original wakizashis, and is "proper," but it makes the kissaki look unusually large when on such a short blade.
The pictures have an illusory effect on not showing how much more curved the KC blades are compared to your standard run of the mill production katanas, because the curve extends into the handle. You can see a side-by-side comparison illustrating just how much more of a curve these swords have compared to your standard katana in my KC 26-A review:
The Handle
The ito wrap is a synthetic and shiny cloth with alternating twists and pretty even spacing. It is a lighter brown than the ito from the 26-A my friend purchased, however (still a dark brown, though). Kris Cutlery's Filipino Forge lines don't have samegawa, instead using a black lacquered mesh material under the ito. It's a full wrap, so probably provides some form of structural integrity reinforcement. It keeps the tightly wrapped ito in place well enough. Like the companion katanas, the curve of the blade continues into the handle in matching fashion. The fuchi and kashira are the standard matching fare of plain, yet high quality, blackened iron that fit just right.
The Guard
Same as the companion katanas in design, a round blackened iron/steel tsuba with two small (one larger than the other, though) holes at the "top" of the mune/spine side. It is "scaled down" to a bit under 3" in diameter. Despite being rather plain, a nice feature of the tsuba of Kris Cutlery's in-house line is that it's a stamped piece, and not cheaply cast like other production katanas, even those in the $1K+ range.
The Scabbard
The saya is made from unfinished quality wood, and a more oval shame than the standard egg-shape. I was told that many original antique katanas from the old samurai days had oval shaped saya, and the the egg shape was more of a modern addition. I don't know if it's true, and since I'm not a traditionalist when it comes to katanas, I don't really care. All I know is that I find the thicker oval shaped saya more comfortable to carry and hold. The kurikata is bull horn, and also has a small bit of a marble finish on it, like some of the other swords from this batch (Frankthebunny got one in the same batch with the same bit of marble, and my friend's companion 26-A's kurikata also has it).
The koiguchi is blackened iron, but there is no kojiri. At the end of the saya, the wood is just rounded off. I was told that in the past, they also didn't put a cap at the end of the wakizashi sayas during certain time periods. I think it's ugly without a cap, though. It doesn't match the 26-A's saya. The owner also agreed and asked if there were a way to "get it fixed." A matching (in appearance, not material) black bullhorn kojiri will be sourced from Cottontail Customs to fix the aesthetic blemish.
Handling Characteristics
Shorter swords are fun to wield. They don't feel insubstantial like a knife does, but they are much lighter and faster than a sword with a 25+ inch blade. It's especially enjoyable holding and wielding it in a reversed grip (with the blade coming out of the pinky side of your hand, rather than the index/thumb side. This wakizashi did feel a bit more substantial (read: blade heavy) than I thought it would... but then again, this is the only "functional" wakizashi I've ever wielded to date. I was expecting a twirling baton feel. Maybe my expectations were a bit off, since don't have experiences with wakizashi. If I handle more and this turns out to be a more light and graceful wakizashi by comparison, I'll be sure to update the reivew.
Test Cutting
It slices held paper and cuts through assorted plastic drink bottles (even the thicker "Smart Water" and "Gatorade/Powerade" bottles) with ease. A Monday and Tuesday combined roll of soaked newspaper was cut through, but required some actual effort. It felt odd standing so much closer to the targets than usual (with a katana). Yes, "only 10 inches closer" sounds like it's not much, but it actually feels like a lot more when it comes to wielding a sword. At least for me, it did.
Conclusions
Katanas get all the glory, while wakizashis are the unsung heroes. The utility of a smaller, lighter, one-handed sword can't be denied. You can also train and practice with it indoors with a lot less risk of accidentally damaging your home decor. This wakizashi has the same quality fit, finish, and metal/wood materials as the companion katana line, which is a good thing.
As with the KC katanas, the wakizashi has a utilitarian (almost "tactical") aesthetic style to it. It may not be as flashy as a dolled up bride on her wedding day, but the understated look of a woman in a good fitting set of casual clothes is still attractive.
But as a "matching set" to a katana from the same delivery batch, it kinda misses the mark.
Pros
+ Same tough material and blade geometry as KC katanas.
+ Geometric yokote.
+ High quality metal fittings.
+ Attractive sori.
+ Handle and koshirae were made specifically fit for the sword, not mass produced.
Cons
- No kojiri.
- Synthetic ito.
- No samegawa.
- High quality fittings are plain.
- Ito doesn't match companion katana's.
Again, some of the "cons" listed above are for your general katana customer that wants "tradition" stuff and flash/flamboyancy. The lack of samegawa isn't an issue for me personally, and to me the plain fittings and theme look a lot better than the gaudy and tacky stuff that other katana manufacturers stick on their swords. I do find the lack of a matching kojiri displeasing, but I have a bit of a tendency to lean toward the more "uniform/orderly" look. All the cons are more subjective than objective (A cracked tsuka, rattling tsuba, or dull blade for example. This sword had none of those.).
The Bottom Line
If you have a Kris Cutlery katana of the same forge line, then I would recommend getting it. Or if you want something cheap to start a custom project on, it's also a good sword to start with. Even though some parts of it didn't EXACTLY match with the companion katana out of the box, the sori and blade dimensions/geometry are pretty much the only choice you have to match with a KC katana. If you're not a fan of Kris Cutlery's general theme and style (fittings, materials, sori, geometry), then don't get it. It's a high quality product, but there are some who want something else.
I know I'll getting one if they're still available when I get my own KC 26-A, just have to see them together in person first to make sure they match.
Overall Rating: Four out of five stars.
Adjusted Rating: Three out of five stars. (This is in relation to it being a "companion piece" to the 26-A from the same batch. The missing kojiri (while probably accurate, as I've seen other sets with the wakizashi missing a kojiri) grinds at me aesthetically, and the ito not matching the exact same shade of brown does also. This Adjusted Rating also can be for those who are "traditionalists" that have issues with some of the non-factor "cons" I listed.)