Dragon Song Forge Katana
Oct 15, 2012 22:53:11 GMT
Post by Springs on Oct 15, 2012 22:53:11 GMT
Introduction
I bought this sword mainly because they were the only booth at New York Comic Con that actually sells non stainless steel swords, and that their swords customizeable on the spot. It was also my birthday and I had money to burn, so there's always that. It ran me about $313 after tax, as I got this as a replacement blade from Rob (the owner of Dragon Song Forge).
Historical overview
Doubt this is based on any historical blades. Modern production katana, that's about it.
Full Disclosure
I'm not the most experienced person when it comes to swords, I've seen a lot of pictures, read a lot of articles/topics and know a lot of terms and what they mean, but I've only ever really seen a few swords in person. So my judgement and observations may be off here and there, and if they are, any corrections would be appreciated (or even observations I might've missed!).
Initial Impressions
This part is not going to include the shipping like most reviews, as this was not ordered online but bought on the exhibitor show room at New York Comic Con, from Dragon Song Forge.
Their booth had a lot of katanas lined up on racks - like most booths selling swords. Except, they had a large sign that says that they do sword customizations on the spot. And the wall of tsubas. There must've been at least 30+ to choose from. They had about 7 katanas lined up on a rack, and you get to choose one to customize. Now, this part is kind of hard as all 7 have completely different fittings. I chose a bo-hi blade originally with a floral patterned tsuba, which they proceeded to hammer onto the tang instead of shimming it. I am not going to type out everything that happened as it's long winded and not relevant to the review of this particular sword, however you can find most of it in my thread: forum.sword-buyers-guide.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=12887
My first impressions upon handling this blade at the booth was that I was quite impressed. The suguha hamon was subtle, the blade is beefy and it is surprisingly light. I'm not completely sure why, but this particularly blade just called to me when I saw it. I went with it, switched out it's original matte saya with a black lacquered one, and changed the tsuba to something else.
A nice carrying case and maintenance kit was also included.
Statistics
Blade/Nagasa Length: 27.5"
Handle/Tsuka Length: 11"
Overall Length: 38.5"
Guard/Tsuba Width: 3"
POB (Point of Balance): 5.7" from the tsuba
COP (Center of Percussion): (not sure what this is)
Weight: (still need to weigh)
The Blade/Nagasa
This is probably the best part of the sword. It is a shinogi zukuri shape, with a counter polished kissaki. The polish on the kissaki isn't the best, it's a little cloudy/rough looking, but only in appearance.
The blade has a suguha hamon (which I've started finding quite beautiful), and trust me when I say, it is extremely hard to capture. It's so extremely subtle that the best way to see it is when you dim all the lights. Otherwise it almost looks like a through hardened blade.
It also has a certain kind of polish I usually see on higher end swords (and please note if there's a name for this, I have no idea if it does) - where the hamon line and shinogi-ji is differently polished from the area between the hamon and shinogi. It's quite attractive.
Also this blade is laminated in the honsanmai style - something that I like quite a lot, even though it's not a necessity with the quality of modern steel. I had to take a magnifying glass and very careful examination to see it, but it has a very faint line where the different steel types meet. It's extremely subtle, not to mention it's close to where the hamon is located too, doesn't make it easier to see!
Now there are some downers, although they aren't extremely serious issues. First thing is that there are tiny (and I mean tiny) specks of rust on the blade right above the habaki. I ran my nail over it to make sure it wasn't just wood from the saya or something, and I felt tiny tiny bumps.
There're also some very minor surface scratches, no doubt from being handled constantly during the convention. Nothing that can't be fixed with a little elbow grease. The habaki is also slightly misaligned, one side has a larger gap than the other. This can probably be fixed with a little work.
The Handle/Tsuka
The tsuka core is solid, and shows no sign of cracks whatsoever.
I'm not sure what material the ito is made out of - definitely not cotton though. It's probably something synthetic, although I'm not sure what (what are the differences in each kind of ito wrap anyway?). The wrap alternates, which is a plus. Diamonds are a tad uneven, although everything is tight.
Samegawa wrap looks kind of funny - large and beady on one side, small and not as beady on the other. This does make it look a little inconsistant in a way, especially on the lower quality side - the quality is sort of spotty, with some spots having larger nodes than others.
It also has one mekugi instead of two. This is fine, but two would've been more reassuring.
Upon removal of the tsuka to inspect the signature on the tang, I noticed something weird. On one side, it has Chinese (or Japanese?) characters, and on the other side, "CHRIS ZHOU" and what seems to be done recently/after forging with a rotary tool, "DRAGON". If I'm not mistaken, Chris Zhou made swords for Musashi some time ago, although I'm not sure if he still does. The dragon, could stand for Dragon Song Forge, however this is just a guess. If anyone can translate the Chinese/Japanese characters, that'd be great.
The Guard/Tsuba
It's a pretty standard sized tsuba. I believe it is made of brass, as it's been aged a bit and the material under the coating shows the color of brass (or maybe copper? Hmm....). It has a wave theme on the edge, and 3 cyclone patterns on it. Not sure why I chose this one, it just called to me.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
The fuchi and kashira both have the wave theme (or is it tsunami?). After going over it with a fine toothed comb, I noticed the kashira is very (very) slightly loose. It also sits ontop of the wood and not inserted on the wood, although I think this is due to the fact that the kashira is of the smaller type and would not fit the tsuka core. It's more of a cap than anything else.
The Scabbard/Saya
It's your very standard black lacquered saya. The lacquer is well done and smooth. There's a small scratch near the bottom, but it's not extremely noticeable. The sageo is of a different material than the ito which is good - then again, I did specifically choose this particular one, haha.
Handling Characteristics
This blade is light. Bo-hi blades are known for being lighter, which is a plus for some people. However this isn't a bo-hi blade, but a no-hi (is that really the right term?). No-hi blades are more forceful, and usually slightly heavier. But no, this guy is really light. This is good because lighter blades are usually easier to handle, especially for less experienced people (like myself...)
Test Cutting (if applicable)
I do not have a backyard, front yard or large enough space to do any real test cutting, not even with water bottles, so I haven't done those kinds. I have cut up paper and flayed (or skinned) business cards though, which is what Dragon Song Forge does when they demo a blade. This blade is razor sharp, and does so with ease. However, it's not to the point that it'd be considered wickedly sharp - the previous katana I got before I exchanged for this one was actually sharper. Some of my business card skinnings ended up just slicing through the entire card instead, although this could just be due to less practice.
Also if anyone has any suggestions for a way for me to do some bottle cutting in a small location (or somewhere I can go in NYC to do so), I'd appreciate it.
Conclusions
This sword was probably the one that gave me the most difficulties with getting it. However, I believe I got an excellent blade, with fittings that are just alright. Normally, this no-hi blade would run you 329 before tax, and I only got it because I exchanged a defective bo-hi blade for this one. And the folk at Dragon Song Forge were extremely helpful too - Rob, the owner, especially. Excellent customer service, and very knowledgeable about swords. Couldn't have asked for more.
Pros
- Very nice and attractive blade
- Subtle and attractive suguha hamon, which you don't see very often
- Laminated
- Everything is solid, no rattles
- Excellent customer service
Cons
- Small rust spots near the habaki
- Minor surface scratches here and there
- Saya didn't completely fit, needed be fixed
- Samegawa quality is spotty on one side
The Bottom Line
I'd recommend this sword to those who attend large conventions frequently and want to actually handle their blades before buying them, and want a sword from a booth that isn't loaded with stainless steel wall hangers. While on a normal day you can just go online and buy any sword you want, you don't get the benefit of handling and getting help with it on the spot. However, if you don't attend conventions at all, you might not look to getting a sword from them, as your options are much larger. Overall however, I am satisfied.
I bought this sword mainly because they were the only booth at New York Comic Con that actually sells non stainless steel swords, and that their swords customizeable on the spot. It was also my birthday and I had money to burn, so there's always that. It ran me about $313 after tax, as I got this as a replacement blade from Rob (the owner of Dragon Song Forge).
Historical overview
Doubt this is based on any historical blades. Modern production katana, that's about it.
Full Disclosure
I'm not the most experienced person when it comes to swords, I've seen a lot of pictures, read a lot of articles/topics and know a lot of terms and what they mean, but I've only ever really seen a few swords in person. So my judgement and observations may be off here and there, and if they are, any corrections would be appreciated (or even observations I might've missed!).
Initial Impressions
This part is not going to include the shipping like most reviews, as this was not ordered online but bought on the exhibitor show room at New York Comic Con, from Dragon Song Forge.
Their booth had a lot of katanas lined up on racks - like most booths selling swords. Except, they had a large sign that says that they do sword customizations on the spot. And the wall of tsubas. There must've been at least 30+ to choose from. They had about 7 katanas lined up on a rack, and you get to choose one to customize. Now, this part is kind of hard as all 7 have completely different fittings. I chose a bo-hi blade originally with a floral patterned tsuba, which they proceeded to hammer onto the tang instead of shimming it. I am not going to type out everything that happened as it's long winded and not relevant to the review of this particular sword, however you can find most of it in my thread: forum.sword-buyers-guide.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=12887
My first impressions upon handling this blade at the booth was that I was quite impressed. The suguha hamon was subtle, the blade is beefy and it is surprisingly light. I'm not completely sure why, but this particularly blade just called to me when I saw it. I went with it, switched out it's original matte saya with a black lacquered one, and changed the tsuba to something else.
A nice carrying case and maintenance kit was also included.
Statistics
Blade/Nagasa Length: 27.5"
Handle/Tsuka Length: 11"
Overall Length: 38.5"
Guard/Tsuba Width: 3"
POB (Point of Balance): 5.7" from the tsuba
COP (Center of Percussion): (not sure what this is)
Weight: (still need to weigh)
The Blade/Nagasa
This is probably the best part of the sword. It is a shinogi zukuri shape, with a counter polished kissaki. The polish on the kissaki isn't the best, it's a little cloudy/rough looking, but only in appearance.
The blade has a suguha hamon (which I've started finding quite beautiful), and trust me when I say, it is extremely hard to capture. It's so extremely subtle that the best way to see it is when you dim all the lights. Otherwise it almost looks like a through hardened blade.
It also has a certain kind of polish I usually see on higher end swords (and please note if there's a name for this, I have no idea if it does) - where the hamon line and shinogi-ji is differently polished from the area between the hamon and shinogi. It's quite attractive.
Also this blade is laminated in the honsanmai style - something that I like quite a lot, even though it's not a necessity with the quality of modern steel. I had to take a magnifying glass and very careful examination to see it, but it has a very faint line where the different steel types meet. It's extremely subtle, not to mention it's close to where the hamon is located too, doesn't make it easier to see!
Now there are some downers, although they aren't extremely serious issues. First thing is that there are tiny (and I mean tiny) specks of rust on the blade right above the habaki. I ran my nail over it to make sure it wasn't just wood from the saya or something, and I felt tiny tiny bumps.
There're also some very minor surface scratches, no doubt from being handled constantly during the convention. Nothing that can't be fixed with a little elbow grease. The habaki is also slightly misaligned, one side has a larger gap than the other. This can probably be fixed with a little work.
The Handle/Tsuka
The tsuka core is solid, and shows no sign of cracks whatsoever.
I'm not sure what material the ito is made out of - definitely not cotton though. It's probably something synthetic, although I'm not sure what (what are the differences in each kind of ito wrap anyway?). The wrap alternates, which is a plus. Diamonds are a tad uneven, although everything is tight.
Samegawa wrap looks kind of funny - large and beady on one side, small and not as beady on the other. This does make it look a little inconsistant in a way, especially on the lower quality side - the quality is sort of spotty, with some spots having larger nodes than others.
It also has one mekugi instead of two. This is fine, but two would've been more reassuring.
Upon removal of the tsuka to inspect the signature on the tang, I noticed something weird. On one side, it has Chinese (or Japanese?) characters, and on the other side, "CHRIS ZHOU" and what seems to be done recently/after forging with a rotary tool, "DRAGON". If I'm not mistaken, Chris Zhou made swords for Musashi some time ago, although I'm not sure if he still does. The dragon, could stand for Dragon Song Forge, however this is just a guess. If anyone can translate the Chinese/Japanese characters, that'd be great.
The Guard/Tsuba
It's a pretty standard sized tsuba. I believe it is made of brass, as it's been aged a bit and the material under the coating shows the color of brass (or maybe copper? Hmm....). It has a wave theme on the edge, and 3 cyclone patterns on it. Not sure why I chose this one, it just called to me.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
The fuchi and kashira both have the wave theme (or is it tsunami?). After going over it with a fine toothed comb, I noticed the kashira is very (very) slightly loose. It also sits ontop of the wood and not inserted on the wood, although I think this is due to the fact that the kashira is of the smaller type and would not fit the tsuka core. It's more of a cap than anything else.
The Scabbard/Saya
It's your very standard black lacquered saya. The lacquer is well done and smooth. There's a small scratch near the bottom, but it's not extremely noticeable. The sageo is of a different material than the ito which is good - then again, I did specifically choose this particular one, haha.
Handling Characteristics
This blade is light. Bo-hi blades are known for being lighter, which is a plus for some people. However this isn't a bo-hi blade, but a no-hi (is that really the right term?). No-hi blades are more forceful, and usually slightly heavier. But no, this guy is really light. This is good because lighter blades are usually easier to handle, especially for less experienced people (like myself...)
Test Cutting (if applicable)
I do not have a backyard, front yard or large enough space to do any real test cutting, not even with water bottles, so I haven't done those kinds. I have cut up paper and flayed (or skinned) business cards though, which is what Dragon Song Forge does when they demo a blade. This blade is razor sharp, and does so with ease. However, it's not to the point that it'd be considered wickedly sharp - the previous katana I got before I exchanged for this one was actually sharper. Some of my business card skinnings ended up just slicing through the entire card instead, although this could just be due to less practice.
Also if anyone has any suggestions for a way for me to do some bottle cutting in a small location (or somewhere I can go in NYC to do so), I'd appreciate it.
Conclusions
This sword was probably the one that gave me the most difficulties with getting it. However, I believe I got an excellent blade, with fittings that are just alright. Normally, this no-hi blade would run you 329 before tax, and I only got it because I exchanged a defective bo-hi blade for this one. And the folk at Dragon Song Forge were extremely helpful too - Rob, the owner, especially. Excellent customer service, and very knowledgeable about swords. Couldn't have asked for more.
Pros
- Very nice and attractive blade
- Subtle and attractive suguha hamon, which you don't see very often
- Laminated
- Everything is solid, no rattles
- Excellent customer service
Cons
- Small rust spots near the habaki
- Minor surface scratches here and there
- Saya didn't completely fit, needed be fixed
- Samegawa quality is spotty on one side
The Bottom Line
I'd recommend this sword to those who attend large conventions frequently and want to actually handle their blades before buying them, and want a sword from a booth that isn't loaded with stainless steel wall hangers. While on a normal day you can just go online and buy any sword you want, you don't get the benefit of handling and getting help with it on the spot. However, if you don't attend conventions at all, you might not look to getting a sword from them, as your options are much larger. Overall however, I am satisfied.