Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2012 21:30:26 GMT
Ok so after a week or so doing after doing intense research on what European type sword I want, I've decided that I might buy a katana instead. I became too frustrated :x , because every sword seems to have something seriously wrong with it, except for the valiant armoury line (which seems to be almost impossible to get a hold of) :cry: . Im looking for a wieldy katana, that can handle tougher targets like thin wood or bamboo. I've read a lot of reviews saying that hanwei swords tend to chip on harder target. I will definitely be using them on harder targets..
I have to say that Im a bit puzzled though at how these katanas can chip.. I mean I've owned a couple machetes and I used to beat the semprini out of them, smacking them on wood and rocks (by accident) and surprisingly I've never noticed a chip on them. they were cheap 30 or 40 dollar machetes.. So I find it hard to believe that hitting wood with a high quality katana will produce chips :? ...
Anyways.. I'm basically looking for a good handler, and a tough blade
I'm considering the hanwei raptor and ronin dojo... side note - anyone know a safe place where I can order the ronin dojo??
Any other recommendations??
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Nov 11, 2012 21:39:58 GMT
Well, machete's have a very different geometry, as well as a different temper. They are made to be tough and to cut through hard objects. A katana is designed to cut through cloth and flesh, with occasional armor and bone contact. The entry angles on the edges are wildly different. So, while there are katanas you can use to cut through wood and hard bamboo, that is not what they are made for.
The Ronin's can be found either through their home site, Ronin Katana, or here at the SBG Store. None of the Dojo's are in right now, but there are several Dojo Pro's.
The Raptors can be found at Kult of Athena, or at paulchenhanweisword.com.
Cheness makes a line of 9260 blades that are extremely tough. Their fit and finish often leaves something to be desired, but are sturdy. They are sold through Cheness.com or here at the SBG Store.
Huawei-swords makes a line of 9260 blades as well. They cost considerably less than the Cheness, but I don't know if they are as tough. They sell through e-bay.
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Post by johnwalter on Nov 11, 2012 21:57:32 GMT
First,do more research into why a katana is made the way it is.No offense meant.A machete should never be compared to or used as a template for what a katana can or can't do. For your purposes,get the Hanwei Raptor shinogi zukuri.
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Kuya
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Post by Kuya on Nov 11, 2012 22:16:46 GMT
I'm assuming that when the topic starter says "wieldy," it means agile.
Hua Wei's 9260 blades are thick and Chrisperoni has put one through quite a bit. My experience with their 9260 was good enough, but it wasn't very agile. Hua Wei makes thick-ish blades with pretty robust niku (blade meat). Hanwei Raptors are also known to be tough, but since they stole Lancelot Chan's videos and used them without his permission after putting their logos on the videos... I'm angry at them.
Kris Cutlery 26s are very agile, and the 26-II is stupid agile. I've use a KC as my primary beater/cutter. They have a reputation for being rather tough as well. Adrian Jordan has a 26-III and I think he commented in the past that it's a more agile blade than a Dojo Pro. The problem most people have are the plain (yet very high quality in materials and construction). KC katana just don't have the flash and pizazz that Dojo Pros have. I think KC would have a much broader and more popular/well-known image if it wasn't for the fact that the batches are so small (the 26/29 series aren't mass produced in China, and the last three batches of 26-As have sold out completely in one or two weeks of being received), and they don't have a huge dealer network.
Since you're a first-time buyer, I am going to predict that you would be happier with a Dojo Pro over a Kric Cutlery. The overall presentation of the Dojo Pro is better for casuals and basic backyard cutters. KCs are usually sought after by customizers looking for a great base blade (since you're trading off the silk ito, samegawa, and designer sayas that some of the Dojo Pros have, for differential hardening, a deeper sori, and one of the very few production blades that can fit the nihonto-sized habaki that are sold by Fred Lohman), or people who don't care about looks so much.
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Nov 11, 2012 23:58:06 GMT
Way, way more agile. the KC's balance is superb. The only real gripe I have about it is that it has some rattle in the saya. Great blades, and awesome platforms for customization.
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Post by stickem on Nov 12, 2012 0:33:33 GMT
Ahhh... you're calling yourself "anal cake"?
:shock: Really?
:? Ummm... is that like smegma? or angel food cake?
Well... on 2nd thought, nevermind...
:roll: We prolly don't wanna know
So somebody's gotta say it... ya do know with this name you're tempting folks to tell ya where to stick yer sword, right? :lol:
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Post by Maynar on Nov 12, 2012 0:42:42 GMT
SMEG! :lol:
Like JW said, a Raptor would be a great choice. If you have a bit more to splash out, a Bamboo Mat would work a treat. It's a little heavier, thus has more mass going through the target.
Mine kills double beach mats like nobody's business...
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Post by chrisperoni on Nov 12, 2012 4:16:24 GMT
it's hard to even answer the questions... I like my huawei plenty it's a light and medium target cutter I'd wager. Some quick measurements: thickness is 7mm above habaki, 4.5 at kissaki width is 31mm above habaki, 22 at kissaki -hardest targets I've cut are rolled and soaked beachmats. Hardest thing I've cut is the pine table top on my stand (whoops). There's no visible damage to this blade from my use. I'd have to take a magnifying glass to it to see any wear on the edge. -note any sword can fail with improper use so be cautious and begin with simple cuts- daigonal downward is usually best to practice over and again. Pooe alignment can bend any sword... having said that the spring temper on my huawei is very well done indeed. I've tested about a 25 degree bend and went right back to true no probs.
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Post by aussie-rabbit on Nov 12, 2012 4:57:25 GMT
I have bent my 9260 DH to 45 degrees many times and always had it come back true, consider leaf springs in a car are bent thousands of times every journey, there is the point of no return of course
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Post by Beowulf on Nov 12, 2012 7:50:13 GMT
Katana can chip because their edge is super hard, the body of the blade is less hard, the meeting of the two different hardnesses is what gives you the hamon. Why did they do this? Generally people answer this by explaining that the Japanese wanted something that wouldn't dull quickly. I'll explain it differently though, because my view on this is ass-backwards. Katana are very difficult to sharpen. In the west, and especially in modern times, people sharpen something by removing/honing the edge of the tool or weapon. Katana are sharpened by "polishing" them- by removing a tiny amount of steel evenly across the entire body of the blade. They rework the entire surface.
Why do katana have super hard edges? To keep them from dulling, because sharpening a katana is a serious and highly skilled undertaking.
A piece of advice about buying your first katana: The durability of the handle is as important- if not MORE important than the durability of the blade. You want a handle (tsuka) made properly that fits properly. Otherwise your going to at best have a nice blade with a unravelling ito- a difficult thing to fix for a newbie. At worst the blade separates from the tsuka in use and helicopters out away from you- or into you.
Go with a katana made by someone that other more experienced people recommend. Don't buy something unknown.
good luck!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2012 9:27:28 GMT
I'd follow John's advice, he knows his katanas!
Read up, so you've got some realistic expectations, and just a hint, change your forum name to something a bit more sensible otherwise people will have trouble taking you seriously... Surprised a profanity as a forum name was passed by the mods. :?
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Post by chrisperoni on Nov 12, 2012 14:09:46 GMT
one other thing about the huawei I mentioned- it's a good $100 sword, but if you are going above that in price to say $200-$300 then options open up in a big way
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