NEW 2013 BUDO KATANA
Mar 2, 2013 8:48:10 GMT
Post by frankthebunny on Mar 2, 2013 8:48:10 GMT
Greetings fellow forumites and sword lovers,
I have the new 2013 Budo katana in my possession. I've looked it over inside and out and I'm here to give you my thoughts.
Josh - The Bunny
New Budo review
3/2/2013
Limbo, USA
Full Disclosure
I am not being paid to review this sword. I will be selling it for Ricky afterward so it doesn't have to go back to him and I will receive reimbursement for shipping and gas. I was impressed by the last model so I just had to see the new one
Statistics
Sugata: shinogi-zukuri
Blade Steel: high carbon steel alloy
Overall Length: 40 3/4"
Nagasa: 28"
Thickness at Mune Machi: .293"/7.19mm
Thickness at Yokote: .208""/5.28mm
Width at Mune Machi: 1 1/4"/32mm
Width at Yokote: .892"/22.67mm
Kissaki Type/Length: Chu/1 1/2"
Shinogi-Ji: .475"/12.09mm
Ji: .813"/20.66mm
Sori: 3/4"
Nakago: 10 3/16"
Mune: Iori
Tsuka: 11 1/2"
Tsuba: 2 5/8"w x 2 15/16"h x 3.62mm thick. wght: 2.7 oz
Bare Blade Weight: 1.75 lbs
Weight Without Saya: 2.33 lbs
Weight With Saya: 2.93 lbs
POB: 6 1/2" from tsuba
Aesthetic Overview
Upon first impression removing this sword from the attractive silk bag with gold Fusahimo tassels, I was impressed but since this is the second time reviewing this line, I was not surprised.
The first thing to stand out was the well shaped and wrapped tsuka. It just looks professional and brings the sword to the next level of production katana aesthetics.
The color of this ito is Tetsu, a dark blue-green and goes well with the black fittings and saya. The koshirae is attractive while also looking purposeful and the bone white sageo really sets the whole thing off.
It has a pleasant koshi-sori and the curve carries through the whole length of the sword. Overall, a very nice looking production daily cutter.
The Tsuka
The tsuka is in a nice Haichi shape and is wrapped tightly in premium Japanese silk ito in the henerimaki style. Folded rice paper hishigami are used to hold the ito in place as well as maintain the diamond shape. The wrap is tight and the diamond shapes are consistent and the only minor flaw I can see is the end knots are reversed.
There are a few other subtle differences between this tsuka and and a custom done tsukamaki but as far as production tsuka go, this is by far the best job I've seen period.
The core is covered in premium samegawa panels with a large emperor's node and decent secondary nodes. The panel on the ura side is about 1/16" short of the fuchi on this prototype model but of course this has no effect on function.
The catfish menuki are very detailed and have a wonderful patina. They are not too large and sit nicely under the ito without distorting the diamonds.
Tsuka Ho
Again, the core is healthy and strong without being too bulky under the wrap.
The Fittings
The steel fittings don a wave theme as on the last run of Budo, but they have been touched up so they don't have such a new looking sheen on the black paint. I personally like this finish over the previous model. There will also be an upgraded set of imported Japanese fittings available for an additional charge.
The seppa are solid brass and are nice and thick with clean filed edges unlike those thin cheaply stamped economy seppa found on many lower quality swords. The nakago ana is punched for a tight fit.
(the black oval egg looking thing is a magnet)
The Habaki is fit nicely with no large gaps and once again, the fit to the mune machi is perfect.
Notice how well the habaki is centered to the tsuka.
The Saya
The Saya is upgraded from the last run with an addition of a partial rattan wrapped collar and slightly smoother overall finish. The koiguchi is clean and healthy, the shape feels comfortable and the weight feels right. Unfortunately, the kurikata is not horn but made of wood. The fit is tight with no rattle or play.
The Blade
Before we go into my thoughts on the blade let's just go over some of the info on the steel itself as well as the profile of the edge.
There has been a lot of confusion regarding the steel type used for the Budo, whether it's tamahagane, 1095, or some futuristic alloy found only in comets racing toward earth from the vast reaches of space.
It's simple really. Processed steel alloy basically means this - Technically, an alloy is any combination of metal and other metallic or non-metallic elements designed to improve upon its material properties. For example, if you take iron and mix it with around 11% chromium (by weight) and small amounts of carbon and other elements you can dramatically reduce the metal's tendency to rust, corrode or stain, creating stainless steel. This could be virtually anything--aluminum, steel, titanium, magnesium, etc. W2, HWS1 & HWS2, Japanese tamahagane, these are all processed alloys.
The different components are premixed and processed into a steel that has the properties the forge needs to produce the blades that perform to their standards. There is nothing magical or cosmic or any harder to understand than many of the steels used on other blades these days. The forge needed a steel composition that allowed for the re-profiled edge to stand up to harder targets with less of a chance of chipping or rolling.
Would it be easier to digest if it were called 1 Look, basically you can call it whatever you want but the truth is that it looks nice, performs up to high standards, is light and agile, and allows for a durable edge.
Okay, now lets discuss what this "zero bevel edge" means. The definition of bevel is a sloping surface or edge. Many of us know about this type of edge from seeing it on pocket knives, kitchen knives, and machine sharpened Euro swords. There is a main plane, usually from the spine down the blade toward the edge and then it suddenly drops at an angle (usually about 20 - 40 degrees) to the final sharp edge.
Many of us that are into Japanese style blades like katana know that the edge on these types of blades are different in that they have a more convex shape on the way to the final sharp edge. This is where the term "apple seed edge" or "clam shell edge" come from. The sudden drop off or angle or "bevel" is not present on these types of blades allowing for a smoother entry into the target.
Even though this is a smoother transition, the problem is that a typical factory polish doesn't really do a complete job and doesn't provide the most efficient angle often leaving some trace of a bevel.
All Ricky really does is make sure there is a consistent angle from the shinogi to the ha terminating in a clean sharp edge with no secondary angle at all. Niku (the meat) on the blade provides strength but if not profiled correctly, can add bulk to the entry area causing the cut to be more difficult as it will push aside the target material instead of sliding easily past it.
The Budo does have niku but it is profiled in a way that the bulk or bulge of the meat is not right up front where it will make entry difficult but even throughout the blade plane.
What we see on the XL type blade profile is a very thin body, more like a disposable razor profile where a sharp edge and thin body allow for easy clean cuts but being so thin causes the blade to be weaker and more prone to damage.
This Budo is not profiled in this way. there is substantial meat to the blade but it is profiled evenly at the proper angle to provide a very sharp edge while also providing the strength needed for heavier targets. I am saying the edge of the Budo is indestructible? no. Can it be damaged? of course.
So, we have no magical metal here or mystical sharpening procedure done with ancient sacred water stones carved from Mt. Fuji itself. What we have is a lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding about a very simple thing.
Look, this blade could be made from stale glazed butter cream filled donuts and sharpened by a lame jellyfish wearing steam punk goggles, the truth is that it does what it is supposed to do, cut through a large range of targets with ease while holding it's edge within and beyond most expectations.
I have compared some measurements of the Budo blade to that of my KC 26II's blade. I tried to measure the thickness from the shinogi (ridge line) to the ha so I started out at the shinogi itself(1), then divided the rest in two and measured the middle of this space(2) and then dived the remaining space in two and measured the middle of that(3) and then finally measured the very edge itself(4).
I am not a engineer and I am using a commercial caliper so this is not the most accurate possible measurement but close enough for my curiosity.
KC
(1)----------(2)----------(3)----------(4)
7.79mm 5.24mm 2.49mm .47mm
Budo
(1)----------(2)----------(3)----------(4)
8.19mm 4.45mm 2.50mm .43mm
What does this mean? I don't really know, this is for you to decide or to ignore completely
The blade of the 2013 Budo is made of the same custom steel alloy and has similar features as last year's model but there is one new element added this time around. The new blades come with a hazuya polish to naturally bring out the well executed suguha midare hamon. The blades are not acid etched so the hamon are a little harder to see at some angles.
The koshi-sori flows nicely and looks good with the curve of the tsuka. The chu kissaki sports a geometric yokote and a good overall shape. I would like to see a slightly better polish here on the blade as well as the kissaki although this is usually only found on swords with higher price tags. The mune is iori style and the cut of the mune and ha machi is clean and even.
The nakago is shaped well and is free of annoying burrs that usually make the tsuka very difficult to remove.
A few close up's of the hamon and polish. Please note that the surface scratches you see here are really only visible because I'm using a 265 lumen led a few inches away, it shows everything!
Handling, Weight, and Balance
Once again, this is one of the most well balanced katana I've ever handled. The sword feels incredibly comfortable in my hands and maneuvers quickly with little effort. There is plenty of blade presence without the tip heavy awkwardness usually associated with powerful swords while the tsuka to blade size ratio is perfect imho.
I think there are many aspects that contribute to a well balanced katana and besides weight and POB, I feel the koshi-sori adds to the easy maneuverability as well. It just feels more natural to swing for me than a more typical tori-sori.
The properly shaped tsuka and the tight silk tsukamaki make this Budo a pleasure to hold and swing and because of the nicely tapered and contoured tsuka, it would fit smaller hands as well as my larger hands.
I would love to take this baby to some mats and bamboo!
Final Thoughts
I think there have been some substantial improvements made to the 2013 Budo making this katana an even better offering than the already impressive model. From the refined features of the blade and saya to the stellar tsuka, I think this sword stands alone in it's price range. With different color ito choices and the option of upgraded fittings and the blade offered with factory sharp(which comes paper slicing sharp) as well as Ricky's infamous scary "zero-bevel" sharpening available, this sword can be ordered to fit your needs.
I know a lot of you, like me, have been waiting for that all-in-one affordable katana that not only cuts everything thrown at it with ease but also looks nice enough to display proudly. A virtual beast for tameshigiri with many of the highly sought after aesthetic extras that were only available before on much more expensive swords.
There are many katana out on the market today that I do like a lot, but for the money I don't think I could find one as well rounded aesthetically. You'd be hard pressed to find a better complete package in this price range as far as I'm concerned.
Pros
Tough, flexible, sharp blade designed expressly for high performance tameshigiri
Naturally prominent well executed suguha hamon in hazuya polish
Handsome rattan collar saya
Solid dojo quality steel fittings (& upgraded imported Japanese fittings)
Professionally done tsuka core and tsukamaki which is unequaled on production katana outside of Japan
excellent weight and balance that makes this sword a pleasure to wield
High quality sword bag
Cons
Overall polish is ok, not spectacular
Kissaki polish is a little hazy and muddy
Kurikata is wood not horn
Standard fittings while strong, could be a bit more interesting imho
End knots are not on correct sides
If using the old rating system I would give the new Budo a 8 out of 10 in it's price range (8 1/2 if you care about the plain fittings.
Thanks for reading
-Josh
Edit - for additional information
I have the new 2013 Budo katana in my possession. I've looked it over inside and out and I'm here to give you my thoughts.
Josh - The Bunny
New Budo review
3/2/2013
Limbo, USA
Full Disclosure
I am not being paid to review this sword. I will be selling it for Ricky afterward so it doesn't have to go back to him and I will receive reimbursement for shipping and gas. I was impressed by the last model so I just had to see the new one
Statistics
Sugata: shinogi-zukuri
Blade Steel: high carbon steel alloy
Overall Length: 40 3/4"
Nagasa: 28"
Thickness at Mune Machi: .293"/7.19mm
Thickness at Yokote: .208""/5.28mm
Width at Mune Machi: 1 1/4"/32mm
Width at Yokote: .892"/22.67mm
Kissaki Type/Length: Chu/1 1/2"
Shinogi-Ji: .475"/12.09mm
Ji: .813"/20.66mm
Sori: 3/4"
Nakago: 10 3/16"
Mune: Iori
Tsuka: 11 1/2"
Tsuba: 2 5/8"w x 2 15/16"h x 3.62mm thick. wght: 2.7 oz
Bare Blade Weight: 1.75 lbs
Weight Without Saya: 2.33 lbs
Weight With Saya: 2.93 lbs
POB: 6 1/2" from tsuba
Aesthetic Overview
Upon first impression removing this sword from the attractive silk bag with gold Fusahimo tassels, I was impressed but since this is the second time reviewing this line, I was not surprised.
The first thing to stand out was the well shaped and wrapped tsuka. It just looks professional and brings the sword to the next level of production katana aesthetics.
The color of this ito is Tetsu, a dark blue-green and goes well with the black fittings and saya. The koshirae is attractive while also looking purposeful and the bone white sageo really sets the whole thing off.
It has a pleasant koshi-sori and the curve carries through the whole length of the sword. Overall, a very nice looking production daily cutter.
The Tsuka
The tsuka is in a nice Haichi shape and is wrapped tightly in premium Japanese silk ito in the henerimaki style. Folded rice paper hishigami are used to hold the ito in place as well as maintain the diamond shape. The wrap is tight and the diamond shapes are consistent and the only minor flaw I can see is the end knots are reversed.
There are a few other subtle differences between this tsuka and and a custom done tsukamaki but as far as production tsuka go, this is by far the best job I've seen period.
The core is covered in premium samegawa panels with a large emperor's node and decent secondary nodes. The panel on the ura side is about 1/16" short of the fuchi on this prototype model but of course this has no effect on function.
The catfish menuki are very detailed and have a wonderful patina. They are not too large and sit nicely under the ito without distorting the diamonds.
Tsuka Ho
Again, the core is healthy and strong without being too bulky under the wrap.
The Fittings
The steel fittings don a wave theme as on the last run of Budo, but they have been touched up so they don't have such a new looking sheen on the black paint. I personally like this finish over the previous model. There will also be an upgraded set of imported Japanese fittings available for an additional charge.
The seppa are solid brass and are nice and thick with clean filed edges unlike those thin cheaply stamped economy seppa found on many lower quality swords. The nakago ana is punched for a tight fit.
(the black oval egg looking thing is a magnet)
The Habaki is fit nicely with no large gaps and once again, the fit to the mune machi is perfect.
Notice how well the habaki is centered to the tsuka.
The Saya
The Saya is upgraded from the last run with an addition of a partial rattan wrapped collar and slightly smoother overall finish. The koiguchi is clean and healthy, the shape feels comfortable and the weight feels right. Unfortunately, the kurikata is not horn but made of wood. The fit is tight with no rattle or play.
The Blade
Before we go into my thoughts on the blade let's just go over some of the info on the steel itself as well as the profile of the edge.
There has been a lot of confusion regarding the steel type used for the Budo, whether it's tamahagane, 1095, or some futuristic alloy found only in comets racing toward earth from the vast reaches of space.
It's simple really. Processed steel alloy basically means this - Technically, an alloy is any combination of metal and other metallic or non-metallic elements designed to improve upon its material properties. For example, if you take iron and mix it with around 11% chromium (by weight) and small amounts of carbon and other elements you can dramatically reduce the metal's tendency to rust, corrode or stain, creating stainless steel. This could be virtually anything--aluminum, steel, titanium, magnesium, etc. W2, HWS1 & HWS2, Japanese tamahagane, these are all processed alloys.
The different components are premixed and processed into a steel that has the properties the forge needs to produce the blades that perform to their standards. There is nothing magical or cosmic or any harder to understand than many of the steels used on other blades these days. The forge needed a steel composition that allowed for the re-profiled edge to stand up to harder targets with less of a chance of chipping or rolling.
Would it be easier to digest if it were called 1 Look, basically you can call it whatever you want but the truth is that it looks nice, performs up to high standards, is light and agile, and allows for a durable edge.
Okay, now lets discuss what this "zero bevel edge" means. The definition of bevel is a sloping surface or edge. Many of us know about this type of edge from seeing it on pocket knives, kitchen knives, and machine sharpened Euro swords. There is a main plane, usually from the spine down the blade toward the edge and then it suddenly drops at an angle (usually about 20 - 40 degrees) to the final sharp edge.
Many of us that are into Japanese style blades like katana know that the edge on these types of blades are different in that they have a more convex shape on the way to the final sharp edge. This is where the term "apple seed edge" or "clam shell edge" come from. The sudden drop off or angle or "bevel" is not present on these types of blades allowing for a smoother entry into the target.
Even though this is a smoother transition, the problem is that a typical factory polish doesn't really do a complete job and doesn't provide the most efficient angle often leaving some trace of a bevel.
All Ricky really does is make sure there is a consistent angle from the shinogi to the ha terminating in a clean sharp edge with no secondary angle at all. Niku (the meat) on the blade provides strength but if not profiled correctly, can add bulk to the entry area causing the cut to be more difficult as it will push aside the target material instead of sliding easily past it.
The Budo does have niku but it is profiled in a way that the bulk or bulge of the meat is not right up front where it will make entry difficult but even throughout the blade plane.
What we see on the XL type blade profile is a very thin body, more like a disposable razor profile where a sharp edge and thin body allow for easy clean cuts but being so thin causes the blade to be weaker and more prone to damage.
This Budo is not profiled in this way. there is substantial meat to the blade but it is profiled evenly at the proper angle to provide a very sharp edge while also providing the strength needed for heavier targets. I am saying the edge of the Budo is indestructible? no. Can it be damaged? of course.
So, we have no magical metal here or mystical sharpening procedure done with ancient sacred water stones carved from Mt. Fuji itself. What we have is a lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding about a very simple thing.
Look, this blade could be made from stale glazed butter cream filled donuts and sharpened by a lame jellyfish wearing steam punk goggles, the truth is that it does what it is supposed to do, cut through a large range of targets with ease while holding it's edge within and beyond most expectations.
I have compared some measurements of the Budo blade to that of my KC 26II's blade. I tried to measure the thickness from the shinogi (ridge line) to the ha so I started out at the shinogi itself(1), then divided the rest in two and measured the middle of this space(2) and then dived the remaining space in two and measured the middle of that(3) and then finally measured the very edge itself(4).
I am not a engineer and I am using a commercial caliper so this is not the most accurate possible measurement but close enough for my curiosity.
KC
(1)----------(2)----------(3)----------(4)
7.79mm 5.24mm 2.49mm .47mm
Budo
(1)----------(2)----------(3)----------(4)
8.19mm 4.45mm 2.50mm .43mm
What does this mean? I don't really know, this is for you to decide or to ignore completely
The blade of the 2013 Budo is made of the same custom steel alloy and has similar features as last year's model but there is one new element added this time around. The new blades come with a hazuya polish to naturally bring out the well executed suguha midare hamon. The blades are not acid etched so the hamon are a little harder to see at some angles.
The koshi-sori flows nicely and looks good with the curve of the tsuka. The chu kissaki sports a geometric yokote and a good overall shape. I would like to see a slightly better polish here on the blade as well as the kissaki although this is usually only found on swords with higher price tags. The mune is iori style and the cut of the mune and ha machi is clean and even.
The nakago is shaped well and is free of annoying burrs that usually make the tsuka very difficult to remove.
A few close up's of the hamon and polish. Please note that the surface scratches you see here are really only visible because I'm using a 265 lumen led a few inches away, it shows everything!
Handling, Weight, and Balance
Once again, this is one of the most well balanced katana I've ever handled. The sword feels incredibly comfortable in my hands and maneuvers quickly with little effort. There is plenty of blade presence without the tip heavy awkwardness usually associated with powerful swords while the tsuka to blade size ratio is perfect imho.
I think there are many aspects that contribute to a well balanced katana and besides weight and POB, I feel the koshi-sori adds to the easy maneuverability as well. It just feels more natural to swing for me than a more typical tori-sori.
The properly shaped tsuka and the tight silk tsukamaki make this Budo a pleasure to hold and swing and because of the nicely tapered and contoured tsuka, it would fit smaller hands as well as my larger hands.
I would love to take this baby to some mats and bamboo!
Final Thoughts
I think there have been some substantial improvements made to the 2013 Budo making this katana an even better offering than the already impressive model. From the refined features of the blade and saya to the stellar tsuka, I think this sword stands alone in it's price range. With different color ito choices and the option of upgraded fittings and the blade offered with factory sharp(which comes paper slicing sharp) as well as Ricky's infamous scary "zero-bevel" sharpening available, this sword can be ordered to fit your needs.
I know a lot of you, like me, have been waiting for that all-in-one affordable katana that not only cuts everything thrown at it with ease but also looks nice enough to display proudly. A virtual beast for tameshigiri with many of the highly sought after aesthetic extras that were only available before on much more expensive swords.
There are many katana out on the market today that I do like a lot, but for the money I don't think I could find one as well rounded aesthetically. You'd be hard pressed to find a better complete package in this price range as far as I'm concerned.
Pros
Tough, flexible, sharp blade designed expressly for high performance tameshigiri
Naturally prominent well executed suguha hamon in hazuya polish
Handsome rattan collar saya
Solid dojo quality steel fittings (& upgraded imported Japanese fittings)
Professionally done tsuka core and tsukamaki which is unequaled on production katana outside of Japan
excellent weight and balance that makes this sword a pleasure to wield
High quality sword bag
Cons
Overall polish is ok, not spectacular
Kissaki polish is a little hazy and muddy
Kurikata is wood not horn
Standard fittings while strong, could be a bit more interesting imho
End knots are not on correct sides
If using the old rating system I would give the new Budo a 8 out of 10 in it's price range (8 1/2 if you care about the plain fittings.
Thanks for reading
-Josh
Edit - for additional information