Questions on vendors from someone looking for a katana
May 1, 2013 13:37:34 GMT
Post by Ivanovich on May 1, 2013 13:37:34 GMT
Hello, my friends. This would be my first post here. I've tried to read the vast info you guys have available before posting a question that may have been answered dozens of times in other posts. However, I fear I've hit a road block and am looking for some advice on how to proceed.
I've been training with an Iaido for over a year now and am looking to get a shinken (live blade) now. I'm looking to spend around $400 - which I understand isn't all that much, but given that I am still learning cutting and the like, I'd rather not waste a lot more money on a sword I might abuse while in the learning phase.
I've gone to skyjiro forge and spoken twice on the phone to David Goldberg twice. The first call David was great, and explained a lot about the different swords he has to offer, but he didn't have the one in stock I was looking for from his website. He promised to get back to me with an updated time on when he'd have it back. A week went by and I heard nothing, so I called him back. He remember the call and suggested a sword from his vintage line (swords no longer offered on his website). I told him I was really interested in the Samurai one, but asked him if he had pictures and info on the vintage ones. He again promised to email me the timeline on the samurai back in stock, and would have someone email me the photos of the other sword. It's been a week and a half now, and nothing.
So I gave up on him and went to sinosword.com, another site I got from browsing the forums here. I saw a few models they had, and attempted to get prices on changing a few details on the sword, just the Tsuka wrapping, really. After three attempts and two weeks - nothing from them either. Apparently either business is just really good and new customers aren't necessary, or the money I'm looking to spend just isn't enough to warrant people responding.
My problem is that there are so many sites out there and it's difficult to know which are legit and which are BS. I did go to the SFB store, but the swords I saw there were either gone, sold out, and the ones remaining did not have the look I was interested in.
Any advice would be appreciated. I don't understand why it is so difficult to spend money on something like this
-Ivan
I've been training with an Iaido for over a year now and am looking to get a shinken (live blade) now. I'm looking to spend around $400 - which I understand isn't all that much, but given that I am still learning cutting and the like, I'd rather not waste a lot more money on a sword I might abuse while in the learning phase.
I've gone to skyjiro forge and spoken twice on the phone to David Goldberg twice. The first call David was great, and explained a lot about the different swords he has to offer, but he didn't have the one in stock I was looking for from his website. He promised to get back to me with an updated time on when he'd have it back. A week went by and I heard nothing, so I called him back. He remember the call and suggested a sword from his vintage line (swords no longer offered on his website). I told him I was really interested in the Samurai one, but asked him if he had pictures and info on the vintage ones. He again promised to email me the timeline on the samurai back in stock, and would have someone email me the photos of the other sword. It's been a week and a half now, and nothing.
So I gave up on him and went to sinosword.com, another site I got from browsing the forums here. I saw a few models they had, and attempted to get prices on changing a few details on the sword, just the Tsuka wrapping, really. After three attempts and two weeks - nothing from them either. Apparently either business is just really good and new customers aren't necessary, or the money I'm looking to spend just isn't enough to warrant people responding.
My problem is that there are so many sites out there and it's difficult to know which are legit and which are BS. I did go to the SFB store, but the swords I saw there were either gone, sold out, and the ones remaining did not have the look I was interested in.
Any advice would be appreciated. I don't understand why it is so difficult to spend money on something like this
-Ivan